Aaron's has extended its partnership with Don Schumacher Racing through the 2012 season and will be the primary sponsor for NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan's Dodge Charger R/T. Aaron's will be the primary sponsor for Hagan in 13 NHRA national events and primary sponsor on Antron Brown's Top Fuel dragster for four events during the 23-event NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season.
 
"It's really exciting to kick off the season as the champion with Aaron's on our car," Hagan said. "They have the 'Lucky Dog' and I sure hope he brings me some luck."
 
DSR will sport Aaron's colors for 17 events, which is two more than last year. In 2011, Aaron's debut drag racing season produced five NHRA event titles when Aaron's split time between Jack Beckman's Funny Car and Brown's Top Fueler. Beckman won three titles for Aaron's, and Brown won twice while they combined to reach the championship round eight times.
 
"We enjoyed amazing success with our DSR partnership in our first year working together," said Ken Butler, Aaron's Chief Operating Officer. "We came so close to winning the Funny Car championship with Jack and the Top Fuel championship with Antron, and are really looking forward to what 2012 will bring us."
 
DSR owner Don Schumacher decided to move Aaron's from Beckman to Hagan.
 
"It was strictly my decision," Schumacher said of the move to pair Aaron's with Hagan after DieHard moved from primary to an associate sponsorship role on Hagan's car.
 
Other associate sponsors for Hagan's Charger will be Mopar and Freightliner.

Beckman, who placed second to Hagan in the 2011 championship race, will display sponsorship from Valvoline NextGen this year on his Dodge Charger R/T.
 
"There are wonderful people at Aaron's, and I'm glad they're still with DSR," Beckman said. "Don is brilliant with how he runs the biggest team on the NHRA tour and has been able to sustain it out here for a decade and win nine championships. He does the right thing for our sponsors and marketing partners."

Hagan's relationship with Aaron's started with the last two races of the past season when his Charger's quarter panel was adorned with the logo for Aaron's Inc.'s RIMCO Custom Wheels Tires Accessories and More.
 
Hagan and other members of the Don Schumacher Racing organization will begin 2012 by testing Jan. 17-21 in south Florida in preparation for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season-opener Feb. 9-12 in Pomona, Calif.