Memphis: Matt Hagan Sunday rain notes

RAIN POSTPONES MEMPHIS ELIMINATIONS TO MONDAY

MEMPHIS (Oct. 4, 2009) - The NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park have been postponed until Monday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m., because of rain.

Matt Hagan, driver of the Valvoline Engine Guarantee/shelor.com Dodge Funny Car, who is qualified 12th and will face Cruz Pedregon in the first round of eliminations, commented on the rain delay.

"I'm excited to be here racing," he said, "but I'm also excited to get back home to see my wife, Rachel, and our new daughter, Penny Louise (born last Monday). I'm kind of torn. I love racing, I love my family. It's a tough situation to be in.

"I think it's definitely going to make the lanes a lot more equal. The track surface probably has a lot of peeled rubber on it and a lot of water coming up. I think it's anybody's ball game. We just have to go down there and go down the race track and have a good race."

As for what he did all day in the rain, "I've been playing chess up in the lounge on the Internet," he said. "There's nothing to do right now. You kill time, you meet fans, you sign some autographs, you say hi, you try to make these fans have as an enjoyable day as they can and you try to have some fun yourself."

-credit: dsr