Epping Event Recap for the NHRA New England Nationals – POSTPONED

Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan

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

Event Recap

Leah Pruett, driver of the Rush Truck Centers Top Fuel Dragster:
• Earned No. 1 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.856 ET at 319.37 mph)
• Scored three bonus points for quickest run of the session
• Secured No. 3 provisional qualifying position based off Friday’s Q1 run. In Q2 on Saturday, Pruett ran a 5.213 ET at 182.60 mph. Q2 was also part of the NHRA’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, where Pruett faced Josh Hart. Pruett defeated Hart’s 6.838 ET, 93.54 mph run.
• Saturday’s Q3 session was canceled due to rain. The Mission #2Fast2Tasty Finals were not contested. No points were awarded, however challenge earnings were distributed based on performance in Round 1.
• Eliminations were not contested due to rain. They will take place during next weekend’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway as part of qualifying.
• Currently fourth in the championship standings, 28 points behind Top Fuel leader Steve Torrence.

Matt Hagan, driver of the Rinnai Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car:
• Earned No. 2 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.123 ET at 309.13 mph)
• Scored two bonus points for second-quickest run of the session
• Secured No. 2 provisional qualifying position based off Friday’s Q1 run. In Q2 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 8.378 ET at 80.28 mph.
• Saturday’s Q3 session was canceled due to rain
• Eliminations were not contested due to rain. They will take place during next weekend’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway as part of qualifying.
• Currently leads the Funny Car championship standings with a 14-point advantage over Ron Capps.

Notes of Interest

• Pruett earned her first provisional No. 1 qualifying position of the season in Q1 on Friday.
• Pruett participated in her third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the season.
• Hagan’s No. 2 qualifying position was his best starting position this year and a position from which he has won six times, most recently on October 30, 2022 at Las Vegas.

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

“It’s hard not to have a low emotion after advancing to the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, only for the day to be canceled short due to rain, resulting in zero championship points. But our 3.856-second run from Friday unassumingly held on for the number three spot for race day. Day two of qualifying was wild for all, trying to manage a cool and crisp 65-degree track temperature and racing through rain mist. I’m looking forward to running the New England Nationals as part of qualifying at Bristol and hunting down that win one round at a time in our Rush Truck Centers dragster.”

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

“It was an odd event this weekend. Obviously we can’t control the weather. If we could, we would be racing right now. It will be interesting to run this race during qualifying at Bristol. All in all, I hate it for Rinnai that we didn’t get to run, but we will make it up to them in the future. It was nice to be the number two qualifier on a hot track on Friday. Our crew guys are used to pressure and always perform, so we’ll get ready for Bristol. I’m looking forward to being back at my home race and hopefully selling quite a few shirts along the way.”

Next Up

The next event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule is the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals June 9-11 at Bristol Dragway.
 
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