EPPING, N.H. – Matt Hagan’s impressive string of success at New England Dragway continued on Friday, as the defending NHRA Funny Car world champion rolled to the provisional No. 1 spot at the TascaParts.com NHRA New England Nationals presented by Bandero Premium Tequila.
Billy Torrence (Top Fuel) and Mason McGaha (Pro Stock) are also provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the sixth race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Hagan has won the past three events at the track in Funny Car and put himself in a good position to win a fourth straight race at New England Dragway, powering to the top with a run of 3.891 seconds at 331.53 mph in his 11,000-horsepower DSR Performance Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye. If it holds, it would give Hagan, who is looking for his first win of the campaign, his first No. 1 qualifier of the year and 41st in his career.
“When you put Don Schumacher Racing Performance parts and (crew chief) Dickie Venables together, that’s what you get out here,” Hagan said. “We’ve won this race three years in a row and we’re trying to make it four, but you know that’s hard to do. There’s something about being up here in New England, and Dickie has a great combo for the car and it drives great. Everything went really well, so we’re happy.”
Gainesville winner J.R. Todd was the only other driver to make a three-second run in Funny Car, taking the second spot with a pass of 3.976 seconds at 324.05 mph. Blake Alexander is currently in the third position after going 4.040 seconds at 317.94 mph.
Torrence raced to the No. 1 position in Top Fuel, going 3.744 seconds at 324.98 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster. It was an impressive showing from Torrence, who can claim his second No. 1 spot of the year and fifth in his career if it holds up. Torrence is also searching for his first victory at New England Dragway, while his son, Steve, has back-to-back wins at the track.
Justin Ashley, NHRA’s Rookie of the Year in 2020, was the only other driver in the class to make a three-second run, posting a strong 3.774-second pass at 322.58 mph. Doug Kalitta sits in the third position thanks to his pass of 4.002 seconds at 252.80 mph.
In Pro Stock, young standout Mason McGaha drove to the top spot on Friday in his Harlow Sammons Chevrolet Camaro thanks to a solid run of 6.538 seconds at 210.28 mph. It was a noteworthy run for the 19-year-old second-year driver, as he would earn his first No. 1 qualifier should it hold. It’s the latest strong performance for McGaha, who is fourth in points and has advanced to two final rounds this season.
Aaron Stanfield is currently second after going 6.545 seconds at 210.83 mph and defending world champ Erica Enders, who won in Epping in 2017, rounds out the top three after going 6.548 seconds at 210.24 mph. It is Pro Stock’s first appearance at the track since 2018.