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News, notes, quotes, photos, and video from the opening day of the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. 

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It seems like yesterday that NHRA made its first visit to New England Dragway but it’s actually been more than a decade since the first event here in 2013. In that time, the event has produced just a handful of multi-time winners. Tony Schumacher, Steve Torrence, Ron Capps, John Force, Erica Enders, and Greg Anderson each have two wins while Matt Hagan is the runaway leader with four Funny Car titles. Hagan scored wins here in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 and is undefeated in final rounds.

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CONGRUITY PRO MOD Q1

The Congruity Pro Mod series presented by LearnEV+ is also making it’s second-consecutive appearance at New England Dragway. Last year, Justin Bond defeated Tony Wilson in the final, which was moved to Bristol because of rain. The low qualifier was Mike Thielen, who ran a 5.837 for the top spot.  This year, there are 23 cars competing for just 16 available spots.

Ken Quartuccio leads the way after the opening qualifying session in Pro Mod after wheeling his Camaro to a 5.681. Quartuccio holds a slight lead over Justin Bond (5.688), and championship leader Jose Gonzalez, who is third at 5.740. The rest of the top eight includes Chip King, Mike Thielen, Kevin Rivenbark, Tony Wilson, and Mason Wright.

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PRO STOCK Q1

Following a shocking round one loss in Chicago, Erica Enders wasted no time climbing back to the top of the order in Pro Stock as she currently sits No. 1 after the first round of qualifying in Epping. Enders drove to a  6.510 to lead the 16-car field following the first of four qualifying sessions. Enders leads Chicago winner Dallas Glenn, who is second with a 6.529 in his RAD Torque Systems Camaro. The third spot is held by Kenny Delco, who used a Frank Iaconio supplied engine to power to a 6.534 to grab a qualifying bonus point.

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FUNNY CAR Q1

John Force has already won a race this year and he comes into the Epping event at the No. 3 ranked Funny Car driver in the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series. Now, the 16-time champ is on pace for his second low qualifier of the season and the 168th of his career after driving to a 3.903 on Friday afternoon. Force is just three-thousandths of a second ahead of his teammate, Championship leader Austin Prock, who drove to a 3.906.

Bob Tasca III, the defending event champ, ended the session in the No. 3 spot after a 3.923 while Blake Alexander continued his recent string of early qualifying success with a 3.945 in Jim Head’s Pronto Mustang.

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TOP FUEL Q1

Reigning world champion Doug Kalitta finished the first qualifying session on top of the field in Top Fuel, but not by much. Kalitta drove his Mac Tools dragster to a 3.751 for the provisional pole, barely holding off the 3.758 of Steve Torrence and the 3.759 of Clay Millican.

A total of seven cars ventured into the 3.7-second zone including Antron Brown (3.766), Dan Mercier (3.777), Shwan Langdon (3.787), and Brittany Force (3.783), who is coming off a rare DNQ in Chicago.

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PRO STOCK Q2

As expected, there was a lot of shuffling in the Pro Stock category as conditions improved and racers put what they learned in Friday’s opening session to good use. Erica Enders remains the top qualifier after the six-time champion improved to a 6.488 in her JHG Camaro. Enders is the only driver in the 6.4s at this point.

Troy Coughlin Jr. posted a 6.510 for the second spot followed by Matt Hartford and Jerry Tucker, who both ran 6.530. Fernando Cuadra Jr. currently holds down the bump spot with two more runs remaining tomorrow to set the field.

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FUNNY CAR Q2

There were big numbers a plenty in the second round of Funny Car qualifying including a 3.837 by Austin Prock that has the first-year Funny Car driver in the top spot heading into Saturday. Prock bumped his team owner, John Force from the top spot, although the 16-time champ remains No. 2 with a  3.865. J.R. Todd also ran 3.865 in his DHL Toyota for the No. 3 spot.

Four-time Epping winner Matt Hagan didn’t get down the track on his first run but returned with a 3.910 to get himself solidly qualified in the field.  The second session also included a career-best run by Terry Haddock, who ran 3.958. Earlier this season, Haddock broke into the 3s for the first time and has since made several sub-four second runs.  

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TOP FUEL Q2

There are few things more exciting that Top Fuel dragsters under the lights and Epping fans got their fill on Friday as NHRA’s biggest stars lit up the scoreboards. No one was quicker than reigning world champ Doug Kalitta who wheeled his Mac Tools dragster to a 3.700 to lead the way. Kalitta barely held off Steve Torrence, who was just two thousandths behind with a 3.702.

Brittany Force also showed dramatic improvement with a 3.715 for the No. 3 spot, a welcome relief after a stunning DNQ in Chicago. Force also re-set her own New England Dragway track record with a 335.57 mph blast in her Monster Energy dragster. Fourth quickest heading into Saturday is Shawn Langdon, who ran 3.722.