Brittany Force Leads Winners At NHRA’s New England Nationals
Story By: SCOTT SMITH / NHRA – EPPING, NH – Brittany Force raced to the Top Fuel victory Sunday afternoon at the fifth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also notched victories in their respective categories at the ninth of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
Force earned the fourth victory of her career and first of the season with a pass of 3.716 seconds at 328.62 mph in her Monster Energy dragster to defeat Antron Brown who ran a 3.728 at 327.98 in his Matco Tools dragster in the final round.
“We figured things out in Topeka and I felt like we had our team back so we knew our first win would be right around the corner,” Force said. “The key to it all is our team sticking together and not giving up, and it definitely paid dividends today.”
Force qualified second for the event and defeated Steve Chrisman, Troy Coughlin Jr., Shawn Langdon and Brown on her way to the victory. Force now sits at sixth in the points standings and is the fifth Top Fuel winner of the season. Brown defeated Shawn Reed, Scott Palmer and points leader Leah Pritchett before reaching his fourth final round of the season.
Hagan powered to the 25th victory of his career and third of the season with a 3.897 pass at 332.59 in his Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger Funny Car to defeat Courtney Force who ran a 3.927 at 332.34 in her Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro.
“I knew we had a great racecar today and the conditions were great so we knew we were better than our qualifying times,” Hagan said. “Everything went the way it should have today, and things seemed to fall in place for us.”
After qualifying fourth, he defeated 16-time world champion John Force, Del Worsham and teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. before facing off with Courtney Force in the final. Hagan won the first two events of the season in Pomona and Phoenix and currently sits second in the points standings behind teammate Ron Capps who ended a four-race win streak when he fell to C. Force in the semifinal round.
Two-time Pro Stock world champion Enders secured her 22nd career victory and first since the fall Las Vegas event in 2015 with a 6.534 at 213.16 in her Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro to defeat rookie Tanner Gray who ran a 6.550 at 212.06 in his Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaro.
“Today is a culmination of everything that happened over the past year and a half, since 2016 was tough for us,” said Enders of the importance of today’s victory. “It’s so awesome to have a team that has my back and it is absolutely the reason why I am able to drive the way I drive.”
Enders now sits at sixth in the standings and is the seventh different Pro Stock winner of the season. After qualifying second, Enders defeated reigning world champion Jason Line and points leader Bo Butner before knocking off Gray. Gray lined up against Val Smeland and Drew Skillman before reaching his third final round of the season.
The 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues at the NHRA Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park June 8-11.
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EPPING, N.H. — Final finish order (1-16) at the fifth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. The race is the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Brittany Force; 2. Antron Brown; 3. Leah Pritchett; 4. Shawn Langdon; 5. Scott Palmer; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 7. Steve Torrence; 8. Smax Smith; 9. Doug Kalitta; 10. Dom Lagana; 11. Clay Millican; 12. Tony Schumacher; 13. Steven Chrisman; 14. Shawn Reed; 15. Terry McMillen.
FUNNY CAR:
1. Matt Hagan; 2. Courtney Force; 3. Ron Capps; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr.; 5. Cruz Pedregon; 6. Del Worsham; 7. Bob Tasca III; 8. Mike Smith; 9. J.R. Todd; 10. Robert Hight; 11. Jim Campbell; 12. Jack Beckman; 13. Alexis DeJoria; 14. John Force; 15. Tim Wilkerson; 16. Jeff Diehl.
PRO STOCK:
1. Erica Enders; 2. Tanner Gray; 3. Bo Butner; 4. Drew Skillman; 5. Jason Line; 6. Kenny Delco; 7. Vincent Nobile; 8. Jeg Coughlin; 9. Allen Johnson; 10. John Gaydosh Jr; 11. Greg Anderson; 12. Alan Prusiensky; 13. Val Smeland; 14. Shane Tucker.
EPPING, N.H. — Sunday’s final results from the fifth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. The race is the ninth of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel — Brittany Force, 3.716 seconds, 328.62 mph def. Antron Brown, 3.728 seconds, 327.98 mph.
Funny Car — Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.897, 332.59 def. Courtney Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.927, 332.34.
Pro Stock — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.534, 213.16 def. Tanner Gray, Camaro, 6.550, 212.06.
Top Fuel Harley — Tii Tharpe, Dixie, 6.248, 227.96 def. Rickey House, Harley, 6.464, 212.90.
Super Stock — Byron Worner, Chevy Camaro, 9.736, 136.68 def. Bryan Worner, Camaro, 10.184, 129.34.
Stock Eliminator — David Ficacci, Chevy Camaro, 10.197, 113.72 def. Thomas Auger, Dodge, Foul – Red Light.
Super Comp — Rich Dorr, Dragster, 8.892, 171.23 def. Raymond Fredricks, Dragster, 8.871, 174.62.
Super Gas — John Labbous Jr, Chevy Corvette, 9.922, 163.93 def. Chuck Rothermel, Pontiac Grand Am, 9.914, 163.10.
Super Street — Brian Sawyer, Chevy Camaro, 10.982, 140.28 def. Karri Khoury, Chevy Truck, 10.921, 142.03.
Top Dragster presented by RacingRVs.com — Deborah DiGenova, Dragster, 6.826, 194.60 def. Scott Hall, Dragster, 6.191, 219.65.
Top Sportsman presented by RacingRVs.com — John Benoit, Chevy Corvette, 6.444, 213.03 def. Matt Harper, Pontiac Grand Prix, 7.441, 178.73.
Pro Stock Snowmobile — Frank Berard Jr, Ski-Doo, 8.354, 152.85 def. Tiina Duncanson, Mach Z, 8.363, 155.90.
X275 — Dean Marinis, Ford Mustang, 4.462, 164.03 def. Robert Baptista, Chevy Camaro, 5.369, 125.67.
EPPING, N.H. — Final round-by-round results from the fifth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Steve Torrence, 3.716, 331.20 def. Doug Kalitta, 3.724, 331.69; Scott Palmer, 3.915, 302.75 def. Terry McMillen, 7.199, 71.24; Antron Brown, 4.579, 170.47 def. Shawn Reed, 5.469, 100.00; Leah Pritchett, 5.232, 127.94 was unopposed; Brittany Force, 3.754, 328.62 def. Steven Chrisman, 4.782, 180.07; Smax Smith, 4.200, 285.17 def. Tony Schumacher, 4.740, 270.86; Shawn Langdon, 3.753, 324.28 def. Dom Lagana, 3.816, 321.04; Troy Coughlin Jr., 3.784, 328.54 def. Clay Millican, 3.831, 312.78;
QUARTERFINALS — Brown, 3.733, 330.07 def. Palmer, 3.801, 322.73; Force, 3.745, 330.88 def. Coughlin Jr., 3.822, 320.66; Langdon, 3.790, 323.35 def. Smith, Broke – No Show; Pritchett, 4.332, 187.50 def. Torrence, 7.071, 95.09;
SEMIFINALS — Force, 3.731, 331.69 def. Langdon, 17.479, 67.72; Brown, 3.707, 331.28 def. Pritchett, 3.735, 326.40;
FINAL — Force, 3.716, 328.62 def. Brown, 3.728, 327.98.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE — Ron Capps, Dodge Charger, 5.726, 151.14 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Solara, 13.414, 63.19; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.954, 330.80 def. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 5.117, 152.90; Mike Smith, Dodge Stratus, 4.324, 257.92 def. Robert Hight, Camaro, 4.369, 298.27; Courtney Force, Camaro, 3.914, 331.94 def. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.686, 181.30; Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.060, 321.04 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.761, 169.04; Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 3.959, 328.22 def. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 8.585, 109.63; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.572, 253.14 def. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.854, 253.80; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.016, 315.86 def. J.R. Todd, Camry, 4.032, 269.73;
QUARTERFINALS — Hagan, 3.946, 333.00 def. Worsham, 4.078, 318.32; C. Force, 3.952, 322.19 def. Pedregon, 3.993, 319.82; Johnson Jr., 4.003, 320.81 def. Smith, 4.780, 184.09; Capps, 3.959, 326.63 def. Tasca III, 4.416, 204.54;
SEMIFINALS — C. Force, 3.895, 331.77 def. Capps, 3.939, 327.11; Hagan, 3.965, 332.02 def. Johnson Jr., 4.093, 301.74;
FINAL — Hagan, 3.897, 332.59 def. C. Force, 3.927, 332.34.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE — Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.544, 211.46 def. Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 6.842, 167.82; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.586, 210.77 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.558, 212.26; Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.717, 210.24 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 9.866, 98.80; Drew Skillman, Camaro, 6.544, 212.56 def. John Gaydosh Jr, Chevrolet Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Tanner Gray, Camaro, 14.715, 77.37 def. Val Smeland, Camaro, Broke; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.549, 212.13 def. Alan Prusiensky, Dart, Foul – Red Light; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.551, 212.90 def. Shane Tucker, Camaro, Broke – No Show;
QUARTERFINALS — Gray, 15.749, 53.46 was unopposed; Butner, 6.532, 211.86 def. Nobile, Broke; Enders, 6.574, 212.09 def. Line, 6.562, 211.53; Skillman, 6.560, 212.49 def. Delco, 7.217, 167.45;
SEMIFINALS — Gray, 6.549, 212.16 def. Skillman, 6.560, 211.96; Enders, 6.553, 212.73 def. Butner, 6.533, 212.33;
FINAL — Enders, 6.534, 213.16 def. Gray, 6.550, 212.06.
EPPING, N.H. — Point standings (top 10) following the fifth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series –
Top Fuel
1. Leah Pritchett, 809; 2. Antron Brown, 775; 3. Steve Torrence, 746; 4. Tony Schumacher, 712; 5. Doug Kalitta, 571; 6. Brittany Force, 528; 7. Clay Millican, 466; 8. Troy Coughlin Jr., 379; 9. Terry McMillen, 359; 10. Scott Palmer, 328.
Funny Car
1. Ron Capps, 827; 2. Matt Hagan, 748; 3. Courtney Force, 564; 4. Robert Hight, 561; 5. John Force, 555; 6. Jack Beckman, 537; 7. Tommy Johnson Jr., 533; 8. J.R. Todd, 413; 9. Tim Wilkerson, 393; 10. Del Worsham, 341.
Pro Stock
1. Bo Butner, 750; 2. Tanner Gray, 715; 3. Greg Anderson, 682; 4. Jason Line, 630; 5. Jeg Coughlin, 627; 6. Erica Enders, 547; 7. Drew Skillman, 470; 8. Vincent Nobile, 466; 9. Chris McGaha, 421; 10. Shane Gray, 382.
