The Albany Gazette - Four-Time World Champion and True "American Rebel" Matt Hagan Carries the No. 1 Seed into the Countdown as TSR's Championship Chase Takes Center Stage This Weekend

NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESS Newswire / September 18, 2026 / American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (OTCID:AREB), through its American Rebel Beverages subsidiary and American Rebel Light Beer - America's Patriotic Beer(TM) - congratulates Matt Hagan and Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) on the 2026 NHRA Funny Car regular-season championship. With the No. 1 seed secured at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, the four-time world champion now turns his full attention to the next objective: a fifth world title.

The championship chase begins this weekend at the inaugural Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by MOPAR, September 18-20 at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, the opening event of NHRA's six-race Countdown to the Championship.

American Rebel CEO Andy Ross, Matt Hagan and Tony Stewart Racing celebrate the August 23, 2026 Brainerd victory that helped propel Hagan to the Funny Car regular-season championship and the No. 1 Countdown seed.

"Matt Hagan is a true American Rebel. He is a Virginia cattle rancher, a four-time world champion and a racer who never forgets the people who put the car underneath him," said Andy Ross, Chairman and CEO of American Rebel Holdings, Inc. "The regular-season title was earned one round, one run and one team decision at a time. We are proud to stand with Matt and TSR. The celebration matters, but now it is back to business. Matt has the No. 1 seed, the Countdown is here and the chase for world championship number five starts this weekend."

Matt Hagan and the TSR Nitro team are the 2026 NHRA Regular Season Champions

Hagan earned the right to start in front

Hagan arrived at the Countdown through a season built on victories, consistency and timely performance. His August 23 win at Brainerd International Raceway came in the American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car and moved him into the Funny Car points lead. It was his third victory of the season, following wins at Pomona and Bristol, and it gave the American Rebel brand a signature race-day moment at a critical point in the regular season.

At Indianapolis, Hagan delivered when the regular-season championship was on the line. His 4.020-second pass at 327.35 mph in a decisive semifinal against Ron Capps advanced him to the U.S. Nationals final and mathematically secured the regular-season crown. Although he finished runner-up to Jack Beckman in the final, Hagan left Indianapolis with the No. 1 starting position for the six-race playoff that will decide the 2026 Funny Car world champion.

The reset for the Countdown compresses the standings and raises the consequence of every qualifying run and elimination round. Hagan begins with the advantage earned during the regular season, but the fifth championship will have to be won across six events against a deep Funny Car field. Michigan is the first test, not a victory lap.

Matt Hagan. The racer. The rancher. The teammate. The American Rebel.

Away from the track, Hagan is a cattle rancher from Christiansburg, Virginia. At the track, he is known for directing attention toward the people who prepare, maintain and tune his race car. That combination - demanding performance, practical work and visible respect for the crew - is what makes Hagan a natural representative for American Rebel Light Beer.

After the Brainerd victory, Hagan acknowledged American Rebel alongside TSR's other partners. "You can't be doing this without the sponsors too like Andy Ross at American Rebel Light beer," he said in TSR's published race recap. The comment captured a larger truth of championship racing: the driver gets the win light, but the result is built by the crew, engineers, partners and supporters working toward the same goal.

For American Rebel, Hagan's appeal is not based on a manufactured persona. He is an accomplished champion who also understands livestock, land, long days and accountability. The brand's racing story is strongest when it connects that authentic background with the discipline required to compete at more than 300 miles per hour.

Matt Hagan and the TSR Nitro team bring a work-first approach to his pursuit of a fifth Funny Car world championship.

American Rebel's racing strategy: visible, authentic and connected to retail consumers and fans.

American Rebel's relationship with Hagan and TSR is a central part of the Company's motorsports branding strategy. Branded race-car appearances create national visibility, while driver content, race-weekend storytelling, fan engagement and retail activations give the Company multiple ways to connect the track with adult consumers, distributors and stores carrying American Rebel Light Beer.

"Our relationship with Tony Stewart, Matt, Leah, and TSR is about more than putting a name on a race car," said Todd Porter, President of American Rebel Beverages. "Tony's, Leah's and Matt's success earns attention, and our job is to turn that attention into meaningful contact with race fans and support for the distributors and retailers building the brand. We want the racing program, our market activity and the consumer experience to reinforce one another."

Pruett has a championship to chase now

Leah Pruett enters the Countdown third in the NHRA Top Fuel standings after a comeback season that included a victory at the 2026 NHRA New England Nationals, her 13th national-event win and her first since becoming a mother. Her position gives TSR two immediate championship pursuits: Hagan from the No. 1 Funny Car seed and Pruett from the No. 3 Top Fuel seed.

TSR announced today that Pruett plans to step away from full-time competition after the 2026 season to focus on growing her family with husband and team owner Tony Stewart. Pruett emphasized that the decision is not a retirement and that she intends to remain involved with the organization. The future transition does not change the present assignment: Hagan and Pruett have six Countdown races to pursue the 2026 championships their teams have spent the season positioning themselves to win.

CURRENT TSR NEWS | SCHUMACHER JOINS TSR IN 2027

TSR also announced that eight-time Top Fuel world champion and 88-time national-event winner Tony Schumacher has signed a multi-year agreement to drive the organization's Top Fuel dragster beginning in 2027. TONY SCHUMACHER SIGNS MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH TSR - TSR Nitro The hire gives TSR a proven successor for the next chapter of its Top Fuel program. For this weekend, however, the focus remains squarely on Hagan and Pruett and the championship work directly in front of them.

Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett bring TSR's 12,000-horsepower machines to Michigan wearing Dodge Super Bee graphics and the new Purple Haze color as both drivers open the six-race Countdown to the Championship.

Michigan: the Championship Countdown starts now

The inaugural Great Lakes Nationals brings NHRA national-event racing back to Michigan for the first time in 66 years. Hagan and Pruett are scheduled to compete in the announced Dodge Charger Super Bee/Purple Haze liveries at the Michigan opener. Those Michigan cars should be shown as announced and should not be represented as American Rebel primary schemes.

"We are excited for this weekend and for the rest of the Countdown," said Andy Ross, Chairman and CEO of American Rebel Holdings, Inc. "The new Super Bee and Purple Haze liveries look amazing. They are bold, unmistakable and made for the spotlight. Now we want to see Matt and Leah put those colors in the winner's circle as they chase their championships."

Qualifying is scheduled to continue Saturday, September 19. Final eliminations are scheduled to begin Sunday, September 20, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern, with FS1 elimination coverage scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern. Fans should consult NHRA's official event information for tickets and current schedules; event and broadcast times may change.

Event information and tickets: Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by MOPAR

American Rebel invites fans to follow Hagan, Pruett and Tony Stewart Racing throughout the Countdown. Celebrate the regular-season title. Respect the work that earned it. Then get back to business and chase the championships.

FOUR WORLD TITLES. ONE REBEL SPIRIT. THE CHASE FOR FIVE STARTS NOW.

American Rebel Light Beer - America's Patriotic Beer (TM).

For adults 21 and older. Enjoy responsibly. Never drink and drive.

About American Rebel Light Beer

American Rebel Light Beer is a crisp, refreshing, all-natural, better-for-you premium light lager created for consumers who celebrate freedom, country music, motorsports, tailgates, backyard barbecues, patriotic festivals, and the American way of life. The brand is built around its signature statement: American Rebel Light Beer - America's Patriotic, GOD FEARING, CONSTITUTION LOVING, NATIONAL ANTHEM SINGING, STAND YOUR GROUND BEER™. Brewed and co-packed by City Brewing, one of North America's premier contract brewing partners, and facilitated through AlcSource, a leading beverage alcohol facilitator, American Rebel Light Beer brings the Company's patriotic lifestyle brand into the beverage category with a fully scalable supply chain designed to support high-frequency social occasions and community-driven celebrations. The brand is built for the moments when Americans come together: Fourth of July celebrations, concerts, race weekends, sporting events, tailgates, military appreciation events, and patriotic gatherings across the country. As America celebrates its 250th birthday in 2026, American Rebel Light Beer is proud to be the beer patriotic Americans raise in honor of freedom. American Rebel Light Beer. It tastes like Freedom.

PUT A CAN IN YOUR HAND: A Better-For-You Premium Light Lager Built to Win

American Rebel Light Beer is brewed for beer drinkers who want a crisp, clean, easy-drinking domestic light lager with a "better for you" profile, aligned with a brand that proudly champions American patriotism. It's the only BEER we're DRINKIN' ROUND HERE.

American Rebel Light Beer is proudly brewed for those who stand tall, stand proud, and celebrate the American spirit. Crafted with a 100% all‑malt recipe and cold, extended fermentation, it delivers crisp taste, smooth drinkability, and brilliant clarity.

Product Metrics

• Calories: 110 per 12 oz
• Carbs: 4g per 12 oz
• ABV: 4.2%
• Recipe: All‑malt; no adjuncts, corn syrups, or rice extracts
• Process: Cold, extended fermentation
• Brewed By: City Brewing Company, La Crosse, Wisconsin, in partnership with the AlcSource beverage innovation team

American Rebel Beverages | American Rebel Light Beer Distribution & Account Inquiries:
Todd Porter, President, American Rebel Beverages
[email protected]

About American Rebel Holdings, Inc.

American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (OTCID:AREB) is America's Patriotic Brand. The Company is a Nevada corporation with its principal executive offices in Nashville, Tennessee, and offers safes and security products, branded lifestyle merchandise, and American Rebel Light Beer. American Rebel is a diversified branded products and marketing company focused on freedom, patriotism, self-reliance, and the independent spirit. Through American Rebel Light Beer, Champion Safe, branded merchandise, live events, media appearances, and community-based activations, the Company is working to expand national brand recognition while strengthening the connection between consumer identity, product demand, and long-term shareholder value. American Rebel Beverages executes a premium brand marketer model - partnering with AlcSource as its beverage alcohol facilitator and City Brewing as its contract brewing and co-packing partner - providing the Company with a fully scalable, asset-light supply chain capable of fulfilling large regional and national chain orders as distribution coverage expands nationally. The Company believes its Champion Safe platform supports its broader mission by combining American Rebel's brand platform with American-made safe manufacturing capabilities.

www.AmericanRebel.com | www.championsafe.com | www.americanrebelbeer.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements other than statements of historical fact and include statements regarding plans, objectives, expectations, intentions, beliefs, estimates, projections, strategies, future events, future operating or financial performance, and the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing. Words and expressions such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "project," "should," "will," "would," "seek," "target," "designed," "positioned," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words.

Forward-looking statements in this release include, without limitation, statements concerning Matt Hagan's and Leah Pruett's participation in, positioning for, and prospects during the 2026 NHRA Countdown to the Championship; Hagan's pursuit of a fifth Funny Car world championship; Pruett's pursuit of a Top Fuel championship and her anticipated plans following the 2026 season; scheduled qualifying, eliminations, broadcasts, race appearances, liveries, and other event-related activities; Tony Schumacher's announced agreement to join Tony Stewart Racing beginning in 2027; American Rebel's intention to use race-related content, approved appearances, driver and team storytelling, fan engagement, retail programs, and local-market activations during the Countdown; the expected ability of American Rebel's relationship with Matt Hagan and Tony Stewart Racing to increase brand visibility, connect with adult consumers, and support distributors and retailers; the Company's plans to expand distribution and retail availability of American Rebel Light Beer; anticipated consumer demand, account growth, market execution, and brand recognition; the scalability, capacity, availability, and performance of the Company's beverage production, co-packing, logistics, and distribution relationships, including those involving AlcSource and City Brewing; and the Company's expectation that its beverage, safe, merchandise, event, media, and community-activation platforms may contribute to product demand, business growth, and long-term shareholder value.

These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, estimates, assumptions, and information available as of the date of this release. Actual results, performance, achievements, events, schedules, relationships, and outcomes may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: the inherently uncertain nature of motorsports competition and the possibility that drivers or teams may not qualify, advance, win events, or secure championships; accidents, injuries, mechanical failures, weather, track conditions, rule changes, penalties, force majeure events, or other circumstances affecting races, appearances, broadcasts, or schedules; changes to driver, team, sanctioning-body, venue, broadcaster, or sponsor plans; the availability of required approvals and rights to use driver, team, event, league, venue, photographic, or other intellectual property; the Company's ability to maintain, renew, expand, or derive anticipated value from sponsorships, endorsements, marketing relationships, and promotional rights; the possibility that announced third-party plans, including personnel and competition plans of Tony Stewart Racing and its drivers, may be modified, delayed, or terminated; the Company's ability to translate motorsports exposure and consumer engagement into measurable sales, retail placements, distributor performance, or shareholder value; the acceptance of American Rebel Light Beer by consumers, distributors, retailers, venues, and strategic partners; competition in the beverage alcohol, branded consumer-products, and safe industries; changes in consumer preferences, discretionary spending, pricing, input costs, freight costs, and economic conditions; the Company's dependence on third-party brewers, co-packers, facilitators, distributors, suppliers, retailers, venues, and promotional partners; production, packaging, inventory, quality-control, transportation, or supply-chain interruptions; the Company's ability to comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing beverage alcohol, advertising, marketing, distribution, licensing, and sales; the availability and cost of capital; the Company's liquidity, indebtedness, operating losses, ability to continue as a going concern, and ability to execute its business plan; dilution resulting from financing transactions or the issuance or conversion of securities; volatility and limited liquidity in the market for the Company's common stock; risks associated with the quotation of the Company's securities on the OTC market; the Company's ability to maintain effective disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting; litigation, claims, regulatory inquiries, intellectual-property disputes, and reputational risks; cybersecurity, data, and operational risks; and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments thereto.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements concerning third parties, their plans, schedules, personnel, competitive activities, or future performance are based on public announcements or other information believed to be reliable, but American Rebel does not control those parties or their decisions and does not undertake to independently update their announcements. Event dates, broadcast times, appearances, liveries, activations, product availability, and other plans are subject to change. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by applicable law, American Rebel Holdings, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances, or otherwise.

Investor Relations and Media:

American Rebel Holdings, Inc.
[email protected]

Distribution and Account Inquiries:

Todd Porter, President, American Rebel Beverages
[email protected]

SOURCE: American Rebel Holdings

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

(K.Lee--TAG)