EPPING, NH – May 2, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Once again the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is headed to New England Dragway for a huge year of action-packed, 340-mph drag racing at the 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals on May 30-June 1.
Nestled in Epping, N.H., New England Dragway gives NHRA fans an old-school feel, attracting huge crowds for a weekend always filled with spectacular action. The NHRA New England Nationals promises to see incredible performances from the 12,000-horsepowered nitro machines, treating fans to a weekend loaded with excitement.
It starts with a pair of Friday qualifying sessions, including an epic nitro at night under the lights to close out the day, continuing with a pair of qualifying rounds – and the must-see Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – on Saturday. That leads right into Sunday eliminations and the chance to see a winner in the star-studded Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock categories.
The sold-out crowd at last year’s race saw John Force (Funny Car), Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) claim race wins. It was Force, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) who picked up Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge wins as well. This season’s event, which is the seventh of 20 in 2025, will again be broadcast on FOX, with eliminations on Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
John Force, the NHRA’s winningest driver and a motorsports legend, claimed his 157th NHRA Funny Car win over teammate Austin Prock in the final round of the 2024 race. After a crash in Richmond, Force handed driving duties to former champion Jack Beckman. Prock went on to win the Funny Car world title last season, with Beckman in second. The John Force Racing teammates will each be chasing their first win from New England Dragway this season. Prock currently leads the points after back-to-back wins in Las Vegas and Charlotte, while other standouts include Paul Lee, Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, who has enjoyed tremendous Epping success, and Bob Tasca III.
With his win at New England Dragway last season, Doug Kalitta accomplished his goal of winning at every track on the NHRA circuit. This season, Kalitta has one runner-up finish in Phoenix to his credit, with his teammate Shawn Langdon earning the win. Langdon currently leads the Top Fuel points with two wins on the season. Motorsports legend and 2024 NHRA Rookie of the Year Tony Stewart sits second in points following his first career in Las Vegas, while others to watch include reigning world champ Antron Brown, Brittany Force, Clay Millican and Josh Hart.
Troy Coughlin Jr. earned the event win last season, but the Pro Stock ranks have been dominated by KB Titan Racing Dallas Glenn and reigning world champ Greg Anderson in 2025. The pair have been in all five finals this season, with Glenn leading the points after wins in Gainesville, Las Vegas and Charlotte. Elite Motorsports, led by six-time world champ Erica Enders, would love return to the NHRA winner’s circle in Epping.
The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series class returns Epping, treating fans to thrilling doorslammer racing action, as does the standout competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Also on the schedule is the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday in the pro classes. Semifinalists from Chicago will rematch for bonus points and bonus money, with the winners facing off to close out qualifying.
Fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits. The stage hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, autograph sessions and much more. Race fans in Epping can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce each driver and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. Fans are also invited to congratulate the event winners at the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday.
As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their cars, get autographs and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 30 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, May 31 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 1. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday, and then eliminations action from 6-9 p.m. ET on Sunday on FOX.
To purchase tickets to the NHRA New England Nationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.
About Mission Foods
MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/
About NHRA
NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Source: National Hot Rod Association
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