Competition Plus’ Water-Cooler Topics From The NHRA New England Nationals at Epping, N.H.

Mason Wright couldn’t have had a better scenario to pick up his first NHRA Pro Modified national event victory during the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, NH.

Unqualified heading into the final session, he jumped to the fourth spot. That was a harbinger of things to come as Wright, starting from No. 4, worked his way to the final round, where he made the most of his first final round appearance, beating Jordan Lazic on a holeshot. The win comes in just his twelfth Pro Mod start. 

The challenge is always monumental when you face six-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Erica Enders on race day. It’s even more monumental when she enters race day as the No. 1. He was in the final round of the seventh stop on the NHRA Mission Foord Drag Racing Series at the New England Nationals in Epping, NH.

That’s why third-generation drag racing phenom Troy Coughlin Jr. knew he needed a foolproof plan if only to keep from looking like a fool opposite the winningest female in motorsports. 

Coughlin knew he needed to leave the starting line with a reaction time no slower than .02 seconds and a car capable of holding off one of the more vicious competitors and an even more vicious race car. 

The legend lives on.

For a little longer, at least.    

John Force, 75, continues to defy Father Time, and that was evident Sunday when he claimed the Funny Car title at the New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.

The mission is complete.

Doug Kalitta's decorated Top Fuel career includes a world championship from 2023 – and now he’s won at every track on NHRA’s national-event circuit.

That became a reality Sunday when Kalitta, piloting the Mac Tools dragster for Kalitta Motorsports, captured the victory at the New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.

Kalitta clocked a 3.802-second elapsed time at 332.92 mph at New England Dragway to defeat Tony Schumacher, who slowed to 4.307, 231.60.

John Force says he's tired and that his time is up.

But, after seeing the 17-time Funny Car champion (16 in NHRA, 1 - AHRA) pick up career NHRA win No. 157, Force's actions speak louder than words. He outran teammate Austin Prock in the final round. He has two wins on the season and completed a double-up weekend after winning Saturday's Mission 2Fast2Tasty Challenge. 

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Mason Wright (Pro Modified) rounded out Sunday's NHRA New England Nationals champions at New England Dragway in Epping, NH. 

In an all-John Force Racing Funny Car final round, Force was first off the line by .018 and never looked back en route to a 4.081, 319.29 miles per hour to beat Prock's 4.096, 316.38. 

Points standings (top 10) following the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. The race is the seventh of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Final round-by-round results from the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. The race is the seventh of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Chip King was uninjured following a hard crash during the third Pro Modified qualifying session Saturday at the New England Nationals.

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.