Friday Qualifying Ignites Excitement at NHRA New England Nationals

The New England Dragway came alive Friday afternoon as qualifying kicked off for the 2025 NHRA New England Nationals. Clear skies and air temperatures in the low 70s greeted fans packing the grandstands, eager to see the first round of professional runs.

The sticky track reached 86 degrees, setting up a fast surface that brought both excitement and challenges from the opening moments.

In Funny Car, Bob Tasca III thrilled local fans with a quick 3.891-second run at 335.40 mph. His performance was just shy of the track record and gave him the early No. 1 qualifying spot.

Tasca, who grew up coming to Epping, expressed pride in running well at his home facility. Jack Beckman logged a smooth 3.908-second pass, while Austin Prock’s Camaro lost traction and shut off early.

Spencer Hyde made a strong impression with a solid pass in his round, earning praise from veteran Jim Head. Daniel Wilkerson and Cruz Pedregon fought their cars to keep straight.

Ron Capps and Chad Green, both strong contenders, experienced early shutoffs. Matt Hagan completed a strong run, and Paul Lee lifted off the throttle late in the pass.

Top Fuel delivered its share of drama and fast numbers. Steve Torrence delivered the session’s big moment with a rapid 3.750 at 335.07 mph, jumping to the top of the standings.

Justin Ashley, minutes before Torrence’s run, suffered a major explosion near the finish line, destroying his injector and leaving his crew with overnight repairs. Sean Reed briefly took the top position before Torrence bumped him back.

Reed commented on his quick lap, joking that he might have lucked into that performance. Ida Zetterström and Dan Mercier both made clean runs.

Mercier held No. 1 for a moment, while Zetterström said she was grateful for the support after her recent changes since Charlotte. Brittany Force ran into the No. 3 spot in Top Fuel.

Crew chief John Collins said the team is still chasing their first win of the year and working on a hot track setup. Meanwhile, Doug Kalitta’s run ended with a supercharger fire, and Antron Brown’s pass shut off just off the line due to an automatic safety feature.

The New England Nationals are one stop in a packed NHRA schedule that takes the series to cities like Gainesville, Phoenix, Pomona, Las Vegas, and Chicago, among others. Throughout the 2025 season, drivers such as Langdon, Prock, and Glenn have earned milestone wins, including the 1,000th Top Fuel victory for Langdon.

Record speeds, like Force’s 341 mph earlier this year, have highlighted the intense competition between teams in both Top Fuel and Funny Car categories.

Fans can catch additional qualifying sessions and final rounds on FS1, with live updates and detailed results keeping everyone in the loop. Friday’s opening action showed that the field is already working hard to find every advantage as the New England Nationals continue.

With strong performances and the promise of more memorable moments, the pursuit of track records and first wins remains as intense as ever.