Matt Hartford Racing Photo
KALITTA, BECKMAN & HARTFORD WIN MISSION #2FAST2TASTY CHALLENGE AT NHRA NEW ENGLAND NATIONALS
Kalitta continues to roll in qualifying; Prock and C. Coughlin also take No. 1 spots at New England Dragway
EPPING, N.H. (May 31, 2025) – Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta continued
an incredible qualifying run on Saturday at New England Dragway, keeping
Kalitta Motorsports undefeated in Top Fuel in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty
Challenge with a victory over Tony Stewart, setting the track speed
record and also qualifying No. 1 for the fourth straight race at the
12th annual NHRA New England Nationals.
Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) won the Mission
#2Fast2Tasty Challenge as well, while Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Cody
Coughlin (Pro Stock) qualified No. 1 at the seventh of 20 races during
the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Kalitta Motorsports’ Top Fuel duo of Kalitta and Langdon have now won
all six Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge bonus races in 2025, with Kalitta
taking his fourth victory of the year after going 3.670-seconds at
337.24 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster. It also sent him
back to the No. 1 spot for the fourth straight race and the fifth time
in seven races during what was the latest spectacular showing in
qualifying.
Kalitta’s massive speed set the track record as well, as the veteran
looks to win in Epping for the second straight year and pick up his
first 2025 event victory as well.
“(Crew chief) Alan Johnson and the guys have been doing a great job.
The car left straight and felt great, and I’m really looking forward
to tomorrow,” Kalitta said. “We’ve been qualifying really well.
I’m looking for a great Sunday.
“This Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge is a great idea. It gives fans
something exciting to watch and it’s fun for us too. It’s a little
like sprint car racing where you’re racing every day. I’m definitely
having fun with all of this. Let’s keep it up.”
Stewart, who has won back-to-back races to move into the points lead, is
second with a 3.694 at 330.55 and reigning world champion Antron Brown
is third after going 3.697 at 337.07.
In Funny Car, the John Force Racing duo of Jack Beckman and Austin Prock
dominated qualifying, with Beckman claiming the Mission #2Fast2Tasty
Challenge victory over Matt Hagan and Prock holding on to the No. 1
qualifier spot.
Beckman, who won the most recent event in Chicago, went 3.913 at 316.52
to get his second win in the specialty race this season in his
12,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet SS. Beckman continues to roll since
taking over driving duties for defending event winner John Force, and
he’s thrilled to get a chance to race at New England Dragway.
Beckman was also impressed with the job his team did on Saturday in
Epping.
“This was one of the wildest Saturdays I’ve ever been part of. We
had to do a full engine change before (the final) round, no warm-up,
just bolt it in and go,” Beckman said. “The crew thrashed, I had to
hang out by the car to make up time for Matt, and we got it fired. I
didn’t even know if we’d get it done today, but it looks cool as
hell now. The Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge gives us a race within
qualifying, and that adds so much more meaning.
“This place is as cool as it gets. Austin’s team makes it look easy.
What both our crews did today, it’s awe-inspiring. I’m a huge
historian of this sport and it means the world to be part of it like
this.”
Nobody could touch Prock’s 3.860 at 331.69 from Friday in his
12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, though the points leader
came close with a 3.867 to close out qualifying. That was a solid sign
for Prock, who picked up his second No. 1 of the season and the 20th in
his career. He’ll open eliminations against Buddy Hull as the
defending world champion looks for his third win of the year.
“We went out there and laid down another strong run. That’s two No.
1 qualifiers in a row for us and we’re just getting started,” said
Prock, who set a Funny Car record a year ago with 15 No. 1 qualifiers.
“There’s still more on the table. If we need to push it harder, I
believe there’s more in this car. I’ve always said, all I ever
wanted to do was drive a Funny Car. Then all I wanted was to line up
against John Force like my grandfather did. Now I’m doing it at this
level with this team – it’s surreal.”
Bob Tasca III qualified second with a 3.891 at 335.40 and Paul Lee’s
3.891 at 329.18 gave him the third spot.
Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford is in the midst of his own impressive streak
in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, winning for the third time in
four races in the specialty event by defeating Dave Connolly with a run
of 6.557 at 207.88 in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday.
It also gives Hartford a class-best 13 bonus championship points thus
far, which will translate nicely for the veteran in the Countdown to the
Championship playoffs. He’ll look to double-up on Sunday and win for
first time in 2025 in what has been a resounding bounce back year for
Hartford.
“Anytime you’re racing Dave Connolly, you know you’re lining up
against one of the best Pro Stock drivers ever. He’s proved it over
and over again,” Hartford said. “We were both running KB (Titan
Racing) power, so it came down to who did a better job on the track.
I’m proud to say that today, our team did. It’s a testament to our
crew, our prep, and our execution.
“We’ve got 13 Mission points now — that’s over half a round
heading into the Countdown. Every point counts. We know Greg (Anderson)
and Dallas (Glenn) are out front right now in regular season points, but
once they reset in Indy, we want to be right there with them.”
The first career No. 1 qualifier is official for rookie Cody Coughlin,
as Friday’s 6.537 at 210.28 in his Cody Coughlin Construction
Chevrolet Camaro stood up on Saturday. It marked a special moment for
the driver just six races into his NHRA career and he’ll look to build
on that during eliminations on Sunday. Coughlin opens raceday against
Brandon Miller.
“This is only my sixth drag race ever, so to earn my first No. 1
qualifier award already is really special,” Coughlin said. “Coming
from the circle track world, I never expected this would be easy. The KB
Titan group builds rocket ships, and the level of competition out here
is intense, even among teams using the same power. You have to do
everything right to make a run like that, and I’m just proud we were
able to put those numbers on the board. I hope this is just the
beginning of more good things to come this year.”
Defending world champ Anderson qualified second thanks to a 6.537 at
209.95 and points leader Glenn is third after going 6.539 at 210.28.
Eliminations for the New England Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday
at New England Dragway.
***
EPPING, N.H. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the
12th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the
seventh of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs
listed below pairings.
Top Fuel — 1. Doug Kalitta, 3.670 seconds, 337.24 mph vs. Bye; 2. Tony
Stewart, 3.694, 330.55 vs. 15. Rit Pustari, 9.724, 75.76; 3. Antron
Brown, 3.697, 337.07 vs. 14. Mike Bucher, 5.236, 131.96; 4. Shawn Reed,
3.702, 334.24 vs. 13. Scott Farley, 4.139, 224.14; 5. Brittany Force,
3.703, 336.40 vs. 12. Clay Millican, 3.860, 293.79; 6. Shawn Langdon,
3.716, 334.48 vs. 11. Dan Mercier, 3.761, 329.18; 7. Justin Ashley,
3.717, 336.99 vs. 10. Josh Hart, 3.753, 329.18; 8. Ida Zetterstrom,
3.741, 330.55 vs. 9. Steve Torrence, 3.746, 335.07.
Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.860, 334.48 vs. 16. Buddy
Hull, Dodge Charger, 4.190, 309.70; 2. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang,
3.891, 335.40 vs. 15. Phil Burkart, Ford Mustangh, 4.140, 303.30; 3.
Paul Lee, Charger, 3.891, 329.18 vs. 14. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.022,
317.49; 4. Blake Alexander, Charger, 3.899, 328.70 vs. 13. Chad Green,
Mustang, 3.953, 326.32; 5. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.908, 326.87 vs. 12.
Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.952, 291.63; 6. Alexis DeJoria, Charger,
3.909, 331.77 vs. 11. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.928, 329.91; 7. Cruz
Pedregon, Charger, 3.909, 329.83 vs. 10. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.922,
329.75; 8. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.911, 328.70 vs. 9. Matt Hagan,
Charger, 3.920, 329.83.
Pro Stock — 1. Cody Coughlin, Chevy Camaro, 6.537, 210.28 vs. 16.
Brandon Miller, Dodge Dart, 6.658, 205.63; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro,
6.537, 209.95 vs. 15. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.623, 207.91; 3. Dallas
Glenn, Camaro, 6.539, 210.60 vs. 14. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.596,
208.36; 4. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.543, 208.81 vs. 13. Deric Kramer,
Camaro, 6.595, 208.88; 5. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.549, 209.59 vs. 12. Mason
McGaha, Camaro, 6.594, 207.59; 6. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.555, 209.46
vs. 11. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.582, 208.14; 7. Dave Connolly, Camaro,
6.558, 209.01 vs. 10. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.566, 208.46; 8. Chris
McGaha, Camaro, 6.564, 208.65 vs. 9. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.565,
209.26.
EPPING, N.H. — Saturday’s final results from the 12th annual NHRA New
England Nationals at New England Dragway. The race is the seventh of 20
in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
Pro Stock Challenge — Matt Hartford, Chevy Camaro, 6.557, 207.88 def.
Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.567, 208.36.
Funny Car Challenge — Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.913, 316.52 def.
Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.920, 329.83.
Top Fuel Challenge — Doug Kalitta, 3.670 seconds, 337.24 mph def. Tony
Stewart, 3.694 seconds, 330.55 mph.
EPPING, N.H. — Final round-by-round results from the 12th annual NHRA
New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the seventh of 20 events
in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL CHALLENGE:
ROUND ONE — Tony Stewart, 3.727, 329.75 def. Steve Torrence, 7.263,
76.72; Doug Kalitta, 3.724, 327.51 def. Justin Ashley, 4.268, 196.02;
FINAL — D. Kalitta, 3.670, 337.24 def. T. Stewart, 3.694, 330.55.
FUNNY CAR CHALLENGE:
ROUND ONE — Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 4.132, 234.29 def. Cruz
Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 4.707, 172.54; Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.451,
195.31 def. Austin Prock, 5.399, 171.23;
FINAL — J. Beckman, 3.913, 316.52 def. M. Hagan, 3.920, 329.83.
PRO STOCK CHALLENGE:
ROUND ONE — Dave Connolly, Chevy Camaro, 6.558, 207.82 def. Dallas
Glenn, Camaro, 11.856, 73.91; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.580, 209.46 def.
Greg Anderson, Camaro, Foul – Red Light;
FINAL — M. Hartford, 6.557, 207.88 def. D. Connolly, 6.567, 208.36.
-NHRA-