NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Pro Stock

The battle for the Pro Stock championship remains one of the tightest and most compelling stories in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series as Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn continue their season-long duel atop the standings. The KB Titan Racing teammates have combined to dominate much of the season, with Anderson's veteran consistency being challenged weekly by Glenn's aggressive pursuit of both race wins and championship points. While the Chevrolet-powered duo remains the benchmark in the category, Greg Stanfield's Elite Motorsports entry continues to represent the closest challenger as teams prepare for another critical weekend in Epping.

Pro Stock Q1: Anderson Edges Glenn as KB Titan Cars Set Early Pace

Anderson struck first, posting a strong 6.548-second pass at 209.62 mph to narrowly edge Glenn's 6.551 at 210.57 mph. The pair remain locked in one of the closest championship battles in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, and Friday's opening session suggested little separation between the two KB Titan Racing teammates.

Greg Stanfield positioned himself as the leading Elite Motorsports contender after running 6.553 at 210.73 mph, outpacing Matt Hartford and placing himself firmly in the mix near the top of the order. Stanfield's performance was just .005-second behind Anderson's provisional pace-setting run.

Defending world champion Erica Enders opened with a solid 6.575 at 210.08 mph, trailing Aaron Stanfield's slightly quicker 6.565. Matt Latino also impressed with a 6.571 at 210.97 mph to narrowly defeat Jeg Coughlin Jr.'s 6.574.

Eric Latino added another competitive run with a 6.556 at 210.08 mph, while Troy Coughlin Jr. followed closely at 6.606 and 210.64 mph.

Several teams experienced early-session difficulties. Cody Anderson and Deric Kramer both shut off before reaching competitive elapsed times, while Brandon Miller and Kenny Delco also encountered issues that left them well off the category leaders.

Among the remaining competitors, Shane Tucker recorded a 7.083-second run after encountering problems, while Josh Hoxie and Carl Cichetto were unable to complete full passes.

With temperatures expected to cool for the second qualifying session under the lights, Anderson's early advantage appears far from secure as Glenn, the Stanfields, Enders, and a host of contenders look to improve on Friday night.

New Hampshire Governor Visits New England Nationals

New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte made a special visit to New England Dragway on Friday, spending time on the starting line with NHRA's Jason Galvin during qualifying for the NHRA New England Nationals presented by broauto. 

Ayotte received an up-close look at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, including the preparation and staging procedures that precede runs exceeding 330 mph. The governor's visit highlighted the significance of the event to the region, as thousands of fans and racers gather annually in Epping for one of New England's premier motorsports events. Ayotte also met with NHRA officials and toured key areas of the facility while learning more about the sport's economic impact and passionate fan base. NHRA on FOX announcer Brian Lohnes noted that three New Hampshire Governors were from Epping, NH. 

Funny Car Q1: Pedregon Leads as Green, Capps, and Wilkerson Join Four-Second Club

Cruz Pedregon paced a highly competitive opening Funny Car qualifying session Friday at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto, using a strong 4.009-second run at 317.64 mph to claim the provisional No. 1 spot.

Pedregon's run was one of five four-second passes in the session and held up through a late challenge from Chad Green, who rocketed to a 4.020 at 319.52 mph, the quickest speed of the session. Green's performance continued the momentum his team has built throughout the 2026 season and placed him second heading into the evening session.

Ron Capps also made a statement in Q1, driving to a 4.065 at 319.22 mph to slot into the top three. Daniel Wilkerson posted a career-encouraging 4.076 at 309.06 mph, while Phil Burkart rounded out the top five with a 4.075-second pass at 311.05 mph.

Defending world champion Austin Prock encountered trouble on his opening run. Despite a .081 reaction time and solid early numbers, Prock slowed to a 4.401 at 271.73 mph and will look for a significant improvement under the lights. Jack Beckman also struggled, recording a 6.163 after problems early in the run.

Alexis DeJoria opened with a competitive 4.112 at 301.47 mph, while Del Worsham posted a solid 4.093 at 271.02 mph. Dave Richards turned in a respectable 4.165, and Spencer Hyde recorded a 4.616 despite obvious issues during the run.

Several teams, including Matt Hagan, Blake Alexander, and Jeff Arend, failed to make full competitive passes and will be searching for answers before the second qualifying session.

With cool evening conditions expected at New England Dragway, Pedregon's provisional lead appears vulnerable as a stacked Funny Car field prepares for what could be one of the quickest sessions of the weekend.

Top Fuel Q1: Langdon Leads Kalitta Sweep as Championship Contenders Crowd Top of Field

EPPING, N.H. — Championship leader Shawn Langdon picked up right where he left off Friday evening at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by BPROAUTO, racing to the provisional No. 1 position in Top Fuel with a strong 3.775-second pass at 335.48 mph.

Langdon's run came in the final pair of the session and narrowly eclipsed Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta, who posted a 3.800 at 328.14 mph. The one-two showing highlighted the strength of the Kalitta camp as qualifying got underway at New England Dragway.

Tony Stewart continued his impressive rookie campaign with a 3.820 at 325.14 mph, placing third after the opening session. Stewart edged teammate Leah Pruett, whose 3.808 at 329.18 mph was one of the quickest runs of the evening and left the Tony Stewart Racing duo firmly in contention heading into Q2.

Will Smith delivered another solid performance with a 3.849 at 327.27 mph, while Josh Hart's 3.869 at 327.90 mph and reigning world champion Antron Brown's 3.868 at 327.66 mph rounded out a tightly packed group of contenders.

Several teams battled early-session issues. Billy Torrence slowed to a 4.055, while Justin Ashley's run fell off pace to a 4.128 after a strong start. Clay Millican and Maddi Gordon were also unable to complete full runs, posting elapsed times well outside the competitive range.

Tony Schumacher opened with a respectable 3.880 at 328.78 mph, while Shawn Reed recorded a 3.875 at 313.51 mph to place himself in the middle of the provisional field.

With cooler temperatures expected for Friday night's second qualifying session, Langdon's 3.775 appears vulnerable as a host of championship-caliber teams look to improve. After one round of qualifying, however, the points leader and Kalitta Motorsports have established themselves as the early benchmark in Top Fuel.