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SUNDAY NOTEBOOK

COURTNEY FORCE BESTS DAD IN NEW ENGLAND - Daughter drove best - at least Sunday, anyway.

In her first meeting in the finals against her legendary father John, Courtney Force came out on top at the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.

Courtney clocked a 4.301-second elapsed time to edge John's 4.367-second lap.

John had the lead at 330-feet before his Ford Mustang started dropping cylinders. Courtney caught him and held on for the win as her car also started dropping cylinders late in her run.

"We are excited and it is great to be able to take home the first win from New England Dragway," Courtney said. "No one will be able to take that from us."

This was Courtney's second win this season. She is fourth in the point standings. John, who won the previous week at Bristol, Tenn., is fifth.

"I didn't really do any trash-talking (with her dad)," Courtney, 24, said. "I definitely told him I was going to try and get revenge but the last time I told him I was going to beat him for a Father's Day gift and give him Father's Day off, he got the win. I decided to keep my mouth shut this time. I was just hoping we could get a little bit of revenge over him and we were able to do that. Being it was my birthday weekend it made it that much better.”

At Bristol, John defeated Courtney in the first round.

"I didn't get my energy level up with my dad," Courtney said. "I was actually too afraid I was going to redlight. I walked in the bus right before the round and I heard him say something about redlight. That got put in the back of my head. Maybe he was playing games with me secretly but it worked. I think he went in deep on me. I mess with dad every other weekend, but I didn't want to mess with him and throw my routine off. I tried to do the same old thing and he went in deep. I'm surprised he didn't put the top bulb out on me. He left on me and it was fun. We got down there and my car got in a little bit of trouble and I just hanging on. I was just putting my foot down on that throttle just hoping that we could get down to the finish line first. I was kind of peeking out my window hoping he would not catch up and we got lucky."

TEAMWORK POWERS JOHNSON TO PRO STOCK WIN - Teamwork paid dividends for Allen Johnson Sunday.

Johnson and his crew each did their parts, propelling the reigning world champion to a holeshot victory at the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.

Johnson clocked a 6.642-second elapsed time to beat Shane Gray’s quicker 6.633-second lap. The difference was at the starting line as
Johnson had an .025 reaction time compared to Gray’s .058 light.

“We had a great day,” said Johnson, who qualified No. 2. “We just kept adapting to the track. I can’t say enough about our Mopar Express Lane Dodge Avenger team. Every run we lost lane choice and they (his team) just really started working on the car to get a hold of the track. In the finals, we made an exceptional run for that left lane. I was really proud of the guys. I would say there was at least a couple of hundredths (difference) in the lanes.”

Johnson beat John Gaydosh Jr., Tom Martino and Mike Edwards before meeting Gray.

“To go over in that left lane and win two rounds, we won against Mike and we won against Shane the way they were running, says a lot for our team,” Johnson said.

Jeg Coughlin, the No. 1 qualifier and Johnson’s teammate, lost to Gray in the semifinals when Coughlin shook the tires. Coughlin’s troubles actually benefitted Johnson.

“It just worked out that he was first on that third round run and we had the cars set up identical,” Johnson said. “He shook and our guys made a last second decision on something which allowed me not to shake. I spun, but I didn’t shake. In the final, we made a real radical change for a hot weather track and it really worked. We figured out something there.”

Edwards remains in the points lead at 1,003 and Johnson is second at 879.

MASSEY AIMS AT AL-ANABI FOR TOP FUEL VICTORY - Tony Schumacher had predicted last week, before the NHRA's first venture into New England, that the entire Top Fuel championship will play out as a clash between his own Don Schumacher Racing organization and Al-Anabi Racing.

And that's what it came down to at Epping, N.H., Sunday in the first edition of the NHRA New England Nationals. DSR's Spencer Massey won the duel between the masters of the Christmas Tree and recorded his second victory of the year with a 4.105-second elapsed time at 271.57 mph on the New England Dragway 1,000-foot course in the Battery Extender Dragster.

Langdon, going for his fourth 2013 victory, hiked his front wheels on the launch and experienced traction trouble early and settled for a 9.694, 81.50 clocking in the Al-Anabi Dragster. He was making his sixth final-round appearance in 11 races this season and his fifth in seven.

Langdon carried a three-point lead in the standings into the day and opened a 43-point advantage over second-place Schumacher. Massey is third in points.

This marked the third DSR-Al-Anabi showdown of the season and the first time DSR, with this 208th victory, got the upper hand. Langdon had beaten Schumacher at both Pomona and Topeka.

"It's just awesome to get another win this season and get the inaugural NHRA Wally from New England," Massey said following his 12th career victory (which matches ESPN broadcaster Mike Dunn's legacy). "We kind of had an up-and-down weekend, but my guys just kept working at it. And it paid off."

Massey defeated other Al-Anabi driver Khalid alBalooshi, then DSR colleague Schumacher, and No. 1 qualifier Doug Kalitta. But it was no cakewalk for the Fort Worth native.

"In the semifinals, we had some problems," Massey said. "I didn't even think the car was going to get down the track. It didn't show any oil pressure, didn't have any fuel pressure. It was such a hectic semifinal round, just getting by that and getting to the finals was nice.

"Qualifying we had our ups and downs but it ran good in the heat yesterday and ran awesome in the heat today. We had our problems in the semis but we got by it and got to the finals," he said. "It was one of those deals where the track was hot, and if you get to A to B first, it doesn't matter what it does as long as you get there first."
 
He thanked members from Schumacher's U.S. Army Dragster team and Funny Car mate Matt Hagan's Magneti Marelli crew for their help Sunday.

"We had no data coming in here, and we didn't get anything from the semifinals. We had some of the Army guys and some of Matt Hagan's guys come over and go through the wiring and help us service the car. They did a great job, and we owe them a big thank-you. If we wouldn't have had them, we would've been struggling. That's how our Don Schumacher Racing teams work -- we all help each other if we need it."

Massey lost to Steve Torrence in the final last week at Bristol, Tenn., and was competing in his third final round of 2013. He has made the semifinals or better at eight of the 11 completed events.

"We've just been trying to take baby steps," Massey said. "We've gone to a lot of semifinals, but we've been wanting to get to these final rounds and get wins. We came up a little bit short last weekend, so we rebounded this weekend."

He was especially proud of his reaction times: "If you look at my lights through qualifying and eliminations, my worst light this weekend was an .059 (of a second)."

Langdon eliminated Tim Boychuck, Bob Vandergriff, and Terry McMillen to advance to his first final-round meeting with Massey this season. Although they have raced against each other for years, they were 2-2 in previous faceoffs this year.

"The Al-Anabi car ran great today on race day and made some really strong runs.  Going to the final was great, and we leave New Hampshire with the points lead. That was the goal for the weekend. We wanted to win the race, but it didn't work out that way," Langdon said. "We still had a strong car all weekend that qualified well and ran great in eliminations.  We just have to move on from here and keep pressing on."

The next race on the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule is this coming weekend's O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals at Joliet, Ill., south of Chicago.


HALL EMERGES AS A PHENOM - For New England and for Pro Stock Motorcycle racer John Hall, Sunday was a day of firsts for both the Viper Motorcycles/Matt Smith Racing Buell rider and the racetrack -- and both made dazzling impressions.

The New England Dragway favorite son from Hamden, Conn., earned his first victory in his first final round-appearance at the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals at Epping, N.H.

His 6.924-second, 193.93-mph winning performance on the quarter-mile was immaterial, for rookie Adam Arana, also making his first NHRA final-round appearance, disqualified himself with a red-light start aboard the ProtectTheHarvest.com/MAVTV Buell.

Hall reached the final round past Jerry Savoie, boss Smith, and LE Tonglet and joined Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Courtney Force (Funny Car), and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) in the winners circle.

"I don't think it has sunk in yet," Hall said after moving from fifth place to second in the standings and posing a serious threat to leader Hector Arana Jr.

When he saw the win light on the scoreboard to verify he had won, Hall said, "I was jumping up and down on my bike. I think I hit my shift points, but I don't know how."

His triumph interrupted Hector Arana Jr.'s roll and that of Michael Ray, Epping's top qualifier who was building on his Englishtown, N.J., success.

"We needed it. It came at the right time, close to home," he said on behalf of his King, N.C.-headquartered team. "It's a great place. The fans are thanking us for being here. We're just happy they put this on the schedule."

Hall said he knew he had a shot at earning that first victory for Matt Smith Racing when he got past the boss in the quarterfinals.

"That was my lucky round," he said. "Matt was trying to cut my head off and he went negative-.004."

From that point on, he said, "I just had to stay focused. Matt's a great teacher. He keeps you calm. Last year I don't think I would've stayed this calm."
 
Hall, who rode for George Bryce's Star Racing last season, said he learned with more seat time and with encouragement from Smith to take things the clichéd one round at a time.

It's just a round," he said, reciting his mental checklist: "Stay focused. Stay green. And don't do anything you're going to regret.

"The turnaround time is quick. If you have problems you might not make it to the next round. Luckily we didn’t have any major problems," he said.

In reviewing his performances from last season, Hall said he has discovered where he made mistakes and how he can improve and is trying to correct bad habits or avoid the same pitfalls.

"I made some mistakes last year, and I'm just trying to not do that this year," he said.

Matt Smith said Hall is doing incredibly well "to be second in points in just five races this season. We just have a good team. We just have a good sponsor behind us."

Hall had the chance to come to Matt Smith Racing after Bryce made some changes at Star Racing, and Smith said he's glad he grabbed Hall for his team.

"Some people said he couldn't ride," Smith said, quickly adding that Hall is proving those people wrong.

On hand with Hall for the victory were his wife, Ivette, and daughter, Mikaela.

"I can't thank everybody enough," Hall said, although in his excitement he did remember to recognize the Viper Motorcycle Company, Matt Smith Racing, Angie Smith, S&S, and Red Line Oil.

Meanwhile, Arana improved from 12th place in the standings to ninth and into Countdown consideration as the bike class rejoins the rest of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour this weekend at suburban Chicago. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals will open Friday at Route 66 Raceway at Joliet, Ill.

Arana, from Milltown, Ind., qualified his season-best fifth and eliminated Jim Underdahl and Steve Johnson before hole-shotting No. 1 qualifier Ray. But he squandered his chances for a first triumph in just his fifth professional race by leaving the starting line seven-hundredths of a second too early against Hall.

"I like this track," Arana said of New England Dragway. "It is smooth and has a lot of shutdown. The fans have been great, and the stands have been packed."


“We have been doing a lot of testing,” Johnson said. “We are actually starting to improve a lot of things so we can be in race form for the rest of the Countdown and do our best to knock Mike out early with one of our team cars. We want to catch him and give all three of us a chance to get that No. 1 spot and those 20 bonus points.”

Johnson, Coughlin and Vincent Nobile are all teammates. Coughlin is third in the point standings and Nobile is seventh.

The NHRA regular season concludes at the U.S. Nationals Sept. 2 in Indianapolis. The six race Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Playoffs start at Charlotte, N.C. (Sept. 13-15).

“I think we showed here we pretty much caught him (Edwards) in performance,” Johnson said. “It all comes down to race-day performance. I think we are right there and we might have another trick or two up our sleeve that we have not brought out yet. He’s going to be a lot of competition. We are not going to have that couple of hundredths advantage we carried into the Countdown last year. He has caught us there. But, I think by the time we get out West we will have him in our sights.”

SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - OVERFLOW CROWD HELPS NHRA AND RACERS HIT HOME RUN

TOP FUEL

KALITTA' TOP FUEL 'STRUGGLE' ALMOST UNNOTICEABLE SATURDAY - Doug Kalitta said Saturday at the NHRA New England Nationals that he "struggled a little bit getting down the track."
 
It didn't hurt him and his Mac Tools Dragster team at all, for he remained No. 1 to lead the Top Fuel field for the fourth time this season and for the 35th time in his career.
 
"We tried this other blower on that second run [the fourth overall and final one], and it showed a sign that it might be OK for us. All in all, we should be ready for tomorrow. We should be all right," he said at Epping, N.H.
 
"We'll go out there and hopefully just go back to what we know will get us from A to B," he said.
 
Kalitta has run low elapsed time and top speed of the meet so far on the 1,000-foot New England Dragway course at 3.795 seconds and 323.97 mph.
 
He said to make a clean sweep of this event "would be huge. We'd definitely know that Tammy's looking out for us."
 
Tammy is the late Tammy Oberhofer, who lost her battle to cancer this past Tuesday. She worked for the team as public-relations rep, the office manager and was the wife of Kalitta's crew chief, Jim Oberhofer, who doubles as Kalitta Motorsports vice-president.
 
"She was one of our biggest fans," Kalitta said. "Jim O was saying that she was a Kalitta supporter. Anybody ever talk bad about Connie, Scott, or myself, it was fightin' words for her.
 
"It'd mean a lot to us, and we'd love to honor her with a win here," he said.
 
"Hopefully Jim and Troy [assistant crew chief Fasching] and the Mac Tools guys will have us dialed in for tomorrow."
 
Kalitta said with a wry smile, "You know drag racing -- it’s one of them deals . . . Drag it up there and see what you got."
 
Then he said he has "a lot of confidence going into tomorrow."
 
No. 16 qualifier Ike Maier is hoping to play the spoiler role as Kalitta's first challenge in eliminations.

POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE - Jamie Blake isn't one to stand on ceremony -- or attend one.

He might have liked to have been present at his recent graduation ceremony at the University of Northwestern Ohio. But he couldn’t stay in Lima Ohio -- he had to report for work as lead technician for Kieser Automotive in Needham, Mass.

And of course, he had to tend to his NHRA drag racing, especially because it was coming to his home area for the first time. Blake qualified his Follow A Dream Super Comp car seventh in the order Friday -- his 21st birthday -- at the New England Nationals at Epping, N.H.

He just hadn't had time to pick up his Associate of Applied Sciences degree from UNOH's College of Applied Technologies Automotive Department.

So Top Fuel driver Terry McMillen, owner-driver of the Amalie Oil-UNOH Dragster, brought it to him Saturday at New England Dragway.

McMillen presented Blake his diploma around noon Saturday, just before Top Fuel qualifying resumed for the NHRA's inaugural at the track whose motto is "built by racers for racers." This surprise ceremony was proof of racers honoring racers.

Maura McGonigle,  Jamie Blake's mother, arranged the presentation. She brought her son to McMillen's pit, telling him she wanted to introduce him to the Top Fuel driver. Despite McMillen's many activities with sponsor UNOH, he and Blake never had met. But McMillen spoke proudly of Blake as if he were the young man's professor.

"It's a big honor for us to be a part of this young mans journey," McMillen said. "It also shows not only the quality of this young man's work ethic, but also the quality of young people the University of Northwestern Ohio graduate from their programs.

"Jamie missed graduation to immediately start his job and for the opportunity to race in this weekend's NHRA Epping race, competing in Super Comp. It's a testament to him, his family and the UNOH and I'm truly honored to be a part of this presentation," he said.

All the pieces for this surprise fell in place neatly. The NHRA brought its spectacle to Epping, where Blake has been attending and participating in races at New England Dragway since he was a small child.

His dad, Jim Blake, is a Super Comp veteran, his mom a team chef / hospitality coordinator and racing apparel embroiderer, and his younger sister Patty a Jr. Dragster graduate who competes in the Street class. This weekend both Jamie and his dad are driving in the Super Comp class, Jamie  in the Follow A Dream entry and Jim in the Lil Irishman Bantam Super Comp Altered.

Jamie dropped out in the second round Saturday morning against Dennis Territo.

This has been a whirlwind week or two for Jamie Blake, who began racing Jr. Dragsters at age eight. In 2008, he was track champion at Maine's Oxford Raceway. The next year, he earned his Super Comp license and started driving in that class.  Today the Hingham (Mass.) High School product runs in Super Comp and Top Dragster.

Jamie is the nephew of Jay Blake, owner/crew chief of the Follow A Dream Top Alcohol Funny Car that Todd Veney drives. Jamie's parents have been active with that team, as well. Dad Jim was the first driver and crew member for Follow A Dream, and he's vice-president and treasurer of Follow A Dream. Mom Maura still is part of the team as chef and hospitality director. She also is active with Hot Rods for Heroes, a group that brings veterans, active-duty service members, and Gold Star family members to the races at no cost to them. She also is a part of Eddie Parker's Cape Codder Pro Comp team.

BROWN SLOGGING THROUGH FRUSTRATING TIMES - Antron Brown has seen the drag-racing pendulum swing back and forth.

Right now it has swung and knocked him and his Matco Tools team a bit off course.

"We're working hard, busting our tail, but sometimes you keep working hard and it just throws you curveballs," Brown said after knowing he'll start in the bottom half of the 16-car Top Fuel field for the third consecutive race.

The current champion, who also has won twice this season, has been stuck in a funk that includes first-round losses at the past three events and five of the past six.

But Brown doesn't seem to be in a panic.

"We went A to B and we found some other issues that we were having and got them fixed and now we have a run to work off of. Our boys just stayed and stuck with it and that's a good pass they can work off of for tomorrow," he said following his fourth run. "The car felt great down the track. There wasn't any trouble, so we know we can get after it more tomorrow. And we even got a bonus point.

In his first and third qualifying passes, Brown's parachute deployed early.

"It was just another one of those gremlins that seem to keep biting us lately. It's just weird," Brown said. "In six years of racing Top Fuel, that's never happened, and it happened twice in three runs. We've got it figured out. Now we just need to stay on point and dot our Is and cross our Ts and we'll be in good shape. It's time to dig deep and start getting a few win lights."

Brown's first-round opponent Sunday will be Bob Vandergriff, to whom he has lost twice in the opening round this year.
 
IN CHARGE AGAIN - Al-Anabi Racing's Shawn Langdon qualified second, using his five total bonus points from qualifying to regain the lead in the Top Fuel standings from Tony Schumacher. Langdon has a three-point margin heading into Sunday's eliminations.

TORRENCE WILL TAKE EIGHTH AND LIKE IT - Clay Millican will be the first hurdle for Steve Torrance as he seeks back-to-back victories in the Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. Dragster. Torrence stood on his first qualifying run of 3.847 second at 321.27 mph -- which had been good enough for second place in the first session. But he slipped to eighth place in Q2, and that's where he stayed during the rest of qualifying. Crew chief Lee Beard experimented Saturday with some combinations for the racing surface. Torrence defeated Millican in last Sunday's semifinals at Bristol.

IN BOTTOM HALF - Khalid alBalooshi's 12th-place showing in qualifying this weekend equals his worst start of the season, at Atlanta. The Al-Anabi Racing driver is fifth in the standings.

ONE-CAR WOES - Brittany Force is at a decided disadvantage from her other John Force racing teammates. As driver of the Castrol EDGE Dragster, she has no Top Fuel teammates, while the Funny Car trio at John Force Racing has plenty of data-sharing partners.

So she and crew chiefs Dean Antonelli and Eric Lane are working with a steeper learning curve. Steve Torrence was the lone single-car driver who topped Force in qualifying, and the bottom four drivers on Sunday's ladder -- Force, Terry McMillen, Tim Boychuck, and Ike Maier -- represent one-car teams. "We got two runs in today," Force said. "The first one we got down the track and ran a 3.91, so we were happy about that. [We] ended up 13th, and I'll be running Tony Schumacher for first round of eliminations. I've run him before, in Las Vegas. I've been watching him race for years, so it's pretty exciting to be running up against a champion like him. Hopefully we kick some butt tomorrow."

FUNNY CAR

STILL THE ONE - On Saturday at the inaugural NHRA North American Nationals, Funny Car competition was much like it was for the last twenty-three years -- no one could beat John Force.

Force held on tightly to Friday's 4.051-second pass to score pole position No. 142, and the second of 2013.

"We will be racing earlier tomorrow so we will have cloud cover," Force said. "I think we can win with a 4.05 or 4.08. I don’t race the guy in the lane next to me. Every time I tried to do that it screwed me up. You run the race car the way you always have. Try to do everything the same for consistency. You don’t have to run the quickest times now unless it is crusher conditions,” said Force, who grabbed the top qualifier spot for a record 142nd time in the Funny Car class. “Now you have to race smart and win rounds. If you run the national record you can get 20 points that way but only if it is out there. We won’t know until tomorrow. You go up there with your mind right and anyone can beat you on any given Sunday.”

First round opponent Dave Richards marks the 136th different driver Force has met in NHRA competition. Richards is competing in his first NHRA Mello Yello Series event.

“I raced a kid last week who just about whipped me - Blake Alexander. I don’t know Dave Richards but I bet he is a young guy and that is the future. As long as he loves it as much as I did he will never quit,” said an energized Force.

“I just wish I was younger so I could be here forever. I love these cars and I love NHRA. These fans are crazy and awesome. We are going to give them a great show here and great TV on ESPN. If anything is my downfall in life is that I love things too much. You give it your whole life and your life goes by you. You wake up one day and ask what happened. The good thing is I have never woken up yet. I wake up and say ‘another race – bitchin.’ I am out here with my kids and I want to drive to show them.”

Force is joined in the top five in qualifying by daughter Courtney Force, No. 3 and son-in-law Robert Hight, No. 5.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I AM FROM AROUND HERE – Bob Tasca III, driver of the Motorcraft Ford Mustang, lives in Cranston, Rhode Island, a mere stone’s throw from Epping when injecting southern terminology into a northern atmosphere. And for Tasca, the greatest part of racing before a hometown crowd is the ability to speak the native lingo.

Yes, as Tasca puts it, every word which ends with an ‘r’ has been changed to an ‘ah.’

“They just don’t get it, you have all of these Rs and harsh letters,” Tasca said, with a proud New England accent. “We just kind of smooth things out.”

Tasca, who admits he loves spending time down south, says racing at the facility roughly 90 miles from home is very special.

“I’ve looked forward to many races, but none more than this one,” said Tasca. “I love racing my Funny Car here for the first time and to have the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series come so close to my home is a dream come true.”


OH, WHAT A FEELING - Cruz Pedregon was the top qualifying Toyota in Funny Car competition. While qualifying eighth, he placed second in two of the four qualifying sessions on the weekend – and ran second-quick time on Saturday. Pedregon is currently second in points heading into the elimination rounds.

STRONG IN THE SUN - Matt Hagan's Magneti Marelli Offered by Mopar Funny Car qualified second and made a solid 4.154-second pass in the final session.

SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST - Alexis DeJoria made her best run of the weekend in Q4 with a 4.288, 267.11 for the No. 14 spot. She'll face Courtney Force in the first round of Sunday's eliminations.

“Qualifying has been somewhat tricky for us. We’ve been running consistent 4.20s [seconds, elapsed time], which isn’t as fast as we would like. There are some bumps in the left lane but at least we’re getting down the track. Anything can happen tomorrow. We’re in the show and that’s all that matters. You can win from any qualifying position.”

WANTS TO BE FIRST WINNER - As the saying goes, there's nothing like a first win and for NHRA racers in New England this weekend for the inaugural event at New England Dragway, there'd be nothing like taking home the prestigious Wally trophy from the maiden race.

That's the goal for 39-time NHRA winner Ron Capps and 15 other Funny Car drivers who will do battle Sunday on the all-concrete strip in Epping, N.H. at 11 a.m. (ET) on Sunday.

The veteran nitro pilot used a tune-up from crew chief Rahn Tobler to clock his best effort of qualifying Friday evening under the lights at the New England NHRA Nationals. He posted a mark of 4.083 seconds at more than 309 mph. That will start Capps from the No. 4 spot at Epping on Sunday. It's his second best start of the season after earning the No. 2 position at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga. in May.

PUMP IT UP - Friday's two qualifying sessions at New England Dragway proved to be challenging for Jack Beckman due to a combination of misfortunes related to a fuel pump issue and overpowering the track.

Beckman and crew chief Todd Smith posted the third quickest elapsed time of Saturday's first qualifying session with a 4.119-second pass and followed that up with a 4.131-second pass, the second best time of the session, to end qualifying on a high note, earning the team three qualifying bonus points on the day.

YOU AGAIN? - Robert Hight meets Del Worsham in the first round for the second week in a row. Last weekend it was Del who had the better qualified Funny Car when the pair matched up and Worsham outran Hight. Tomorrow Hight will bring an improved AAA Ford Mustang to the starting line. His No. 5 qualifying time of 4.088 seconds at 313.80 mph gives him some confidence. In the final qualifying session Hight posted the third quickest time picking up a qualifying bonus points and some momentum going into Sunday.

“We are racing Del (Worsham) again in the first round. He will be a tough car for sure but I like our chances. Last night we made a good run and we were right there on the edge today. It rattled pretty hard in the first session. Jimmy and Danny will look at the data and all the crew chiefs will get together. This track has been great and the fans have been unbelievable. I am looking forward to going rounds for AAA Northern New England,” said Hight.

PRO STOCK

THE SPOILER STRIKES AGAIN - Jeg Coughlin Jr. will head into Sunday's final eliminations at the NHRA New England Nationals as the No. 1 qualifier. This marks Coughlin's second pole position in 2013, a feat only achieved by two drivers thus far this season.

Mike Edwards has qualified No. 1 nine times this season. He was third best in qualifying this weekend and will face Kenny Delco in the first round.

Coughlin's 6.533-second pass at 212.43 mph held up throughout a warmer Saturday.

"I owe a lot to the entire team, not only the JEGS.com team but also everyone on the Mopar team as well," Coughlin said of J&J Racing teammate Allen Johnson. "Jim Yates, Mark Ingersoll, Roy Johnson, the whole team has done a great job in providing horsepower, providing the platform for us to get out there and do what we love to do. I feel fortunate to have a great team in my corner."

There was very little chance even Coughlin could top Friday's performance.

"We're very pleased," Coughlin said. "Q3, we thought there might be that outside chance on improving on that 6.53 from last night. The way the morning was shaking out, the cloud cover was hanging in there. But the humidity was a little bit higher, the vapor pressure was a little bit higher, but we thought the track just might be enough to put the ETs a little bit better than last night.

"But as it turned out, right about 11 o'clock, the clouds lifted, the sun came out, and it was not so forgiving. The air got really warm really quick."

Coughlin is second in the Pro Stock points standings, with one victory and three-final round appearances in his first season at J&J Racing.

"We've had a really good season," Coughlin said. "Allen and I are 2-3 in the points coming into the Epping race here, so there's only one team happier as a whole. We're really looking for that stride to carry us through the summer and the Countdown and make a strong effort at keeping the world championship in the J&J camp."

STARTING LINE CHALLENGES - Jason Line stood on the strength of Friday's 6.565, 212.36 to claim the No. 5 position. He will be challenged by Larry Morgan in the first round of eliminations.

"I think the biggest challenge has just been the starting line," said Line. "Each track has its own personality, and that particular area is the challenge here. We definitely don't feel like we have it completely figured out yet, but it's the same for everybody. There is a lot of experience in the KB Racing camp and we know that we can come out on Sunday with a good package for our Summit Racing Camaros."

HANGING BACK - Headed into Sunday as the No. 2 qualified car behind teammate Jeggie Coughlin, Allen Johnson posted a 6.547-second pass at 212.26 mph in the cooler Friday night conditions aboard his Mopar Express Lane Dodge.

“Having the Mopar teammates go one-two is a good way to go into Sunday eliminations at a track we’ve never raced on,” said Johnson who has two wins this season to date and is looking to defend his 2012 NHRA World Championship. “We both had pretty good runs in each session and the left lane seemed to be the best lane on Friday and the right lane seemed to be better on Saturday. Any time you can have two of the three cars on top of the sheets that’s a pretty good weekend. The challenge of racing at this new venue for us is adapting the cars to the lanes. When the sun is out the lanes get pretty bald. They have a heavy rock surface and no concrete surface so there’s no way to get rubber to stick to it. What we’ll be challenged with tomorrow is getting a lot of grip in the cars.”

NOT THE BEST OF DAYS - Greg Anderson experienced a drastic swing of highs and lows on the second day of qualifying at the NHRA New England Nationals. Anderson made his best run Friday, a 6.580 at 211.56 mph.

A freak occurrence during the quick turnaround between qualifying sessions on Saturday – a stripped spark plug hole – set the team off schedule, and Anderson was forced to sit out the fourth and final session of qualifying. The extremely rare situation left Anderson disappointed, but also grateful.

"We just ran out of time to get it fixed," said Anderson. "You hate to miss a run like that, but it was just a freak deal, and you have to be thankful that it didn't happen on race day. We've got it fixed now, and this Summit Racing Camaro will be good for tomorrow."

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

RESTING ON THEIR LAURELS - Sovereign-Star Racing owner George Bryce, rider Michael Ray, and the Pro Stock Motorcycle team took a vote Friday night at New England Dragway to go with what some might think was an unorthodox qualifying strategy.

If Ray ran well in the first Saturday session, third overall at the New England Nationals, the plan was for him to waive the final opportunity.

That's what happened, and Ray held on to record his first No. 1 start at this inaugural NHRA national event at Epping, N.H.
Ray was lurking in third place all day Friday, and then made his move early Saturday with a 6.832-second elapsed time on the quarter-mile at class-fastest 197.05 mph.

"After stealing the No. 1 position away [from Friday leader Matt Smith] on Saturday morning, in the heat of the day, [on a ] tough, greasy track, it really made the decision to sit out the fourth round of qualifying a lot easier."  

The winner of the most recent Pro Stock Motorcycle race, at Englishtown, N.J., three weeks ago, Ray said, "We've been really, really going in the right direction with both the Sovereign-Star bikes the past few races." He was referring to teammate Scotty Pollacheck, who rebounded from some mechanical trouble to qualify fourth in the 16-bike field.

"Coming off the performance we had in Englishtown, to come out of the truck and just keep moving forward is a true testament to what the team's been doing," Ray said. He said he's eager to discover "what the future holds for us, with the Countdown fast approaching us. I couldn't be more excited to come out for this inaugural race up here and have my first No. 1 qualifier.

"No. 1s are really difficult to come by in this class," he said. "To come out and run strong and get our first No. 1 qualifier, that's a huge achievement and something I'm very proud of."

It comes with caveat, though, Ray said: ""I feel there's way more pressure to be good on Sunday now. I've always been the underdog, and I love that position. Now I don’t mind sticking my chest out and walking around, knowing that I've got a really fast bike and we're going to be a team to have to deal with here pretty soon."

He said no one on his team second-guessed Saturday the decision they made collectively Friday night.
 
"We made that decision and stood by it," Ray said.

He said Bryce came to him and the sitting-in-first-place crew about 30 minutes before they would have had to head to the staging lanes and told them, "I don't want anyone to be upset if we get bumped [from the top spot]. What we've done so far this weekend, it doesn’t mean anything -- they don’t give away Wallys [for having low E.T.]."

Said ray, "We came here to race on Sunday. If we would have gotten bumped to No. 2 -3-4-5-- whatever, we still would have walked around with our heads held high and know that we have been consistent.

"The cloud cover came in and we watched it. We saw the tailwind pick up. But we knew we had an awesome bike and weren't going to let any one number make us feel like we made the wrong call or that we're behind the eight-ball going in for Sunday morning eliminations," he said.

The New Braunfels, Texas-based Ray, who won at Dallas last fall, as well, said he's "just riding the wave, because this is a very humbling sport and you can immediately be brought back down to reality. So I'm just loving every minute of it."  

He said he wasn't even sure he would take that top spot, then when he did we wasn't sure he really had done it.

"We've been working on some things to get it to run from the 330[-fort mark] to the eighth-mile. We came out this morning with, really, a first-round-eliminations tune-up in the bike," Ray said. "Didn't say that we didn't expect to be No. 1 qualifier, but after watching the field, we didn’t really think that an 83 [a 6.83-second pass] or a low 80 would come up on the board."

When he heard that he had done that, he questioned it: "Are you sure?! Are you reading this right?!"  

He said, "It definitely gets us going in the right direction."

So far Ray has had outstanding performances in the Northeastern swing on the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour. And he said Saturday that "racing on Sunday, you've got to be lucky. You've got to have some lucky rounds go your way." He'll find out when he opens eliminations Sunday against Angie Smith. 
 

HALL-ELUJAH - John Hall was 15th when he pulled to the starting line for his final run. And he used a 6.884-second pass at 194.69 mph to improve 10 places in the order. He got moved down to No. 6 and will meet Jerry Savoie in the first round of eliminations.

CAME UP SHORT - Michael Phillips, of Baton Rouge, had troubles all weekend and ran his best of the weekend in his last chance to qualify. But it wasn't enough as he joined Joe DeSantis and Sam Hurwitz on the missed-the-cut list.

SAVOIE IMPROVES - Another Louisiana bike racer, Jerry Savoie, of Cutoff, La., took his White Alligator Racing Suzuki for a weekend-best quarter-mile run of 6.925 seconds, 195.87 mph in the fourth session Saturday and moved up from 15th on the grid to 11th. RAY IS 'BONUS BABY' - Top qualifier Michael Ray took the qualifying bonus point honors Saturday with a total of seven for the combined four sessions. Hector Arana Sr., the No. 2 qualifier, fared next-best with five.

FAMILY STICKS TOGETHER - The Arana trio -- Lucas Oil Buell riders Hector Arana Sr. and sons Hector Jr. and Adam -- made the top half of the field. Hector Sr. qualified second, just six-thousandths of a second off Michael Ray's pace. Rookie Adam landed his season-best position at No. 5, and Hector Jr. -- who began the year with two victories, two top qualifiers, and no worse start than second place -- was eighth Saturday.

FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - FIRST DAY IN LOBSTAH COUNTRY

TOP FUEL

KALITTA PERFORMS IN EMOTIONAL WEEKEND - Fly in. Fly down the track. Fly to the top.

That's becoming Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta's agenda when he goes to an NHRA race, it seems. And crew chief Jim Oberhofer had every Mac Tool in his toolbox Friday to put Kalitta and the Mac Tools Dragster at the top of the pack at the inaugural New England Nationals.

But the wonder wasn't that this seasoned team from Ypsilanti, Mich., could do that on this Epping, N.H., racetrack at which they never have competed.

It was that they worked smoothly and forcefully just three days after Oberhofer's wife, Tammy, passed away in a year-plus-long battle with cancer.

"We're definitely on a mission," Kalitta said after covering the New England Dragway  1,000-foot course in 3.795 seconds at 323.97 mph for low elapsed time and top speed of the meet so far.

"It's kind of heart-wrenching to go through what we've gone through this week," he said. "I'm sure Tammy's riding with us this weekend. We've been trying to get a win. She's [been] our biggest supporter out here. Hopefully we can do some good this weekend and dedicate the win to her."

Tammy Oberhofer served in the past as the team's public-relations representative and was Kalitta Motorsports office manager.

"You know, she's in a better place. Cancer's just a terrible disease," Kalitta, who lost his own father to cancer in 2007, said. "Fortunately the pain's over for her now, and that's a big relief for all of us. It's a pretty nasty disease."

Then he said two words that sounded so helpless and yet so strong: "We're here."

And, Kalitta said, "Jim, he did a great job tonight, along with all my guys. We're definitely trying to make it happen."

He said he thought the tune-up was "a little more conservative than it should have been" on the first pass of the weekend, when he ended up ninth on the grid. The second chance, he said, was another story.

"I don't think he [Oberhofer] had any intention of being bashful with that," Kalitta said. "The thing ran good and it stuck.

"We're happy the conditions got good here this afternoon. It's going to be warmer tomorrow. We'll definitely be ready for tomorrow, and we'll definitely be ready for Sunday."

Kalitta has led the field three times -- at Phoenix, Gainesville, and Houston -- but hasn't gotten a victory from the accomplishment.

And several times this season, Kalitta has come up big in the Friday night session to grab the provisional top qualifying spot. He has made a habit of upstaging Antron Brown, and Friday night his victim for the second time was an Al-Anabi Racing driver. In Houston he disappointed Khalid alBalooshi, but this time his victim was first-session leader Shawn Langdon.

"The track's very smooth," Kalitta said, noting that not only his Top Fuel rivals but also the Funny Car drivers had luck in running well in the night session.

Kalitta said he hasn't had much of a chance to explore the area, bit "everybody I've talked to is happy we're here" in the far Northeast corner of the country for the first time.

As for his own entrance, the longtime pilot said, "We're used to showing up at the last minute and going. Connie [team owner Kalitta], that's been his style for years. It's a major time savings for trying to run a business. It's a convenience Connie has spoiled us with."

He called it "kind of like musical chairs," not knowing exactly who he'll be flying and whether the plane has enough seats for everyone. "Fortunately, I've got the front seat. No one's trying to slide into my seat."

And he sure does know how and where to land when he arrives.

ARMY STRONG MESSAGE TO NEW MARKET - In his song "American Soldier," Toby Keith reassures, "I'm out here on the front lines. Sleep in peace tonight."

Tony Schumacher, who drives the U.S. Army Dragster, said Friday's kickoff of the  NHRA New England Nationals at Epping, N.H., "means the locals can feel safe, the U.S. Army’s in town.

"What it means is that we're bringing the U.S. Army team, which represents the strength of our nation, and whose soldiers are the strength of our Army, to a whole new audience, live and in-person," he said. "We will proudly put on display this Army-NHRA partnership, which provides Americans a platform to experience the power, speed, teamwork, and technology that drives that strength. It's always special to participate in an inaugural event."

Schumacher will start Saturday's final day of qualifying at New England Dragway in the No. 4 position. He said that while he loves the opportunity to race in the upper Northeast, he hasn't adjusted his approach.

"Anyone who knows me knows that I don't change my ways for any reason," Schumacher said. "On one hand, it's a beautiful setting, and we’re happy to be racing in [this] part of the country for the first time. On the other hand, we have to treat it like every other race."

He said, "There is just one chance to win an inaugural race, so there is perhaps that extra motivation to be the first name on the list of winners at the racetrack."

Overall, he said, "I think it's going to be spectacular, to tell you the truth. This is just a magnificent place in every respect. There is history. The U.S. Army has history there. The track has been there for almost a half-century and has been the focal point for drag racing in New England. This will be its first [NHRA] national event, and I know they've worked hard to be sure it's ready.

"I'm sure most of the fans who come out this weekend have never seen the power and the excitement of Top Fuel racing. We love showing what we do out there from week to week to a whole new audience," Schumacher said.

The fans, he said, will see part of what is shaping up to be "an absolutely crazy, wicked battle all the way.

"We have two teams who are very familiar with each other, who at one time had very similar equipment and approaches to racing, now racing each other as closely as we have been with dramatically different stuff and approaches. We're trading punches each and every week, and it’s become a classic battle of two great teams, two great driver lineups, and that's the kind of stuff people tune in to watch on TV and pay money to come see in-person. If I'm a fan, that’s just the way I want it to be," he said.

"By no means are we holding court while the others are standing by," Schumacher said. "There are a dozen cars out there who could win at any time, so it's about as competitive from top to bottom as it's ever been. Look at that great performance Steve Torrence and his team put in last week at Bristol. Bob Vandergriff and our teammate Spencer Massey have won races this year. But, in the big picture of things, it has indeed come down to the Schumacher and Al-Anabi teams, and it'll be a matter of which team is more capable of excelling during those monster moments that make or break a championship run and fighting off all the other teams that emerge as championship contenders. This is what it's all about."

And this weekend, in this countryside that saw skirmishes during the Revolutionary War, drag-racing fans are braced to see one battle in an epic war, as well.

TWIN RUNS, ALMOST - Dave Grubnic and Tony Schumacher ran identical 3.817-second elapsed times in the second session, but Grubnic placed No. 3 in the lineup and Schumacher No. 4 based on speed. Grubnic's Optima Batteries Dragster ran 321.96 mph, and in the follow pairing Schumacher's U.S. Army Dragster was close behind at 321.73.

FASHIONABLY LATE - JR Todd, still subbing for ProtectTheHarvest.com/MAVTV Dragster regular Brandon Bernstein as he recovers from back surgery, didn't make a run in the opening session Friday. But when he got to make one on the 1,000-foot course where he had been many times for IHRA races, Todd was strong enough for the provisional No. 5 position with a 3.831, 316.90 performance. "It's the first place I went 300 Miles an hour in a Top Fuel car," Todd said, recalling his 2000 feat. "To be the first person to win an NHRA Top Fuel race there would be a cool accomplishment." He said he hadn't remembered many specifics of the track because it has been more than a decade since he raced there, but one major thing he remembered was that it's a fast track.

AT THE BOTTOM - With only 15 entries, no one has to worry about not making the field. Three former IHRA racers -- Ike Maier, Spencer Massey, and Tim Boychuck brought up the rear in the opening qualifying session. Massey broke out and took the No. 7 position, at least until Saturday's two qualifying sessions play out. Joining Canadians Maier (Tottenham, Ontario) and Boy chuck (Edmonton, Alberta) at the bottom of the list so far are Morgan Lucas and Brittany Force.
MESSAGE NOT RECEIVED - Morgan Lucas said, "Every track out there seems to go through some changes every year. They either get new surfaces or there are new conditions. So at every track there is some kind of educated guessing that goes on at the start of the weekend." His guess was a little off Friday, but with some new data he plans to turn his results around Saturday after settling for the No. 13 spot overnight. "In Epping we've got to do what the track tells us," he said. "If we get the message, we'll be able to go some rounds for sure."

FIGURING IT OUT - Castrol EDGE Dragster driver Brittany Force is using this opportunity to fare as well as the more experienced racers in her class, who also are trying to figure out what the track can hold and how it behaves and what to do to win Sunday.

"Our two qualifying runs we had earlier today didn't quite go exactly as we planned, but there are only 16 cars here this weekend. We have two more runs tomorrow, and I'm hoping we'll step this thing up and get our Castrol EDGE Dragster in the top half of the field," the Top Fuel rookie said. "I just need to keep doing my same routine. I'm going to practice on my tree more and make sure my reaction times are good, make sure I’m shallow when I'm staging, and just get the car down the track."

Said Force, "This is my first time here, so it's all new. I think it's a pretty narrow groove up there. Like my guys say, if it ever gets cold here, you could set national records. They did a really good job on the surface, and I think so far everything about this race is going smooth for a new event. Kudos to all the management."

 
FUNNY CAR

STILL THE MAN – The John Force momentum train continues to roll

Just five days after scoring career win No. 135, Force topped provisional Funny Car qualifying with a

4.051 second run to edge Matt Hagan’s 4.057 elapsed time during first day qualifying at the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, NH.

“I was here over 25 years ago and to come out here and run that kind of number is great. I couldn’t even get down the track the last time I was here in 1985. I see why the NHRA wanted to come here. The crowds come out of Canada, New York, all over New England. This is a big crowd for Friday night. They are going to need to get some more grandstands for tomorrow. This is pretty exciting.  If they don’t have seats they can stand up and watch from the fence. That is how we did it in the good old days,” said Force.

Over the course of his career, Force has navigated more than a fair share of drag strips. If his run holds, it will mark the 24th different track he's scored a pole position. He entered this weekend's event with no modern data. The last time he drove at New England Dragway was in 1985 when he drove a Coca-Cola-sponsored Corvette Funny Car tuned by Austin Coil.

“We are learning here, but what I think they did with the concrete out there to be able to come out here and run 4.05 this thing will run national records if we lean on it. So many fans are here from the old days. It is just exciting for me to be a part of it. There are kids that I met when they were little now they are here with their own kids. That is new energy and NHRA needed this.

TV needs it.”

Gary NastaseFORCE UNDERSTANDS THE ‘LOOK’ - John Force has been around drag racing long enough to recognize "the look". Last weekend, during the semi-finals of the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, he saw it again with Blake Alexander. the 25-year old driver of the Auto Service Plus Funny Car lost to the seasoned veteran.

Force had a race to the finish in beating the youthful driver en route to his 135th career national event title.

"The look", as Force describes it, is being young and hungry. The 15-time champion was just 29 years old when he decided to pursue the NHRA championship in 1979.

Force, now 64, believes Alexander has the desire to become a champion.

“You look over in that other lane and you see that young kid over there,” said Force, who drives the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. “He is doing what he loves to do. I am still loving it and I hope he loves it as much as I do now.”

What inspires Force more than seeing the kid's enthusiasm is knowing there's a crop of youthful drivers waiting in the wings to lead the sport after he's hung up the firesuit.

“Alexander is me thirty years ago, maybe forty years ago, except he is way cuter,” said Force. “This is a great sport and I really love it. The kid out there he got out of the car and I know how bad he wants to win. I was a bridesmaid a hundred times it seemed. He has forty years ahead of him. He will be there, trust me. That is what our sport is all about. That kid has a big future. He is young and is loving it.”

Alexander, who earned his first final round appearance and runner-up finish earlier this season during the Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, N.C., is in his sophomore season driving the Paul Smith-tuned Funny Car. He has crossed paths with Force both in and out of the car.

“He is very respectful and at the top end he said, ‘good job,’ and that is the guy that will beat you,” Force said. “He isn’t crying about something that went wrong or that he got cheated or his lane was bad. All he said was good job because he was already thinking about how he was going to win the next one. That is what makes champions. It was Austin Coil that helped build that character in me. That is what I am trying to teach my kids. The losing is the part that cuts you inside. It makes you want it.”

While Alexander looks to make his mark in the class, Force still has a few more marks he hopes to write into his career script before the curtain closes on his driving career.

“I am going after (NASCAR driver Richard) Petty’s 200 (wins) if I don’t fall over before then,” Force said.

AREND REBOUNDS – Grime Boss driver Jeff Arend rebounded after a dismal start with a clean run in the second session. Arend made a clean shot to the eighth spot with a 4.115, 307.30.

SOLID CHALLENGE – It was like old times for past NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan. Hagan, just like in the 2009 title chase, lead John Force early. He improved in the final session with a 4.057 but wasn’t enough to fend off the resourceful Force.

HOMEBOY DOES WELL – Bob Tasca III flew the local favorite banner proudly, landing the seventh quickest elapsed time, a 4.096, 312.13.

CHAMPION’S STRUGGLES – Defending series champion Jack Beckman didn’t get off on the right foot at the inaugural New England Nationals. Beckman ran only a best 4.545

HOLDING STRONG – One week after setting a new Bristol Dragway track record, Del Worsham wasn’t the quickest but quick enough to land a spot in the provisional top twelve. He drove the DHL Toyota to a 4.151 best.

SMOKIN’ - Tim Wilkerson certainly had no problem adapting to a track the NHRA Mello Yello tour has never before visited, running a sold 4.143 in Q1, right out of the box on this first Friday at New England Dragway. That number held for the No. 1 spot until the final pair of Funny Cars ran, when both Matt Hagan and Cruz Pedregon stepped up to knock Wilk back to third.

Wilkerson smoked the tires in the evening session and slipped to the No. 10 spot.

ON THE OUTSIDE – There are seventeen Funny Cars on the property, which means five of those cars lose their team. Falling short of the Friday provisional twelve are Blake Alexander, Alexis DeJoria, Jack Beckman, Dave Richards and Mike Smith.

BABY GIRL DOES WELL – John Force’s youngest daughter held her own during first day qualifying. Courtney was third quickest with 4.083 second run at 313.37 miles per hour.

 PRO STOCK

QUICK DELIVER – The only driver to spoil Mike Edwards' perfect qualifying season has a second opportunity to play spoiler.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. grabbed the provisional Pro Stock pole at the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals with a run of 6.533 seconds at 212.43 miles per hour during the second session.

"Coming in here, we were a little bit green," Coughlin said. "We wanted to be a little bit cautious on the first run, which was good because we were a little bit too aggressive that first run, knowing the track was going to come around with one full round of cars on it and knowing that the sun was going to peek around the hill just a little bit more."

Coughlin knew early in the run, his pass was going to be a good one.

"We made a really, really nice run," Coughlin said. "I let the clutch out, and the car started rolling out about midway through first gear and hiked the front end up real nice. I hit second gear, and it was a real smooth transition.

"If there was a camera inside my helmet, you would have seen a grin from ear to ear because it felt fantastic."

Coughlin was surprised to see his run hold for No. 1 after Mike Edwards, and Shane Gray failed in their attempts to overtake his No. 1 effort.

"It stuck," Coughlin said. "We're extremely happy with that. We've got six runs down this race track with ourselves, Allen and Vincent (Nobile). To have Allen and I 1-2 is fantastic, and I'm sure Vincent will sneak closer to the top tomorrow."

SWIFT KICK IN THE WALLET – Flying can sometimes by a pain. Roger Brogdon and Steve Kent’s experience in making the trek to New England Dragway was a pain in the wallet.

Hot off of his big Pro Stock win at the NHRA Ford Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn., team co-owner Steve Kent planned to treat his driver to a little more time at home and decided they would fly his private jet to the Epping, New Hampshire this weekend.

Kent, from Lottie, La., began the journey by flying into the small regional airport near Brogdon’s Tomball, Texas residence.

“Everything seemed fine, we had eight people who got on,” said Kent.

Ten minutes into the flight the plane’s auto-pilot stopped working.

“We ended up having to land in Baton Rouge,” explained Brogdon. “The technician came out and looked at it, and decided it couldn’t be fixed and needed to order a part.”

Brogdon said they ended up chartering a jet to complete the rest of the journey.

“We looked at every commercial option and the soonest we could arrive was 2 PM on Friday,” said Brogdon. “Twenty-thousand dollars later, we arrived at Midnight.”

 MISSING IN ACTION – Number four in points isn’t enough status to earn a driver a guaranteed trip to the next race. Erica Enders-Stevens, who has won one race already this season is parked indefinitely while her team seeks enough sponsorship to race.

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN – A pair of familiar faces were busy at New England Dragway on Friday. Tom Martino, who partners with the Benza Brothers on a Pro Stock engine shop, is racing this weekend in a 2012 Pontiac GXP. Jerry Eckman, past national event winner and newly licensed Pro Stock driver, isn’t competing this weekend but instead tuning Kenny Delco.

MAGIC MIKE IN SECOND – Mike Edwards has qualified No. 1 in nine of the first ten races thus far this season. He’ll head into Saturday’s final qualifying sessions as the No. 3 qualifier with a 6.49 best.
THE CHAMP SETTLES IN – Allen Johnson leapfrogged point leader and 2013 qualifying dominator Mike Edwards to land in the provisional No. 2 spot. Johnson pushed his Mopar to a 6.547, 212.26.
WORKING LIKE A CHARM – Shane Gray’s performance continues to springboard the second-generation driver upward. Gray ran a 6.556 elapsed time on Friday to jump into the No. X spot.

NOT A GOOD DAY - V. Gaines has experienced some great performances this season. Friday’s qualifying was one of them. The winner of last year’s Reading event struggled in two attempts and failed to make a full run to the finish line.

PRO STOCK BIKE

A FAMILY TRADITION - Matt Smith was at Tennessee's Bristol Dragway last weekend, helping dad Rickie Smith win another NHRA Pro Modified race.

This time, several hundred miles north up the East Coast, it was his turn in the spotlight.

He rode his Viper Motorcycle/Matt Smith Racing Buell to a 6.844-second elapsed time on the quarter-mile at  196.02 mph in Friday's first qualifying session at the New England Nationals at Epping, N.H.

That was quickest and fastest of the day, putting him in an excellent position as provisional No. 1 qualifier to try to -- in his words --  "keep the Smith name winning."

Even at that, the King, N.C., native said he was being a bit conservative with his tune-up in the NHRA's first trip ever to New England Dragway.

"We were a little conservative on the first pass," Smith said. "The bike ran good from second gear on. We missed 60 foot a little bit. We came back the next run and we were even better in 60 foot -- but we got one of those gremlins back and it didn’t want to shift. It wouldn't come out of second gear. But we could have gone an 83 [a 6.83-second E.T.], maybe a high 82, on that last run."

He said he has confidence in this bike and especially in this engine.

"We've got a good piece. This is the motor I put back in that we qualified No. 1 with in Gainesville. We all know it's fast. I was No. 1 there, went 197. It came out of the box [this weekend], ran [6.]84 at 196. So we should be pretty good this weekend," he said.

"I don't know if it just didn’t shift or if we broke something in the tranny," Smith said. He said his guess, without having had time to examine the transmission, was that "we broke something. We'll stick another tranny in and go out there and be ready."

He said a thorough look at how the transmissions are behaving would be a smart idea.

"We're breaking shafts. It's something we're going to have to look at and try to beef them up. We make a lot of torque," Smith said. "The tracks are better prepped. We're not slipping the tire. We're really hooked going through low gear."

He said he thinks his bike is strong, no matter, even if  the 80-degree temperatures change dramatically or are markedly different Saturday.

"I'm ready to come up here and win," he said.


BIKE RACER HURWITZ HAS EXPERIENCE ON HIS SIDE - Who in the Sam hill is Sam Hurwitz?

No one from the New England drag-racing community would have to ask that. Neither would any motorcycle drag-racing fans who go way back.

Hurwitz, of Newton, Mass., races for Inline Motorsports and is a 27-year veteran of motorcycle drag racing who was most active in the NHRA from 2001-2005.

He's riding a Suzuki he's renting from Shawn Gann. But on his own bike that he races weekly in New England Dragway's Top Bike program, Hurwitz has clocked consistent seven-second E.T.s and run faster than 190 mph.

So he could surprise some in the class but probably not the local fans.

Longtime bike fans will know his crew chief, Rick Stetson, of Northborough, Mass., who has raced, built engines, tuned, and won championships in various sanctioning bodies and set land speed records since the 1980s. Dragbike.com contributor Guy Caputo went so far as to write, "If you've never heard the name Rick Stetson then you were captured by aliens and during the mind probe you never remember having been to a Prostar, NMRA or NHRA drag race event."

Caputo called Stetson "the mastermind and crew chief behind the world's quickest Funny bike (at 6.451 E.T., 219 mph) Rick is also [owner of ] the machine shop used by the worlds Fastest Aspirated Motorcycle builder, Mr. Dave Owens."

Also in Hurwitz's pit this weekend as crew members are New England Dragway Top Bike champion Ed Hughes and John Civitarese.

Tom McCarthy, of Cycledrag.com, wrote, "This will be a most interesting race weekend for Sam's crew chief, Rick Stetson. He's butted heads with Vance & Hines Racing and Star Racing on many occasions. Mr. Stetson loves playing the role of the spoiler. He'd like nothing better than to upset the apple cart in NHRA Pro Stock Bike.

"Also for their many years of efforts, both Sam and Rick would love once, just one more time, to stand in that NHRA winners circle with the Wally held high in Sam's hand," McCarthy said. "If it were to happen, it would be the win of a lifetime for these dedicated local veteran racers who are out to prove dreams really can come true."

Hurwitz was 15th in the order in his weekend debut, despite a bit of a glitch that left him with a 7.627-second, 180.55-mph showing. In his second pass, he improved both E.T. and speed but dropped to 18th place, as Jerry Savoie, LE Tonglet, and Scotty Pollacheck shook off unimpressive first runs and moved ahead of him.

Hurwitz and the rest of the class will have two chances to improve Saturday before the fields are set.

NEW ENGLAND NATIVE STRUGGLING A BIT - Hamden, Conn., racer John Hall, making his 21st NHRA start, is the newest member of Matt Smith Racing's trio of Viper motorcycle threats. So far he's looking like a smart catch, with a semifinal appearance at Baytown, Texas, and a distinction of qualifying in the top half of the field at all four previous Pro Stock Motorcycle events this season.

But he has gotten off to a shakier start than usual this weekend. He started 14th Friday and is 17th overnight, so he's a little frustrated, for he said, "You always look for a little bit more as racers. You look for all you can get." Besides, he said, "I'm my toughest opponent no matter what."

He'll have the boss/crew chief helping him through two more qualifying chances Saturday as the field will take shape. And that should be comforting to him. "He explains things, is very knowledgeable and has an easy demeanor about him," Hall said of Smith. "I'm trying to stay consistent and calm. Matt . . . is a really calm person, and nothing rattles him. I learn from watching him." Overall, Hall said, "We have been qualifying well. Matt has seemed to get rid of the transmission problems that has plagued him all year, and Angie [Smith] is doing great. We have three motorcycles that can take home a win."

Hall's home is about three and a half hours by car from Epping, N.H. But with years of East Coast racing experience, he knows the far Northeast market, and he said, "I think we are going to have a whole new base of fans. There are a lot of motorcycle riders in [the] area and a lot of speed fans. You have Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island. [Funny Car's] Bob Tasca is from Rhode Island. He is going to bring a bunch of fans and has a big fan base."

BACK IN THE GROOVE - LE Tonglet was ready to rock after staying at his Metairie, La., shop for three weeks, moping that "we've only had four races in the first four months of our schedule." But when the bikes were back in action at this 11th of 24 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, Tonglet let off the gas early in his first test of the newest track on the tour --because of a mechanical glitch -- and wound up 17th at 13.155 seconds and 54.54 mph. So once again the Nitro Fish/Tonglet Racing Suzuki rider was eager to get rolling. And he did in his second attempt. With a 6.918-second E.T. at 194.18 mph, Tonglet leaped to sixth place overnight.

"We had a problem shifting in the first round, but we came back with a pretty good run the second time," he said. "The track was good, and we should run better Saturday. I think we can be very competitive."

Tonglet called New England Dragway "a beautiful track that is surrounded by water and trees" and said he's happy it's "a new track for everyone, so no team will have an advantage." Tonglet said this is a pivotal weekend for his team: "We definitely need to start winning rounds this weekend. We want to get back in the top 10. This is the beginning of five races in six weeks for us. The pace is going to pick up."

FRIDAY EVERYONE WAS AN EPPING ROOKIE - Rookie Adam Arana took advantage of the fact that this is the one race at which the playing field is even. The Lucas Oil Buell rider is used to being the one Pro Stock Motorcycle contender not familiar with the racetrack. But Friday, the entire class was in the same predicament. And Adam Arana showed he can race with the best in the class. He took the No. 4 spot in the 16-bike field Friday -- behind provisional leader Matt Smith, his own dad Hector Arana, and Michael Ray, winner of the most recent event -- with a 6.881-second, 194.55-mph performance.

He said, "I don't know if it gives me an advantage or anything, but it['s] nice for everybody to be in the same boat. At each race I feel like I'm getting better and better, and I'm becoming more consistent in my riding. I'm definitely doing a better job of hitting my shift points and getting down the track. I'm starting to get a rhythm, and everything is going slower for me, which is good. I've been qualifying better, and I got my first round-win in Englishtown. Now I need to focus on my lights and let everything else fall into place." Adam Arana sits one place ahead of older brother Hector Arana Jr. overnight. So Arana's occupy three of the top five spots so far.

BROKEN TRANNY - Scotty Pollacheck had to start all over in the second session after the transmission in his Buell broke on his first pass of the weekend for Sovereign-Star Racing. Early leader Matt Smith, plagued by the same thing, said, "It's just the nature of the beast."