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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.
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 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.
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.
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 campaign with a 3.820 at 325.14 mph, placing third after the opening session. Stewart edged wife Leah Pruett, whose 3.808 at 329.18 mph was one of the quickest runs of the evening and left the Stewart family 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’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.
Greg Anderson closed Friday qualifying in commanding fashion at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto, racing to the quickest pass of the day
Dallas Glenn’s performance narrowly lagged KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson. The pair once again demonstrated why they remain locked in one of the sport’s most intense championship battles.
The top of the order remained tightly packed throughout the session. Matt Latino continued his impressive Friday with a strong 6.525 at 210.77 mph, while Eric Latino followed with a 6.534 at 210.57 mph. Greg Stanfield remained the top Elite Motorsports representative with a 6.540 at 210.47 mph.
Defending world champion Erica Enders improved to a 6.534 at 209.72 mph, placing herself firmly in contention heading into Saturday’s final qualifying sessions. Veteran Jeg Coughlin Jr. also turned in a solid 6.546 at 210.14 mph, while Aaron Stanfield posted a 6.554 at 210.57 mph.
Several teams made notable gains after difficult opening runs. Shane Tucker rebounded from Q1 issues with a 6.557 at a category-best 211.76 mph, while Cody Anderson recovered to run 6.551 at 209.79 mph. Deric Kramer also improved dramatically with a 6.551 at 209.56 mph after failing to make a representative pass in the opening session.
Through two qualifying sessions, the margin separating Glenn, Anderson, Latino, Enders, and Stanfield remains razor thin, setting the stage for a highly competitive Saturday as teams chase the coveted No. 1 qualifier position at New England Dragway.
Alexis DeJoria emerged as Friday’s surprise leader in Funny Car qualifying at the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto, racing to the provisional No. 1 position with a strong 3.929-second run at 312.42 mph.
The Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car driver’s pass highlighted a remarkable second qualifying session that saw eight drivers run in the three-second zone and the entire complexion of the field change under cooler evening conditions.
Jordan Vandergriff continued his recent momentum with a 3.932 at 326.32 mph to claim the provisional No. 2 position, while reigning world champion Austin Prock moved into third with a 3.950 at 328.14 mph. Jack Beckman matched Prock’s elapsed time with a 3.950 at 323.81 mph but settled into the fourth spot on the qualifying sheet.
Matt Hagan rounded out the top five with a 3.954 at 328.46 mph, followed closely by Del Worsham (3.986), Daniel Wilkerson (3.988), and JR Todd (3.994), all of whom took advantage of the improved conditions.
Spencer Hyde narrowly missed joining the three-second club with a 4.001, while Q1 leader Cruz Pedregon slipped to the No. 10 spot after his earlier 4.009 held up despite tire smoke in the evening session.
Chad Green’s 4.020 and Blake Alexander’s 4.064 kept both drivers comfortably in the field, while Ron Capps and Phil Burkart remained in contention with 4.065 and 4.075-second runs, respectively.
The session produced one of the most tightly packed Funny Car fields of the season, with the top eight drivers separated by just .065-second. With Saturday’s forecast creating uncertainty, DeJoria’s impressive Friday-night performance could prove difficult to eclipse as teams chase the coveted No. 1 qualifier position.
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