Epping Advance for the NHRA New England Nationals

Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan

Top Fuel | Funny Car
NHRA New England Nationals
June 2-4 | Epping, New Hampshire

Event Overview

Friday, June 2 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
• Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 6 p.m. EDT

Saturday, June 3 (Nitro Qualifying & Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
• Top Fuel qualifying session (Q2): 2 p.m. EDT
• Mission #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Challenge – Round 1: 2:20 p.m. EDT
• Funny Car qualifying session (Q2): 2:30 p.m. EDT
• Top Fuel qualifying session (Q3): 5:30 p.m. EDT
• Mission #2Fast2Tasty Top Fuel Challenge – Finals: 5:55 p.m. EDT
• Funny Car qualifying session (Q3): 6 p.m. EDT

Sunday, June 4 (Nitro Eliminations, streamed live on NHRA.TV)
• Round 1: 11 a.m. EDT
• Round 2: 1:10 p.m. EDT
• Semi-Finals: 2:40 p.m. EDT
• Finals: 4 p.m. EDT

TV coverage on FS1
• Friday, June 2: Qualifying show (7:30 p.m. EDT)
• Saturday, June 3: Qualifying show (9 p.m. EDT)
• Sunday, June 5: Finals show, first round coverage only (12:30 p.m. EDT)
• Sunday, June 5: Finals show, comprehensive show with all rounds (7 p.m. EDT)

Notes of Interest

• The NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, located just southeast of the state capital in Concord, hosts the seventh event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 21-race calendar. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) brings its two fulltime entries – one in Top Fuel for 10-time Top Fuel winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for 46-time Funny Car winner and three-time champion Matt Hagan.

• Coming into Epping, Pruett is fifth in the Top Fuel standings, 34 points behind leader Steve Torrence. Hagan leads the Funny Car standings with a 13-point advantage over Ron Capps.

• Pruett enters Epping representing Rush Truck Centers on her red Top Fuel dragster. Hagan, meanwhile, sports the red, white, gray and black colors of Rinnai tankless water heaters on his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car.

• Rush Truck Centers is the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America with 140 locations in 23 states and 15 locations in Canada and takes pride in its integrated approach to customer needs – from vehicle sales to aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, plus financing, insurance, leasing and rental, as well as alternate fuel systems and other vehicle technologies. Rush Truck Centers proudly employs 3,000 talented service technicians and they are the heartbeat of its dealerships. The company is always looking to add the best and brightest technicians to its team. Service technicians interested in looking for the next step in their careers can find additional information and listings of open positions on the Rush Enterprises Technician Careers page.

• Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan, was established in 1974 and is headquartered in Peachtree City, Ga. Rinnai Corporation manufactures gas appliances including tankless water heaters, a wide range of kitchen appliances and heating and air conditioning units. As the technology leader in its industry, Rinnai is the largest gas appliance manufacturer in Japan and is the number-one selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in the United States and Canada. With a global perspective to create 21st-century products for the home and business, Rinnai Corporation commits itself to safety and Creating A Healthier Way of Living©.

• The NHRA New England Nationals will mark Pruett’s 193rd career Top Fuel start and her eighth at Epping. For Hagan, the NHRA New England Nationals will be his 318th career Funny Car start and his 10th at Epping.

• Pruett is looking for her first victory at the New England Nationals. She has two No. 1 qualifiers at Epping, which came in 2017 (3.673 ET at 328.86 mph) and 2018 (3.742 ET at 324.51 mph). Her 2017 run made Pruett the current track record holder for elapsed time at Epping, a mark she set on June 3.

• Hagan comes into New Hampshire as the Funny Car favorite and defending event winner, having four career New England National wins in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. In 2017, he defeated Courtney Force with a 3.897 ET at 332.59 mph (compared to Force’s 3.927 ET at 332.34 mph). In 2018, Hagan’s 4.156 ET at 292.01 mph defeated Tim Wilkerson (4.181 ET at 287.35 mph). In 2019, Hagan defeated Shawn Langdon with a 4.014 ET at 322.81 mph run (compared to Langdon’s 4.046 ET at 317.49 mph). In 2022, he defeated Robert Hight with a 3.922 ET at 327.98 mph (compared to Hight’s 6.232 ET at 110.15 mph). Hagan has three No. 1 qualifiers at the event, which came in 2018 (3.932 ET at 322.03 mph), 2021 (3.891 ET at 331.53 mph) and 2022 (3.878 ET at 332.51 mph).

• Hagan is the only pro driver in any category with as many as four wins at the New England Nationals. John Force, Ron Capps, Steve Torrence, Tony Schumacher, Greg Anderson and Erica Enders all have two wins apiece.

• Pruett will participate in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the NHRA New England Nationals. Despite not advancing to the Semifinals at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals, she qualified to participate due to TJ Zizzo and Jacob McNeal not participating in this weekend’s event. The challenge brings competitive racing to the qualifying schedule at 12 regular-season events during the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series campaign, pitting semifinalists from the previous race against each other in a pair of rematches, with the two winners then matching up in the final qualifying session. Pruett will face Josh Hart in Round 1. There is a bonus purse and bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship on the line.

• Pruett will participate in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty autograph session on Saturday at 11 a.m. EDT. The session will take place at the Mission Foods Display.

• Pruett and Hagan will participate in a Dodge autograph session on Friday from 4:45-5:15 p.m. EDT and again on Saturday from 12:30-1:00 p.m. EDT. Both sessions will take place in the pits at the Dodge display.

• DYK? Organized drag racing in the New England area began in 1950 at various public and military airports in the region. In the mid-1960s, a group of shareholders purchased land in Epping and New England Dragway opened for racing on Sept. 11, 1966. The drag strip began hosting the NHRA New England Nationals in 2013.

Leah Pruett, Driver of the Rush Truck Centers Top Fuel Dragster

What is your main strategy going into New Hampshire?
“The strategy is slightly different than the last race in Chicago. Crew chiefs had to find their best moderately-fast tune-up to make it into the 21-car show. This week, we have 13 Top Fuel dragsters entered, which eliminates the ugly fear of not making the show. In turn, it compensates the difficulty meter with bringing all your go-fast ammo out to be in the coveted one or two qualifying positions. We have recently been in positions during qualifying to set up our car for low ETs (elapsed time) of the round and have done it more and more this year, but have yet to capture the number one spot. That is crucial for first round, but unlike other races, every single round is an absolute UFC match, so we just want to position ourselves with the best move and hit the hardest.”

The New England Nationals mark the third event this season you’re eligible to participate in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. How valuable is the race within a race throughout the weekend?
“In all honesty, we rightfully qualified for the first two and I am thankful we get to compete in this third one, even if by default. But even if by default, that means we were the closest-qualified contender to be it. At this moment, I’m not focused on who we’re running. However, the balance is very real between using these qualifying rounds to sharpen our sword of a race car machine, which means tuning on the edge, while competing for coveted championship points and some cash for my guys. The goal is to have it all, a top-qualifier car to win the challenge and also win the race. That is what I believe we are capable of and intend to do.”

Matt Hagan, Driver of the Rinnai Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

You’ve earned four wins at New England Dragway in nine starts. What makes the track so successful for you and what is your main strategy heading into the weekend?
“With four wins, Epping has been a really good racetrack for me. Dickie (Venables – crew chief) has some really good notes there. The cars run well there. Sometimes, tracks just show you a lot of love and that is one of them. Some of the data we have off the car from running at Epping the last couple years really plays into the confidence and tune-up we have. I’m excited to get up there and eat a lobster or two and hopefully celebrate in the winner’s circle. We’re going to stay in the points lead and extend it even more.”

You’ll be representing Rinnai tankless water heaters on your Funny Car at Epping. How special is it welcoming Rinnai as a new sponsor this season in the NHRA?
“Epping will be a great opportunity to meet a lot of the Rinnai folks. They’re doing a lot of business in the Northeast where we’ll be racing. It’s nice to run new colors and I’d love nothing more than to pull down a win for them. We have an appearance ahead of the race with some of Rinnai’s customers, so I’m looking forward to spending time with them and meeting people behind-the-scenes.

-TSR-

Contact Ashley Wilson
Tony Stewart Racing
(303) 594-8147 or [email protected]