PSCA 2012 Season Kicks Off Feb. 17 at The Strip

The Pacific Street Car Association Presented by Chris Alston’s Chassisworks announced the full schedule for its 2012 racing season Monday. The PSCA’s 13^th season will kick off Feb. 17-19 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and wrap up Nov. 2-4 at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif.

The PSCA, featuring seven heads up classes, four bracket classes, and three index classes, are headlined by Pro Street, a low six-second doorslammer class with cars rocketing down the quarter mile at 245 mph.

"The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Auto Club Dragway are two of the finest facilities in the country and I am proud to hold our PSCA events at these prestigious tracks" PSCA President Mel Roth said. "This season is going to be record-setting year and track managers Chris Blair (Las Vegas) and Mark Dawson (Fontana) have assembled crews to make the PSCA racing experience not only fast and exciting, but fun as well.”

Blair, fresh off having his facility named as the NHRA Division 7 Track of the Year for 2011, is looking forward to the return of some of the best drag racing the West Coast region has to offer both fans and racers.

“The Pacific Street Car Association has been a tremendous partner with Las Vegas Motor Speedway since we opened our new facility in 2000," said Blair, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway vice president of racing operations.  "Through the years the efforts of the organization to produce amazing racing, along with our state-of-the-art facility, has produced more than just races; we have produced ‘happenings’.”

The full 2012 Pacific Street Car Association event schedule is as follows:

·         Feb. 17-19 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
·         March 9-11 – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, Calif.
·         April 27-29 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
·         May 18-20 – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, Calif.
·         June 22-24 – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, Calif.
·         Sept. 7-9 – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, Calif.
·         Oct. 5-7 – The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
·         Nov. 2-4 – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, Calif.

While the official season wraps up the first weekend in November in Fontana, the PSCA’s Street Car Super Nationals VIII returns to Vegas Nov. 15-18. More information will be released in the coming weeks regarding the eighth edition of this can’t-miss event.

Racers can visit the PSCA’s official page on Facebook to find the 2012 class rules.

Get PSCA Stuff: Represent the Pacific Street Car Association and West Coast drag racing by visiting our online store! The official PSCA store has everything for fans and racers of all ages, including hats, shirts, DVDs, and more at huge discounts. Click HERE to start shopping!

Fans of the Pacific Street Car Association can find updates and photos of PSCA racers and events by checking out PSCARacing.com, Twitter.com/PSCARacing, and Facebook.com/PSCARacing. Videos of PSCA drag racing action can be found at YouTube.com/PSCARacing.

Brandon Bernstein signed to drive MavTV/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster

(Brandon Bernstein, seen here during driver introductions at the 2011 World Finals in Pomona, will race for Morgan Lucas Racing in 2012, replacing Shawn Langdon, who will race for Al Anabi Racing. Bernstein was left without a ride after his father, hall of famer Kenny Bernstein, retired immediately following the end of the season. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Nine-year pro Brandon Bernstein has been selected to drive the MavTV/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster for Morgan Lucas Racing in 2012 and beyond. Bernstein's dragster, the same one driven by Shawn Langdon the last three years, will be tuned by longtime MLR crew members Joe Barlam and John DeFilippis.

"Brandon Bernstein is the total package," Lucas said. "He brings an amazing presence, a professional attitude and a tremendous fan following to this race team, not to mention his obvious ability behind the wheel of a Top Fuel dragster. He's the perfect choice to fill the seat and represent our sponsors."

Added MavTV president Bob Patison, "Brandon Bernstein is a solid choice to pilot the MavTV Top Fuel dragster. His professionalism and proven record of success on the track are exactly the attributes a sponsor wants in a driver. Brandon will be a great ambassador for MavTV, a network featuring the best in movies, sports and variety programming."

An 18-time national event winner, Bernstein already ranks fifth among active Top Fuel drivers in total number of victories and is tied for 10th with legend Shirley Muldowney on the all-time class list.

"I'm honored to have this chance to drive for MavTV, Lucas Oil and Morgan Lucas Racing," Bernstein said. "It was a stressful holiday season, to be honest, as I accessed the limited opportunities out there. It wasn't much fun, until today.

"Racing with my dad was a dream come true and now I have a very unique chance to race with my second family -- Forrest, Charlotte and Morgan Lucas. We raced with the Lucas Oil brand on our cars for many years and it’s great to come back into the fold. I feel an immense amount of gratitude to them for giving me this chance."

Aside from MavTV and Lucas Oil, the car will be branded with ProtectTheHarvest.com. an initiative spearheaded by Forrest Lucas. More details on specifics of the various sponsorship arrangements are forthcoming.

"Drag racing requires a lot of its drivers," Morgan Lucas said. "The part where you're actually driving the car is only a small piece of what it takes.

"Brandon has such a well-rounded vision of how to meet the demands of high-profile brands like MavTV, Lucas Oil, Toyota, GEICO and all the other companies that support Morgan Lucas Racing. He also knows how to interact with the media and the fans. He's a real pro and that was a big part of why he was selected. The fact we're longtime friends also was important. Brandon's a family man with strong values. He's the perfect choice to drive this car."

Bernstein says his longtime friendships with Morgan and Barlam is making the transition to his new team an easy one.

"I've known these guys a long time," the 39-year-old Bernstein said. "Morgan and me grew up out here together and I remember bugging Joe back when he was a crew guy on the McDonald's car. I was probably 14 years old at the time but he was always cool to me and we've remained in touch. It's a very comfortable feeling here.

"Joe and John have been working overtime with Morgan's crew chiefs (Aaron Brooks and Rod Centorbi) to make these two dragsters identical. We're going to take things to a new level this year."

Lucas and Bernstein will begin testing for the upcoming season on Jan. 16 at Palm Beach International Raceway in south Florida.

JR Motorsports Tabs Cole Whitt For No. 88 Chevy in 2012

(After a strong year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, former dirt open-wheel standout Cole Whitt has been signed by JR Motorsports to drive the No. 88 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for the 2012 season. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

JR Motorsports' flagship team will compete for a NASCAR Nationwide Series championship with one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars, as Cole Whitt has been tabbed to drive the company’s flagship No. 88 Chevrolet in 2012, team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced today.

Whitt, a 20-year-old native of Alpine, Calif., will also compete for Sunoco Rookie-of-the-Year honors. He comes to JR Motorsports from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he finished ninth in last year’s championship standings with one pole, two top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. To date he is the youngest driver ever to win the USAC (United States Auto Club) National Midget championship, as his title-winning effort in 2008 put him alongside esteemed former USAC national champions such as Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne.

“Cole is the guy we wanted, and we’re lucky to get him,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He’s got raw, untapped talent, but we are most impressed with his ambition. I sought advice and input from people I respect in the industry, and the overwhelming consensus was that Cole has the potential to do great things in this sport.”

The signing of Whitt completes the 2012 driver line-up for JR Motorsports, which will compete in Nationwide Series competition with Whitt in the No. 88 Chevrolet, Danica Patrick in the No. 7 Chevrolet, and Earnhardt Jr. in select races in the No. 5 Chevrolet. All three drivers will compete in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 25.

“This is a big opportunity for me, and I’m happy to be a part of the JR Motorsports team,” said Whitt, who was introduced to employees Wednesday morning. “I’m grateful to Dale, Kelley and everyone at JR Motorsports for giving me this chance. It’s an honor to work with the Eurys, and I will do everything in my power to put this No. 88 team where it belongs in Victory Lane.”

Whitt got his start racing karts and saw immediate success with eight International Karting Federation championships and two World Karting Association grand national championships. He was the Hoosier Sprint Car Rookie of the Year in 2006 and earned 34 top-10 finishes in 60 USAC starts in 2007 before winning the championship in 2008. Whitt advanced to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2010, promptly notching two poles and finishing fourth in points in his first year.

TRANSCRIPT: Aric Almirola Discusses Being Tabbed to Drive the No. 43 for RPM

(Aric Almirola, after driving the No. 88 for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series last year, has been signed by Richard Petty Motorsports to drive the iconic No. 43 in the Sprint Cup Series in 2012. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Richard Petty Motorsports announced today that Aric Almirola will drive the No. 43 Ford Fusion during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.  Almirola, along with RPM Chief Executive Officer Brian Moffitt, were part of a teleconference this afternoon to talk about the upcoming season.

ARIC ALMIROLA – No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Fusion – “I’m very, very excited about this opportunity to not only drive the historic and iconic 43 car, but to work with all the people here at Richard Petty Motorsports.  I had the privilege last year of sitting on the couch on Sundays and watching the races and I saw how competitive their race cars were on a weekly basis and that was a big factor in making the decision to come over here to Richard Petty Motorsports.  Their competition on the race track was very, very high and that gives me an opportunity to get in a race car that I know is very competitive, and where I’ve just got to go out and do my job and the results will come.  It’s a great opportunity for me.  I’m a little bit sad leaving where I left.  I had a good home there with Junior Motorsports, but it was important for me to have their support to come and do this.  I talked with Dale and Kelley quite a bit throughout this whole process and they supported me 100 percent.  Dale said that was the main reason for him having a Nationwide team was to get guys in the Nationwide car at his shop and to give them an opportunity to go and make a career out of racing in NASCAR.  For me, that’s come true.  He gave me a great opportunity to go there and drive the 88 car and that’s led to this opportunity here at RPM.  Like he said, if anything, it gives JRM credibility as a Nationwide team that they can take not only Brad but now myself and move them into their program and out of their program and on to a Cup ride.  I’m very thankful for everything Junior Motorsports has done for me in my career and I’m excited about my new adventure here at Richard Petty Motorsports.”

HOW LONG DID THIS PROCESS TAKE?  “It was pretty quick, but I’d say it’s about a year-and-a-half in the making.  I got the privilege to drive here at the end of 2010 when I ran five races in the 9 car and got to work with a lot of the people here at Richard Petty Motorsports then and had a lot of fun driving that car at that time and built a relationship with Brian and Robbie Loomis and Sammy Johns and RP and Dale Inman and all those people that were involved in Richard Petty Motorsports.  I’d say that had a lot to do with it.  Even though this process went rather quickly this time around, I’ve had a lot of experience working with these guys already in the past, so it didn’t seem as big of a whirlwind just because of the experience I already had working with them.”

WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP DO YOU HAVE WITH MARCOS AMBROSE?  “That’s actually funny.  Me and Marcos actually started racing in the Truck Series at the exact same time, so we’ve been friends on and off the race track through that.  We talked a lot when we were racing in the Truck Series together.  I’ve watched him go on to Cup racing and have kept up with him and see him throughout the garage.  I’ve always had a friendly relationship with him and I respect him a lot as a race car driver, so I’m excited to be his teammate now.”

BRIAN MOFFITT, CEO, Richard Petty Motorsports – WHAT DID YOU SEE IN BRIAN IN 2010 THAT MADE YOU LOOK AT HIM FOR THIS RIDE AND WHAT’S THE SITUATION ON SPONSORSHIP FOR THE CAR?  “We saw a lot of potential in Aric and have watched him closely at Junior Motorsports throughout. Richard always said if we had an opportunity that he was somebody he would like to be in the 43.  We got everybody together here at Richard Petty Motorsports – Sammy, Todd Parrott, who is still with us, and, of course, Greg Erwin, and went down the list and Aric was the top choice for us.  As far as sponsorship, we will be making announcements in the coming weeks for the 43.  We’re poised for a two-car operation as Richard mentioned earlier and we’re real excited about having Aric pilot the 43 for us.”

ARE YOU STILL LOOKING FOR FUNDING OR ARE YOU ALL SET?  “We do have some open inventory on the car, but we will be announcing some new partners in the coming weeks.”

ARIC ALMIROLA CONTINUED – HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE A FULL-TIME RIDE THAT IS AS STABLE AS ANYTHING YOU’VE HAD IN THE PAST?  “Like I said, this is a great opportunity for me.  You take the last couple of years, I felt like a few years ago I had the opportunity to go Cup racing, but it wasn’t at this level.  There were a lot of moving parts going on and it didn’t end up working out, but I went back and went Truck racing and ran very competitive in the Truck Series and won two races and finished second in the points, and then that same year was the year I got to run five races in the 9 car and ran rather well for being, quite honestly, my first time at a lot of those race tracks in a Cup car.  So taking all of that and then moving that to the Nationwide deal last year with Junior Motorsports, we didn’t run as great as we wanted to, but we ran good.  I think we had eight top-fives and 17 or 18 top-10s and we finished fourth in the points, so we had a respectable year, and I think taking all of that knowledge and stuff I’ve learned over the last two or three years has done nothing but make me a better race car driver.  So to have the opportunity to get in as good of equipment as I’m getting in now, I’m really excited about it.  I feel like I’m a way better race car driver than I am now than I was three years ago, so I feel like I’ll be able to make the most of this opportunity.”

WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST THING ABOUT ADJUSTING TO A NEW TEAM?  “I’m getting pretty good at it.  That’s been the thing is I have been with quite a few teams, I’ve probably been with a handful of teams, and I think the biggest thing for me is I worked with Gibbs and I worked with DEI and now I’ve worked with Junior Motorsports and Hendrick collectively, and then now with Richard Petty Motorsports and obviously their affiliation with Roush Fenway.  The biggest thing for me is I’ve been fortunate to work with really high quality teams.  I’ve had the opportunity that most people would beg for and I’ve been very fortunate to get those opportunities.  This is another one of those. I think even you guys in the media can’t discount what Marcos and AJ did last year.  They were very competitive on the race track and ran in the top 10 a lot, the top-five a lot and Marcos went to Victory Lane.  Me as a 27-year-old kid that grew up racing his whole life and wants to make a career out of this and do it at the highest level in the Sprint Cup Series, this is, by far, probably the best opportunity I’ve ever had to go and succeed at it and all the while doing it driving the 43 car is pretty special.”

TAMPA TO DAYTONA IS ONLY ABOUT 130 MILES, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS HUGE LEAP?  “Growing up in Tampa watching my grandfather race dirt sprint cars all around Florida and the southeast and then myself, I started racing go-karts when I was eight, so I’ve always been involved in racing.  When I was racing go-karts we would go over to Daytona. Every year right after Christmas they would have kart weeks there and I would go and race my go-kart there at the municipal stadium on the dirt oval.  Everytime we went we would go and watch the go-karts run on the road course over at the big track.  I can remember being a little kid driving over from Tampa to Daytona the night of Christmas, because everything usually started in Daytona the day after Christmas, so usually we’d open up our presents and hang out and do whatever Christmas day and Christmas night we were driving to Daytona to go race.  I remember being a kid and driving through that tunnel many a times wondering how cool it would be to get on that race track and race and not just to get on that race track and race, but to race in the Daytona 500.  Now, I’ve had the opportunity to do that once already, but to have that opportunity now with a team that’s committed to run for a championship and to go and try to win races and for the Daytona 500 to be our first shot at it, and to be able to do that in the 43, I realize I make a lot of driving the 43, but, for me, it’s really special just because I remember growing up as a kid watching that and realizing how special that was to witness everything the King did in that car.  So to have that opportunity is gonna be really neat to go down to Daytona and be able to race in the Daytona 500 in the 43 car.”

BRIAN MOFFITT CONTINUED -- WHAT ARE YOUR REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS YEAR?  “Our expectations and what we plan on moving forward with is Top 20 and making the Chase this year.  We set our goals last year with Marcos and AJ to be in the Top 20 and hopefully one of them make the Chase or Top-15 and we actually hit that goal, and we expect the same with Aric and Marcos going into this year.”

ARIC ALMIROLA CONTINUED – “Obviously, it’s gonna be my first year running full-time in Cup, so there will be some growing pains.  I realize that I’ve got a lot of learning to do.  I don’t expect to just go out there and win six races and run for the championship, but I do expect to be competitive.  I do expect to run really good on a regular basis.  Their equipment is very capable of that.  I feel like Greg Erwin is among the best in crew chiefs, so I don’t really see any major reasons on why we shouldn’t be competitive.  Obviously, being a rookie I’ll probably make my share of mistakes, but I don’t think from a sense of speed and being competitive on the race track, I don’t see any reason why we won’t be.  I  feel very confident that we’ll be competitive and run up front and we’ll have some weekends that are great and some weekends that are just okay, but, at the end of the day, I feel like on a regular basis we should run competitively and wherever that shakes out I’d love for it to be in the Top 15 and have a shot at making the Chase, but the reality is that it is my first year and if I go out there and run competitive and run in the Top Five and do the things that I need to do as a driver and take care of my race car and I’m there at the end of the races, the points will take care of themselves.  I can’t really control that, so if I run good and finish good, the results are gonna show for that.  If I finish bad every weekend and crash and stuff, then I’m obviously not gonna be where I want to be in the points, but if I drive these cars the way they’re capable of running and finish where I feel like we’re capable of finishing as a race team, I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be competitive and finish decent in the point standings.  Like Brian said, Top 20, Top 15, and maybe even having a shot at getting in the Chase.”

HOW IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH RICHARD PETTY?   “Richard is obviously

always around the garage area, so I’ve seen him around the garage a lot.  He’s always been very friendly to me.  He’s always stopped and shook my hand and talked to me.  My wife actually worked at Richard Petty Motorsports at one time, so I got to spend some time with him at that time and also with Brian and a lot of the people here at RPM, so I feel like over the last several years I’ve known Richard.  I’ve been over to his motorhome a time or two and sat down and had discussions with him and when I got the opportunity to drive that 9 car for those five races he was always around and would always lend a hand as far as advice or tell me what he was thinking and also just being there helping out whatever way he can help out.   I’ve always had a lot of respect for him as a car owner and obviously as a driver.  He’s won over 200 races, so I have a lot of respect for any input that he has to give.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO GET TO THIS POSITION AFTER BEING IN AN EARLY DIVERSITY DRIVER PROGRAM?  “It means a lot.  And I say that honestly. It means a lot to me.  I was just home for Christmas and got to see all my family and when I was over with my dad went and saw my grandparents on my dad’s side of the family and they are the family that came over from Cuba in ’66 on the freedom flights.  When I was younger I didn’t really appreciate it.  I didn’t really think it meant anything, but the older that I’ve gotten and to now pay my own bills and now that I’m married and possibly thinking about having a family, I understand a lot better what they went through when they gave up everything they had.  They gave up their house, their cars.  My grandmother gave up her wedding ring.  They gave everything back to the Cuban government to come to America and to live the ‘American Dream’ and to create a better life not only for themselves, but for their family.  So I get to be living proof of that.  I get to drive a race car for a living, so that means a lot to me – coming from where my family has come from and the sacrifices that they have made to get to the U.S., to create a better life for themselves and their family, and then for me to be able to live out that dream that they had in 1966 when they decided to give everything back to the Cuban government, that means a lot to me.  Like I said, I took that for granted when I was a kid growing up.  I didn’t really think anything of it, but the older I get the more that sinks in and I realize what a huge sacrifice that was to leave everything that they knew to come here to America and start over.”

WILL YOU RUN ANY NATIONWIDE OR TRUCK RACES?  “As of right now my sole focus is to strictly run that 43 Cup car and do the best job I can in that, so the answer to that would be ‘no’.

HOW WILL YOUR WORKOUT AND CONDITIONING CHANGE BASED ON THIS NEW RIDE WHERE THE RACES ARE LONGER?  “Honestly, I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in my whole life.  Last year, being a part of Junior Motorsports, I worked out with the strength and conditioning coach at Hendrick Motorsports, so I’m gonna have to find a different plan now, but I worked out with a strength and conditioning coach down there, and I got a road bike and I’ve been riding my road bike two to three days a week and I run quite often, so I feel like I’m in the best shape that I’ve ever been in, and I stay in shape for me.  I stay in shape because I want to be healthy and because I want to live a longer life and I think that will help me.  And I feel better when I’m healthy, but I think Tony Stewart is a proven example that you don’t have to be in the best shape in the whole wide world to win races and win a championship, so I don’t think that’s gonna be a key factor.  I realize that the races are longer and the season is longer, but being in shape is something that I do for me and I just enjoy working out, and I enjoy riding my road bike and stuff like that.”

DO YOU HAVE A TARGET DISTANCE OR WEIGHT THAT YOU LIFT?  “Last year was probably my best year in the weight room.  I worked out with weights three days a week and I did cardio either two or three days a week, plus the day in the race car I count as a cardio day, so I was doing cardio three days a week solidly and lifting weights three days a week solidly.  Last year, I thought I was doing pretty well.  I raised my bench max to the highest that I ever had.  I think I benched 255 one time, which I only weigh 165 pounds, so they say that if you can bench your body weight that’s good, so I did a little bit more than my body weight, and I squatted 320, so from a workout standpoint I got a lot stronger last year than I ever have been.  I put on five pounds.  I was 165 pounds at the beginning of last year and I’m up to like 171 right now, and my body fat has stayed very similar to what it was going into last season, so that’s just six pounds of muscle. Basically, I’m a lean mean fighting machine (laughing).”

HOW MUCH PRESSURE IS THERE TO PERFORM RIGHT AWAY?  “How many race car drivers have you ever asked that question to and any of them gave you the answer, ‘No, I don’t really feel that much pressure to perform.’ I’ve always put more pressure on myself than anybody else has ever put on me.  I’m a very, very competitive person.  I don’t like to lose a board game against my wife.  I don’t like to lose playing cards and I don’t like to lose on the race track.  My competitive spirit comes out when I’m on the race track and I don’t like to underperform by any means, so I put more pressure on myself than anybody else can put on me, so from that standpoint, I don’t feel like anybody at RPM or anybody else is putting any pressure on me to go out and do something that I don’t already put pressure on myself to go and do.”

EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE SET FOR THE YEAR, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN ALL THESE CUP RIDES CAME OPEN SO LATE?  “I was content.  I thought going into this year that over at Junior Motorsport after the year we had last year that we would be able to win some races and contend for a championship, but when this opportunity came up, like Brian said, they sat down here at RPM and thought of their list of drivers they were potentially looking at and my name was at the top of the list, so when they called I was dealt a dilemma to stay where I was at, where I was comfortable and where I felt like I had a home, or to take a chance and go and make a career in the Cup Series.  Every race car driver, if they tell you differently, they’re lying to you, every race car driver wants to race in the Cup Series.  That’s just the fact of the matter. Nobody wants to compete at a lower level.  Everybody wants to compete at the highest level that they can possibly compete at and I’m the same way, I’m no different.  I got offered the opportunity to compete at the highest level in NASCAR with a great team that has very competitive equipment, so that made the decision a lot easier. Obviously, there are probably opportunities out there that I would have gladly stayed at Junior Motorsports, but this opportunity with this competitive equipment and this group of people was too hard to turn down.”

Q&A with 2011 NHRA Funny Car Champion Champion Matt Hagan

(Matt Hagan earned the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Series Funny Car title this season, winning the season finale at Pomona and becoming the first driver to break the three-second barrier in his class with a 3.995 second ET along the way. Photo by AutoImagery.com)

It's been one month since Matt Hagan claimed his first NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship, at the young age of 28. We sat down with the driver of the DieHard/Shelor Motor Mile Dodge Charger R/T at his Virginia cattle farm to talk with him about his stellar season, driving for Don Schumacher Racing, his work on the farm, his family and what his goals are for the future.

Racing in only his third full season in the NHRA Funny Car class for multi-team owner Don Schumacher, Hagan scorched the country's dragstrips by winning twice, qualifying No. 1 three times and finishing runner-up two times. He was the first to break the Funny Car 3-second barrier, blasting to a stunning national-record-setting 3.995 seconds at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C. At the same fall event he established the fastest speed in NHRA history of 322.27 mph.

He didn't stop there. At the season finale in Pomona, Calif., he avenged his painful loss of the title to John Force last year when he upset his DSR teammate Jack Beckman in the quarterfinals and then outran two-time Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon in the semifinals to score his first World Championship. He went on to win his second race of the season and fifth of his short career by posting a track-record performance of 4.009 seconds at 317.79 mph to hold off final-round opponent Robert Hight in the quickest side-by-side race in Funny Car history. Hight trailed with a 4.031/318.92.

Hagan became the second-youngest Funny Car champion in NHRA history. Frank Hawley was the first, capturing the championship at age 26 in 1982, the year Hagan was born. Hagan is also the 13th driver to win a Funny Car crown in the class' 38-year modern-era history.

TWENTY QUESTIONS WITH MATT HAGAN:

1. Has it finally sunk in that you are the 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion?

A: Well, I tell you. It's pretty amazing to just hear people say that. And it probably won't really sink in until I get back out in the race car and get my seat in the car. It's just been great back here at home, with my family and everyone, and it's been great to share it with them.

2. After such a devastating loss in 2010, did you and crew chief Tommy DeLago approach the 2011 season any differently?

A: Yes and no. We had a game plan. Tommy had a game plan, let me put it that way, to go testing during the regular season and then run what he was comfortable with in the Countdown. We didn't exactly set the world on fire during the regular season, but we were trying to learn new stuff with new equipment. Tommy's game plan really seemed to work out.

3. You're the second youngest driver to have won the Funny Car championship since Frank Hawley won it at 26 in 1982, coincidentally the year you were born. Do you feel the face of NHRA racing is changing with more younger drivers coming in to challenge for the title?

A: Absolutely. This sport is growing every day and there are many up-and-coming stars in NHRA and it has to have a younger face eventually to grow. There are a lot of guys who have been out here for a long time - hey, I'm rooting for them, don't get me wrong - but there's always a new kid who's got spunk and is ready to go. And I'm sure in a few years we'll see some new kids come into this thing. It's about marketability and being able to be marketed, to be able to sell and promote a product for your sponsor and also to show them a return on their investment. It's no different than other motorsports where these younger kids are coming in and they're growing a relationship with sponsors and I think there will be long future commitments.

4. John Force seemed to have fallen off during the Countdown this season, but another young JFR driver, Mike Neff, was nipping at your heels. To what do you attribute your success over Neff?

A: Our DSR team cars are really stepping up. To be honest with you, I was more worried in the Countdown about our own team cars. You look at Johnny Gray who didn't even make the Countdown who probably would have won the championship if he had. And Jack Beckman who finished second in the world. I was more worried about them and Ron Capps than I was about the JFR cars. I think that Don Schumacher has really taken this program to the next level. His R&D program has just been huge. He has taken all the right steps to put his teams in a place that I guess John Force was several years ago to win as many championships as he has. You definitely have to give Neff a lot of credit. He won five races during the regular season and he struggled when he came into the Countdown. The guy is a great driver, he's a great tuner, he's got two championships under his belt as a tuner. And I'm sure in the near future he'll get his driver's championship. But we're really glad that it worked out in our favor this year.

5. You had two other DSR team drivers vying for the same title in the Countdown, while the third, Johnny Gray, didn't make the Countdown. How did you interact with all of them during the Countdown?

A: It was really difficult because they're your friends and your buds. And something that was really tough for me was when Johnny Gray beat us in Phoenix during the Countdown. We wouldn't have wanted it any other way, because he had a better car and deserved to win. But when I crawled out of the car I could see how it upset Johnny to beat me because he wants the team to do well, win the championship, and he knows he wasn’t in contention. But you could also see that he is a competitor. He didn't do anything to drive it out of the groove, or red-light, or do whatever to let us win. We're out here to win, he's out here to win, so it's really tough with our teammates, because they're not going to give you any breaks. You have to earn everything you get out here with DSR. It's no different than being an individual team when you put the body down and pre-stage the car. At the end of the day, you share a cold beverage with your teammates, but when you crawl in the car it's anybody's ballgame.

6. How did you deal with that loss to Johnny Gray?

A: It was tough to have Johnny take us out and see Jack win against Johnny in the final in Phoenix and take over first place. You're kind of thinking, What's going on here? But, truly, I learned after talking to Johnny's crew chief Rob Wendland, that their intention was to try to beat Jack too. It's kind of tough when you're in that situation because you want to win so bad and you're up against a team who's not in the hunt and you think to yourself, Maybe we can get around this guy, especially since he's a teammate and he's not in contention, but it just doesn't happen that way over here. We're digging deep every race to make sure that we can turn the win light on even against our own teammates. We have to step up and it makes it even harder because they have the same equipment we do and they have the potential to run just as well as we do.

7. Were there moments of frustration throughout the year when you thought you had no chance of winning the title?

A: I thought that if we didn't move around before the Countdown came in when it got hot that they were going to brand the No. 5 on us. Obviously, as a driver and a competitor, and even Tommy as a crew chief, we want to win as many races as we can, but in the regular season sometimes we had to take a step back and say, Hey, we're not used to running this combination, this is not working the way it should be out here and setting the world on fire. That's something that we're learning. So you have to take a step back and take a deep breath and say, All right, and re-evaluate what you're doing. Obviously, it is to win as many races for the sponsors. But, taking this regular season and trying to learn something for 2012, '13 and '14 to help better the car, sometimes you have to learn new combinations and try new things. So, it is frustrating sometimes, but when you take a deep breath, sit back and you say, Well, this is what we accomplished and this is where we're going to be in the future and this is the direction we're going to work towards, it makes sense. As frustrating as it can be sometimes and you become narrow-minded and short-sighted, you have to look at the bigger picture, and I think Tommy DeLago has been doing that all along.

8. Who would you give the most credit to for your success this year?

A: The guys who work on the race car. They're putting together the race car and they have so many opportunities to mess up, just like Tommy and me, and they were flawless all year long. I love these guys, because the guys are the same age and they're like family. I'm around them just as much or more than my family. They are the real heroes in the story. They don't get to be in the limelight. As the driver, I come in late and leave early, and these guys come in early and stay late, and they're the ones who put this car together and bring it out and make sure we have a phenomenal hot rod at the race track and it goes up to the starting line and starts.

9. You lost 37 pounds at the beginning of the season. How did that help your performance?

A: Obviously, when you lose weight, you're lighter and it allows you to move weight around in the car. Also, it makes you mentally focused and physically you're feeling better. It's a positive all around. Tommy was able to move some weight around when we needed to gain traction. You move it around to help the car get up on the tire. So, it can't hurt anything. You also become more marketable, in my opinion, by looking better. All that goes hand in hand and it's just a good thing to do and I want to lose another 10 pounds give or take. I'm 202 right now. I put on five pounds during the season and I want to be about 190-195 pounds before the 2012 season starts in Pomona.

10. Who has been your mentor in the sport?

A: I've got a lot of great teammates and I think that Tony Schumacher really has been a big influence on me this year. In fact, the last three years. He's always been kind and always shared techniques, trying to help me out. He watches me stage the car and gives me pointers here and there, and some different things that I can do away from the track as far as my mental game goes to get prepared for each race. I also have great guys like Ron Capps I can go to with technical questions and off-track advice. And then Shirley Muldowney has been like the best cheerleader I could ever have. She's given me a lot of hoorah, saying 'you can dig deep, you can do this.' That's been great as well.

11. You've been named to the First Team of AARWBA's (American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association) All America Team. How does that make you feel?

A: It's phenomenal. It's definitely an honor. I'm looking forward to getting to the dinner in Indy on January 8 and having some fun and celebrating. It's nice that it's in Indy. I'll be able to come in and see my guys at DSR in Brownsburg, and have some fun right before we go to the first race next year in Pomona.

12. How are things on the farm? Has anything changed now that you're a world champion? Has your farm grown in the past year or so?

A: My wife (Rachel) and I are still buying some land here and there. We have about 1000 acres that we own or lease. We're working hard at that, and we're still feeding close to 300 mama cows on the farm and we'll have somewhere around 600 or so head at any given time on the farm. It's funny, I told my dad (David), It's awesome to win No. 1 in the world and I told him things were going to change. And the second day I'm home on the farm and I see a tweet on my phone and it's Ron Capps. He and I are great buddies and he's done a really good job. He tweeted that he was in Hawaii about ready to go to a luau. And I said to my dad, Hey, Capps is in Hawaii and heading to a luau and then to a fan cruise and I'm heading out to feed the cows. I want to get on his program. It was all in fun.

13. Do you associate with other farmers in your area, or belong to any groups dedicated to farming?

A: No. not really. There's a bunch of dairy farmers in the Christiansburg area and I grew up helping out on their farms when I was younger. My boy Colby is not quite old enough to be a member of the 4-H Club, but at age 6 we plan on enrolling him next year. I'd like to get my young'uns (Penny Louise is 2) involved in that, to have some fun there, and to learn to be hands-on with these cattle. I think that will go over well.

14. Now that you've won a championship, are you satisfied?

A: Well, no. I can see why Force has 15. It just makes you want it that much more. As bad as it is to say you're greedy, it makes you greedy. Even after we won the championship I still wanted to win the race (in Pomona at season finale). That meant as much to me as anything, to be able to win the final and put an exclamation point on this season. Everybody remembers the last race and they've got all off-season long to think about who won that race, how they did it, how it went down, and who won the championship. So, it was big for me for us to go out there, win the championship and win the race.

15. Talk about your family life. Are you treated any differently now that you're a world champion?

A: There's a lot of pats on the back. As for my family, it's the same old routine. They're excited for me, they're happy for me, but it's back to business. My wife is going to graduate from nursing school this spring, and she's been focused on that, so there hasn’t been that much time to celebrate. She's into the books and studying. I think we're enjoying having won the championship as much as we can and moving forward.

16. Do people recognize you in airports or in stores?

A: More and more it's starting to get like that. It's kind of funny. Obviously the longer your career the more folks have the opportunity to recognize you. I can remember when I first started I couldn't hand out a hero card at the races, much less get someone to take it if I signed it. And now there's a big line when I come to the ropes. For all my fans who support me, I can't say thank you enough.

17. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

A: It's really tough to say, because being young in the sport you get the opportunity to deal with some great sponsors, and you really want to grow something with them, like Tony Schumacher has done with the Army for so many years. He hasn't had to jump around with 10 different sponsors in 10 different years. They have something good there, and the Army keeps coming back because he's done a great job for them. And that's what I want to do in the future. I want to grow a strong relationship with a sponsor that will last for a very long time. Trying to hustle every year, trying to keep ourselves out here, is just too hard to do. More times than not you're not going to be successful, because it's survival most of the time. For me in the next five years I'd love to be racing, but in reality it's very tough to do. You have to stay ahead of the game and you have to secure solid sponsorship and I think by being with DSR it puts me a step or two ahead of the rest.

18. You'd like to win more championships, correct?

A: Absolutely. That's the name of the game and that's why we work so hard.

19. Will you ever consider getting into a Top Fuel car or trying to race in other series, such as IndyCar or sports-car racing?

A: I've been asked that many times. I would definitely consider racing a Top Fuel car, but after being in a fuel Funny Car, and those cars are so aggressive and so fast, it kind of spoils you. I've never been in a Top Fuel car or warmed one up so I can't comment. But I'm sure it wouldn't be comparable to racing a fuel Funny Car after all these years. Funny Cars suit me. It's nice to be able to to manhandle a Funny Car and put it where I want it, get that adrenaline rush, take control of that wheel and make it go to the other end.

20. What is the ultimate pinnacle in life you'd like to achieve?

A: I'd like to have a good life, enjoy the ride, enjoy what's happening, enjoy the opportunities that come along. Great people are made out of great moments and I think you have to see what comes your way in life, whether it's on the race track or not. Don't take anything for granted and don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Be grateful for the opportunities that are there.

2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Top Performances

(Austin Dillon is the first driver under 40 years old to earn the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title since 2004. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Every season since 2004, the over-40 crowd has hogged the championship spotlight in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

But in 2011, Austin Dillon changed all of that. At 21 years, six months and 22 days, Dillon became the youngest champion in the 17-year history of the series, signaling a possible changing of the guard.

Dillon was not alone in the young gun discussion, with the likes of Johnny Sauter, James Buescher and Timothy Peters all making a charge at the championship title. Throw in the addition of one of the strongest rookie classes in series history, and the series’ future looks strong.

There certainly were some outstanding performances that took place during the recently completed 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck season. The following is a look back at some of those standout performers and memorable races, as selected from discussions with the national series directors, competition department and NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications managers. Additionally, click on the following links for special audio, video and photo packages commemorating the 2011 season.

Top Drivers

Austin Dillon – No sophomore slump for Austin Dillon, who followed up his 2010 rookie campaign with a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. Dillon, a native of Lewisville, N.C., at age 21 became the youngest by six years to win a title in the 17-year-old series. He’s also the first North Carolina native to wear the crown and third former top rookie to capture an overall title. Dillon, under the leadership of crew chief Danny Stockman, proved his grit to succeed in a three-way championship struggle featuring another “young gun” James Buescher and veteran Johnny Sauter. He chased down and passed Sauter, who dominated the series standings through much of the season. Dillon withstood the near miraculous comeback of Texan Buescher, who’d handicapped himself by failing to qualify for the season’s second race at Phoenix. Dillon won the pole at five venues (Daytona, Kansas, Nashville, LOR and Kentucky) this season – more than any other competitor. His victory at Chicagoland in September was especially sweet, marking the first time Dillon had won with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch in the field.

Ron Hornaday Jr. (Honorable Mention) – When the first half of the season started with three finishes outside the top-25, many wrote Ron Hornaday Jr.’s winning ways off. He won at Texas Motor Speedway in June and Atlanta Motor Speedway in September. Then Hornaday captured his milestone 50th victory at Kentucky Speedway, followed with his first win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. More impressive he won in two different Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet trucks, the No. 2 and the No. 33, and won with a pair of different crew chiefs, Bruce Cook and Jeff Hensley. Hornaday became just the fourth driver to compete in at least 300 races.

Comeback Driver of the Year

Johnny Sauter – This season was one of ups and downs, dominance and frustration for Johnny Sauter and his Ohio-based team. Sauter ranked no worse than second in the standings from March through the Labor Day weekend. He took the points lead for the first time in his career following a signature victory at Martinsville Speedway where he measured a solid field that included Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. From June through August, Sauter racked up a trio of second-place finishes at Kansas, Nashville and Bristol. Mechanical issues and several penalties, however, kept the points close and allowed 21-year-old rivals Austin Dillon and James Buescher to pressure Sauter. He made an impressive comeback, winning the season ending race at Homestead and finished second to Dillon in the standings by six points.

James Buescher (Honorable Mention) – Never give up is how James Buescher – who finished third in the series standings - will remember his 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Buescher qualified second and finished ninth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. A week later, he wasn’t fast enough to make the field in Phoenix which dropped him to 24th in the standings. Then Buescher began what will forever be known as “the streak” in April. Beginning with a fifth-place performance in Nashville, Buescher went on a tear finishing 13 consecutive times among the top 10. He raced efficiently with calculation, letting the points pile up while rivals Johnny Sauter and Austin Dillon were hot and cold, charging forward and falling back.

Top Team

ThorSport Racing – It was a banner season for ThorSport Racing and owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson – one of the longest running teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage. Drivers Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton nabbed a combined three victories (Martinsville, Iowa and Homestead), four Keystone Light Pole Awards and finished second and eighth in the series standings, respectively. The Sandusky, Ohio based team not only had success on the track, but off the track as well. In August, the team officially opened their new state-of-the-art 100,000 square foot racing facility.

Kevin Harvick Inc. (Honorable Mention) – All good things must come to an end, and Kevin Harvick Inc. went out a winner in the organization’s final season – capturing the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owners’ championship in its No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado. The title was the third for what began as a single-truck, part-time operation fielded by DeLana and Kevin Harvick in 2001. KHI also won championships in 2007 and 2009, concurrent with Ron Hornaday Jr.’s third and fourth titles. KHI ended the season with an impressive combined 10 victories.

Top Breakthrough Performers

Joey Coulter – He could be considered the season’s biggest surprise, but Joey Coulter proved being consistent is the key to success for a rookie. The 21-year-old Sunoco Rookie of the Year winner had five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, including top-five finishes in two of the final three events of the season. He finished seventh in the final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings. Coulter – along with Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon – became only the second duo in history to earn the series championship and Sunoco Rookie of the Year titles in the same season from the same organization.

Nelson Piquet Jr. (Honorable Mention) – With a rich family history in racing and an impressive five-race deal last season, Nelson Piquet Jr. had everyone’s attention from the start of the season. The Brazilian native finished second at Nashville in only his 10th series start. He scored six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, including two fourth-place finishes in the final two races of the season. Despite battling streaks of bad luck, Piquet rebounded to climb his way back into the top-10 NASCAR Camping World Truck standings.

Top Races

Fast Five 225 at Chicagoland Speedway (Sept. 16)

One would expect a driver’s first victory to be the biggest race of his career, but his fourth? That is what Austin Dillon claimed following his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory after holding off NASCAR Sprint Cup competitors Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. Harvick dominated the 150-lap event leading a race-high 99 laps, but a vibration forced a four tire stop late in the race resulting in a second- place finish. The victory moved Dillon within three points of the championship lead with seven races remaining in the 2011 season.

AAA Insurance 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway (July 29)

Spins are anticipated – if not expected – at Lucas Oil Raceway. However, recovering from them is a different story. What appeared to be a disappointing turn of events for Timothy Peters at the midway point of the event proved to be a blessing in disguise. A flat tire caused Peters to spin forcing him to pit for service out of sequence. The unscheduled pit stop allowed Peters to have the advantage over the competition in the final laps and chase down James Buescher – who led 97 laps – with six laps remaining to pull off the spin-to-win upset.

Courtney Force Recognized by ESPN the Magazine Next Athlete

(Courtney Force. Photo by Ford Driving Skills for Life)

Every year since 1998, ESPN The Magazine has recognized an elite group of emerging athletes to watch in the year ahead -- athletes they call NEXT. They are competitors not only on the cusp of stardom, but on the verge of transcending their sports. NEXT is what happens when the hype is real. This year John Force Racing driver Courtney Force is in the motorsports group going head to head with Darrell Wallace Jr. (NASCAR), Chase Elliot (NASCAR), Ryan Truex (NASCAR) and Josef Newgarden (Indy Car) as the NEXT big driver in motorsports.

“This is really a big honor. I honestly didn’t know I was being considered as one of the NEXT athletes. I am really excited about my future and getting on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series full time,” said Force, winner of the 2009 Seattle NHRA national event in the Top Alcohol Dragster category.

“The chance to race with my father, John Force, is exciting but I also want to chart my own path. Ashley (older sister Ashley Force Hood) has been a big help and she has been a great person to lean on and get good advice. I want to make my current fans proud to be my fans and I want to try and introduce a new audience to NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing. It is a great sport and I am looking forward to having a long racing career.”

Force has spent the 2011 season testing her BrandSource Ford Mustang Funny Car with plans to race full-time on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in 2012. An official announcement about Courtney’s future has not been made by John Force Racing. She began her racing career in the Super Comp ranks in 2006 and has steadily moved up through the ranks following a similar career path as her older sister Ashley Force Hood, who is a four-time Funny Car national event winner including back to back Mac Tools US Nationals titles in 2009 and 2010.

Voting for the NEXT athlete competition ends December 18, 2011. Fans can vote online at http://espn.go.com/espn/next2012/story/_/id/7303218/courtney-force-chase-elliott-espn-mag-next-issue