Matt Hagan was adamant before the season that winning the NHRA Funny Car championship last season wasn't worth any free points when the 2012 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series opened.
He also didn't expect to have such an abrupt start to the new season.
Hagan and the Aaron's Dream Machine Dodge Charger R/T lost in the first round to Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps on Sunday in the NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.
It didn't help that rain washed out the fourth and final qualifying session on Saturday when Hagan and crew chief Tommy DeLago were confident they'd be able to run quickly enough to move up from the No. 9 qualifying spot. Any improvement would have kept them from facing a teammate and also allow them to select which dragstrip lane they wanted in the first round.
After never being lower than fifth in championship points last year, the Aaron's team rests in the 12th spot heading to Phoenix this week in the second of 23 events.
"We have to put this one behind us and learn and move on with our Aaron's Dodge," he said.
While the Aaron's team was preparing the car near Los Angeles before heading for Firebird International Raceway and the NHRA Arizona Nationals, Hagan headed for Scottsdale, Ariz., with Top Fuel teammate Antron Brown to spend a few days with Aaron's vendor partners.
He also looked forward to being with his Aaron's racing brethren on the NASCAR side: Michael Waltrip and Mark Martin.
"I've been looking forward to spending time with them and get to know more about Aaron's from the corporate side," Hagan said. "And I know we're going to have fun doing it."
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