News & Notes: Friday qualifying heats up at NHRA New England Nationals

Fans from across the Northeast filled the grandstands as qualifying opened under dramatic skies and classic Epping conditions—low elevation and high humidity. The early Top Fuel and Funny Car pairings wasted no time testing the limits of the surface, with multiple teams learning just how much power this track can hold. With air temps in the low 70s and a sticky 86-degree track, the first round of professional qualifying delivered a fast-paced mix of power, drama, and hometown pride.

Funny Car Friday Highlights: Tasca Thrills at Home, Beckman and Hyde Close Behind

Bob Tasca III lit up the scoreboard and the grandstands at New England Dragway with a monster 3.891-second pass at 335.40 mph to take the provisional No. 1 spot in Funny Car. The blazing run was just a tick off the track record and a powerful statement from the Rhode Island native.

“This is our home track,” Tasca said in his top-end interview. “I’ve been coming here since I was 10 years old. My crew chiefs have been put on notice—this car needs to go down the track consistently.”

Jack Beckman looked smooth and sharp, clocking a clean 3.908 at 326.87 mph to slide into second, while Spencer Hyde continued to show his potential with a 3.914 at 328.70 mph, good for third after Q1. Jim Head, who has mentored Hyde, proudly remarked, “I always knew Spencer would get there. He’s there now.”

Matt Hagan delivered a solid 3.930 at 327.74 mph to land fourth, followed by J.R. Todd (3.955) and Daniel Wilkerson (4.000). Cruz Pedregon’s 4.153 pass placed him seventh, with Alexis DeJoria rounding out the top eight at 4.234.

Further down the order, Ron Capps (4.787) and Austin Prock (5.185) both encountered trouble. Prock’s Camaro shook the tires early and had to abort the run. Chad Green, Paul Lee, and Blake Alexander all struggled with shutoffs, while Buddy Hull rounded out the session with a 9.307.

With Friday’s Q2 sessions ahead, the Funny Car field is still wide open—but Tasca’s hometown statement run has set the bar high at the 2025 NHRA New England Nationals.

Top Fuel: Force Returns to Form
Brittany Force laid down the quickest pass of the day—a 3.713-second run at 334.48 mph—to claim the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot. After an off-and-on season so far, the 2017 Top Fuel world champ showed she and the John Force Racing team still have national event-winning form.

“We’re actually working on our hot track setup,” said co-crew chief John Collins. 

Tony Stewart impressed again in his growing Top Fuel career, clocking a 3.742 at 330.47 mph to land second on the ladder. Steve Torrence wasn’t far behind with a 3.750 at 335.07 mph—Friday’s fastest speed.

Shawn Reed (3.751), Justin Ashley (3.752), and Dan Mercier (3.761) filled out a tight top six, all within five hundredths of the lead. Ashley’s run came despite a devastating engine explosion near the finish line, a reminder of how fine the line is between greatness and destruction.

Ida Zetterström made a clean and strong pass at 3.780, placing her seventh in Q1. The European standout smiled at the top end, mentioning that “some people reached out after Chicago because they wanted to see me back on this side of the microphone.”

Doug Kalitta (3.802) rounded out the sub-four-second club, while teammate Shawn Langdon and competitor Josh Hart had uncharacteristically rough sessions, with Langdon’s 7.418 and Hart’s 7.502 hinting at deeper issues to sort out.

Pro Stock Friday Recap: Enders Leads, Connolly Returns

The distinct crackle of 500-inch DRCE engines echoed off the trees of New England Dragway Friday as Pro Stock qualifying got underway at the 2025 NHRA New England Nationals. .

Six-time world champion Erica Enders wasted no time jumping to the top of the charts with a 6.567-second run at 207.94 mph. While the margin was narrow, her Elite Motorsports Camaro once again proved she’s a force to be reckoned with when the stakes are high.

Behind her, Greg Stanfield (6.572) and Dave Connolly (6.576) rounded out the top three—but it was Connolly’s name on the qualifying sheet that brought the biggest smile to longtime fans.

After years away from full-time driving, Connolly’s return to the driver’s seat instantly paid off with a solid pass just four-thousandths off second place. He makes it look easy. For a driver who’s tuned, wrenched, and driven some of the class’s most iconic cars, his Q1 performance proved he hasn’t missed a beat.

The Coughlin family made an unusual impact with Cody and Jeg Jr. tying at 6.582 using power from two different teams, while Aaron Stanfield, Mason McGaha, and Deric Kramer followed close behind in a field that’s already tight top to bottom.

Further down the ladder, Chris McGaha ran into trouble before the green light ever flashed. His car struggled to complete the burnout cleanly, forcing the veteran to limp through Q1 with a 6.631 that left him 10th. Expect him to regroup before Q2.

Unfortunately for Brandon Miller, his run ended almost as soon as it began, with mechanical woes stalling his effort at the hit—resulting in a 15.885 at just 64 mph.

Q2 Recap: Prock Grabs the Lobster, Claims No. 1 Spot at New England Nationals

The second round of Funny Car qualifying wrapped up Friday evening with cooler air, lower barometric pressure, and one clear result—Austin Prock is your official No. 1 Clawifier in Funny Car at the 2025 NHRA New England Nationals.

Prock laid down a blistering 3.860 at 331.69 mph, vaulting his John Force Racing Camaro to the top of the charts. As quick as the run was, crew chief Jimmy Prock almost seemed disappointed, noting they could’ve pushed it harder. “I think the track could take a 3.82 or 3.83,” said Jimmy Prock.

Following the run, Austin was presented with a ceremonial New England lobster from NAPA of New England, holding it up proudly in celebration at the top end.

Bob Tasca III, still holding strong from Q1 with his 3.891 at 335.40 mph, now sits second, while Paul Lee surged with a matching 3.891, just a tick slower on speed at 329.18.

Blake Alexander, who had been plagued by issues in the first run, finally got down the racetrack in Q2 with a clean but challenging 3.969 at 323.97. “We’ve been fighting issue after issue,” said crew chief Matt Bynum. “It’s not bad, but we’re hoping for more on Saturday—if not Sunday.”

Alexis DeJoria muscled through a twitchy launch to post a 3.909, slotting her into the No. 5 position. The car tried to throw her but she kept it under control.

Ron Capps had an odd moment when the parachutes deployed prematurely, forcing an early coast to a 4.106 at just 268.60 mph.

Meanwhile, Chad Green lost a cylinder mid-pass and had to lift, finishing Q2 with a 3.965—a run that showed potential but left performance on the table.

As Friday ended, Austin Prock stood alone at the top, lobster in hand, No. 1 seated prominently in his lobster throne, and the rest of the field chasing him into Saturday.

Top Fuel Q2 Recap: Kalitta Rockets to No. 1, Torrence and Brown Run Strong in Epping

Doug Kalitta reminded everyone why he’s a championship threat, delivering a blazing 3.697-second pass at 331.36 mph in Friday’s second Top Fuel qualifying session to take over the No. 1 spot at the 2025 NHRA New England Nationals, and become the NAPA of New England Number 1 Clawifier.  Kalitta’s MAC Tools dragster was locked in and loaded, making the cleanest, quickest run of the day—edging out a stout field stacked with 3.70s and fierce challengers.

Just behind him, Shawn Reed turned heads with a 3.702 at 334.24 mph, continuing a stellar weekend that has him sitting second heading into Saturday. Brittany Force remained consistent with her Q1-leading 3.713, now good for third after Kalitta and Reed’s bombs.

Antron Brown and Shawn Langdon both lit up the scoreboard with nearly identical side-by-side 3.71s, with Brown’s 3.715/335.40 just edging Langdon’s 3.716/331.69 to hold fourth and fifth, respectively.

Tony Stewart (3.742), Steve Torrence (3.750), and Justin Ashley (3.752) filled out the 3.7-second club, with Torrence pushing a 335.07 mph trap speed—fastest of the round.

Dan Mercier and Ida Zetterström made strong runs, both clocking in under 3.78 and showing signs of improvement. Zetterström’s 3.780 at 328.78 keeps her well within range of the top half of the ladder.

Further down the field, Josh Hart posted a solid 3.793, while Scott Farley, Clay Millican, and others struggled to make clean runs. Mike Bucher and Rit Pustari rounded out the field after incomplete passes.

With two sessions in the books and weather playing a key role in track conditions, Saturday’s runs could shuffle the order again—but for now, it’s Doug Kalitta on top in Epping.

Pro Stock Q2 Recap: Cody Coughlin Rockets to the Top, Three-Way Tie Ignites Friday Drama

The second round of Pro Stock qualifying at the 2025 NHRA New England Nationals delivered the tightest competition of the weekend so far—and ended with a statistical anomaly. Cody Coughlin, and Greg Anderson, and posted identical 6.537-second elapsed times, forcing MPH to break the tie in favor of Coughlin.  Dallas Glenn was just 0.002 second with a trap speed that matched Coughlin’s.

Thanks to a blistering 210.28 mph, Cody Coughlin emerged as the provisional No. 1 qualifier—a major statement from the second-generation driver making his mark in the class.

Right behind him, Greg Anderson clocked a 209.95 mph speed to take second, with Dallas Glenn also hitting 210.28 mph, highlighting just how close this class is.

Former world champ Erica Enders improved from Q1, landing in fourth with a solid 6.543 at 208.17 mph, followed closely by Cory Reed (6.549) and Matt Hartford (6.555). Chris McGaha rebounded from a difficult Q1 to slot into seventh at 6.564, putting him back in the mix.

Aaron Stanfield (6.565) and Greg Stanfield (6.566) made it a father-son tandem inside the top 10, joined by Dave Connolly (6.576) who continues to look smooth behind the wheel in his return to driving duties.

Jeg Coughlin Jr., Mason McGaha, and Deric Kramer rounded out the 6.5-second runners. Troy Coughlin Jr., Kenny Delco, and Brandon Miller completed the field after Q2, with Miller struggling to get his car into the power zone, running a 6.768 at just 173 mph.

As Saturday approaches, it’s clear the Pro Stock field is not just tight—it’s historic. With three drivers locked on the same ET and a top-10 spread of less than .04 seconds, anything can happen as qualifying continues at New England Dragway.