For two days in a row, John Force Racing stole the spotlight at the New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.

On Friday, Courtney Force qualified in the provisional No. 1 Funny Car spot while blowing up her engine.

Saturday, Robert Hight grabbed the No. 1 qualifying position with a track record 3.822-second elapsed time in his AAA Auto Club Funny Car.

Hight also establish a track record mph mark with his 336.74 in Q1 Friday.

“It’s great to be back with Jimmy Prock,” Hight said. “We got used to doing this a lot when I first started with him. I have a good car and this is really a good way to start off four in a row on the Eastern Swing with a No. 1 qualifier. Qualifying (at Epping) is behind us and we never did get down the right lane and I don’t how big of a deal that is for (Sunday). I’m sure no matter what, we will be picking the left lane. We went up there swinging (Saturday night) trying to put up a big number and it didn’t make it. There’s some big numbers out there with the conditions we are getting and this racing surface in New England is one of the tops in the country. I think we are going to have more of the same kind of conditions (Sunday) so you could see some records.”

This was the 50^th No. 1 qualifying position in his career and his first this season. His best two qualifying spots prior to Epping, N.H., was second twice at Gainesville, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. This is Hight’s 13th season – all consecutively – he’s earned at least one No. 1. 

“That’s pretty cool,” Hight said about his 50 No. 1 qualifying spots. “They said I tied Don Prudhomme and 15 years ago I would have never thought would have even come in the same sentence as Don Prudhomme. He’s one of the greatest of all time and he dominated in his day. 50 No. 1s, that is awesome. To have my name in the record books with Don Prudhomme is surreal. It’s harder and harder to get these No. 1 qualifiers. I have good cars and I have a good team around me and when you qualify No. 1, you need to put it to good use and win on Sunday.”

Records are great, but they aren’t in the forefront of Hight’s mind.

“We have to get some wins,” Hight said. “We keep going to the semis and getting knocked out and it’s time for this AAA car to get in the winner’s circle.”

Hight had a season-best runner-up finish at Houston April 23. His last win was in March of 2016 at the Gatornationals in Gainesville.

“There are just certain race tracks where you do well as an individual team or team and we’ve done well here,” Hight said. “We’ve had a lot of success here and I want to add my name to that winner’s circle. I know Courtney and John have both won and it’s AAA’s turn (Sunday).”