June 1, 2024 | By NHRA

Prock, Kalitta, Enders Top NHRA qualifying at New England

EPPING, N.H. — Funny Car’s Austin Prock claimed his fifth No. 1 qualifier in the first seven races of the 2024 season in front of a sellout crowd on Saturday at New England Dragway, powering to the top spot at the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals.

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the seventh of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock’s rocket run of 3.837-seconds at 336.23 mph in his 11,000-horsepower AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS from Friday stayed on top to close out qualifying, as the first-year Funny Car continued to roll in qualifying. It’s also the eighth career top qualifier for the young standout, who is seeking his sixth career victory and second this year on Sunday. He’ll open raceday against Mike Smith on Sunday.

“It’s been great. To be low at five of seven races is unreal,” Prock said. “I really want to get the job done for AAA tomorrow. We struggled in Pomona with these colors on and I want to fix that. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

“These [Friday] runs are a premium. When you have success it builds notebooks for the crew chiefs. Things are aligning right now. The team is working together well. I’m having so much fun driving this thing right now.”

John Force, who won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, is in second after Friday’s 3.865 at 333.16 and J.R. Todd took third with his 3.865 at 327.74 from Friday.

In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta stayed on a good path to possibly grab a victory at the only track where he hasn’t won, as Friday’s 3.700 at 332.84 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster remained atop the field. It handed the reigning world champ his third No. 1 qualifier of the season and 56th in his career, and he capped off Saturday with a strong run in the warmer temperatures.

Next up is trying to go four rounds on Sunday and claim his first career victory at New England Dragway. He’ll face off with Scott Farley to open eliminations.

“My guys really have got this thing running well,” Kalitta said. “I’m just trying to do my part and go rounds on Sunday. I would love to win here at Epping. They had a great crowd here today and we’re hoping to have a great day tomorrow.

“We got info that we can use for tomorrow. The track was good. We got down on second run. On the first one we tried to find the edge and we did. Shawn [Langdon’s] car also ran well, too. [Crew chiefs] Alan Johnson and Brian Husen are working to get both cars as close together as possible.”

Steve Torrence qualified second with a 3.702 at 335.23 from Friday and also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday. Brittany Force finished third with Friday’s 3.715 at a track-record 335.57.

Defending and six-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders easily stayed atop the field on Saturday, as Friday’s run of 6.488 at 211.79 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment wasn’t challenged in Saturday’s warmer temperatures. It gives Enders her third No. 1 qualifier this season and she’ll open eliminations against Fernando Cuadra Jr., looking for her second win of the season and the 50th national event victory in her remarkable career. Enders is also the most recent Pro Stock winner at New England Dragway (2022).

“I’ve definitely got a race day tune-up for tomorrow. Our biggest challenge will be a tricky track but I’m thankful that’s the crew’s job and I can stay focused on my job,” Enders said.

“That 6.48 on Friday was really exciting. I’ve got a fast hot rod and I just need to stay focused and not allow outside influences to get in the way. This has been a great track for us. I enjoy going back to tracks where we’ve had success. I have to remain positive, visualize what we want and go get it.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. took second thanks to Friday’s 6.510 at 211.46 and points leader Dallas Glenn, who won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, ended in third with his 6.529 at 210.57.

Eliminations for the NHRA New England Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at New England Dragway.


SUNDAY ELIMINATION PAIRINGS

EPPING, N.H. -- Sunday's first-round pairings for eliminations for the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the seventh of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.


Top Fuel -- 1. Doug Kalitta, 3.700 seconds, 332.84 mph vs. 16. Scott Farley, 13.824, 69.65; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.702, 335.23 vs. 15. Smax Smith, 5.286, 127.45; 3. Brittany Force, 3.715, 335.57 vs. 14. Tony Schumacher, 4.077, 232.35; 4. Shawn Langdon, 3.722, 330.23 vs. 13. Shawn Reed, 3.820, 324.20; 5. Billy Torrence, 3.744, 332.43 vs. 12. Jasmine Salinas, 3.812, 324.20; 6. Justin Ashley, 3.754, 328.22 vs. 11. Josh Hart, 3.795, 327.98; 7. Clay Millican, 3.759, 332.43 vs. 10. Dan Mercier, 3.777, 328.38; 8. Tony Stewart, 3.762, 323.12 vs. 9. Antron Brown, 3.766, 330.80.


Funny Car -- 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.837, 336.23 vs. 16. Mike Smith, Ford Mustang, 4.785, 230.53; 2. John Force, Camaro, 3.865, 333.16 vs. 15. Buddy Hull, Dodge Charger, 4.466, 203.55; 3. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.865, 327.74 vs. 14. Dave Richards, Toyota Camry, 4.296, 231.60; 4. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.899, 329.91 vs. 13. Cory Lee, Mustang, 4.267, 246.21; 5. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.910, 322.96 vs. 12. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 4.036, 319.37; 6. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.923, 333.41 vs. 11. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.965, 323.27; 7. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.945, 320.51 vs. 10. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 3.958, 315.64; 8. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.953, 323.35 vs. 9. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 3.956, 325.53.


Pro Stock -- 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.488, 211.89 vs. 16. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.607, 210.11; 2. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.510, 211.46 vs. 15. Brandon Miller, Dodge Dart, 6.606, 208.39; 3. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.529, 210.87 vs. 14. Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.582, 209.82; 4. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.530, 211.59 vs. 13. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.558, 209.30; 5. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.530, 210.64 vs. 12. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.549, 210.77; 6. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.534, 210.67 vs. 11. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.546, 210.93; 7. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.537, 211.79 vs. 10. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.543, 210.24; 8. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.540, 210.93 vs. 9. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.541, 209.95.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Val Smeland, 7.758, 130.32.


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J. FORCE, TORRENCE AND GLENN GRAB BONUS WINS IN MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE AT EPPING



EPPING, N.H. – John Force powered to the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at New England Dragway, claiming the bonus event win in front of a sellout crowd as part of this weekend’s 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals..

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at the seventh of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Force went 4.048-seconds at 320.81 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat Blake Alexander’s 3.994 at 320.51 on a holeshot in the final round, giving the 16-time world champion his first specialty event win of the season. It’s another impressive moment in what has been a standout season for Force, who is currently third in points. He’ll get a chance for an event win on Sunday and a double-up weekend, looking to continue his strong 2024 campaign.

“I love racing these kids,” Force said. “They make get me out of bed every day. I just know [car owner] Jim Head, he’s tricky and Alexander can drive so I rolled it in deep. I knew I needed to get a few inches on him and evidently it helped me. The numbers look deceiving, but it was a good race. Blake has a big future out here.

“So far, it’s been a good weekend, and it’s nice just to win. Tomorrow is a big day, so let’s go get some more tomorrow. I love being up here. The fans are great.”

Top Fuel’s Steve Torrence rolled to his first win of 2024 in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, taking down Dan Mercier in the final round with a run of 3.866 at 327.43 in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster. Mercier went 3.897 at 298.27, but Torrence led wire-to-wire en route to the victory, his fourth career win in the specialty race dating back to last year.

He knocked off Antron Brown earlier in the day, making a pair of solid runs in the 3.80s in the heat. That bodes well tomorrow for the four-time world champion, who is after his third career victory at New England Dragway.

“Our semifinal match-up with Antron Brown in Chicago was a great race and we had the same thing today. We also had a great race in the final with Mercier,” Torrence said. “Those guys have come out and started running well this year. I’m proud to see that. We need more guys like that out here. He’s a super nice guy and it’s an honor to race them in the final.

“Thanks to Mission Foods for all they do. It changes the way you look at qualifying and it adds something. Fans enjoy it when they get to see someone crowned as a champion. Mission is doing a lot of good for our spot and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn slipped by Aaron Stanfield in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, going 6.545 at 210.80 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro to get the win over Stanfield’s 6.551 at 210.24. It’s Glenn’s first win in the bonus event this season and second in his career, and he was thrilled with how his car performed on Saturday in the heat. The Pro Stock points leader and former NHRA Rookie of the Year made a pair of strong runs, giving him plenty of momentum for what he hopes is his first career double-up weekend.

“It was a great preparation for tomorrow,” Glenn said. “I’m trying to stay a little more relaxed and it’s definitely helped. These are hard to come by. I don’t tend to do very well in bonus races, but we were able to get it done. We’ve got a great hot rod in the heat and it’s going to be warm tomorrow, so I feel like we’ve got something for them. We did a fantastic job today and I’ve got a good hot rod for tomorrow.

“I’m very happy with my Saturday. We got bonus points on both runs and I had two good races. We should have similar conditions for tomorrow so feel good that we can compete with anyone out there.”

Eliminations for the NHRA New England Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at New England Dragway.



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EPPING, N.H. -- Saturday's final results from the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway.




MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA TOP FUEL CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE -- Steve Torrence, 3.897, 270.64 def. Antron Brown, 4.400, 185.46; Dan Mercier, 3.857, 319.98 def. Shawn Langdon, 3.896, 313.15;

FINAL -- S. Torrence, 3.866, 327.43 def. D. Mercier, 3.897, 298.27.



MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA FUNNY CAR CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE -- Blake Alexander, Ford Mustang, 4.026, 311.41 def. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.104, 308.71; John Force, Chevy Camaro, 4.133, 281.36 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 6.676, 94.81;

FINAL -- J. Force, 4.048, 320.81 def. B. Alexander, 3.994, 320.51.



MISSION #2FAST2TASTY NHRA PRO STOCK CHALLENGE:

ROUND ONE -- Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.573, 210.01 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.591, 209.88; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.540, 210.87 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.537, 211.79;

FINAL -- D. Glenn, 6.545, 210.80 def. A. Stanfield, 6.551, 210.24.