For the second consecutive year, NHRA officials announced a sellout for Saturday’s racing at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. Fans from all over the northeast have filled the grandstands, pit areas and campgrounds under pristine weather on the second day of the three-day competition. The NHRA New England Nationals is the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

“It’s no surprise to see another sellout,” said New England Dragway General Manager Joe Lombardo. “New England race fans love the experience only a NHRA national event can bring. We thank everyone for supporting our track and the NHRA New England Nationals.”

Final round-by-round results from the fifth annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway, the ninth of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Courtney Force had a rough day Friday at the New England Nationals, but fortunately for her there was a silver lining.

During Force’s lap in Q1, her Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro Funny Car experienced an engine explosion at the end of the run.

Brittany Force hasn’t had the best of seasons so far in NHRA’s Top Fuel ranks.

Force is trying to reverse her fortunes this weekend at the New England Nationals.

Jay Cox is the provisional No. 1 qualifier in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous presented by MoTeC after two sessions at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) North-South Shootout at Maryland International Raceway. 

Also leading in the other professional categories at the PDRA’s fourth of eight events are Terry Leggett in Pro Extreme, Tylor Miller in Andy McCoy Race Cars Pro Boost, Trevor Eman in Extreme Pro Stock, and Eric McKinney in Drag 965 Pro Extreme Motorcycle. 

NHRA Funny Car racer Courtney Force was uninjured in a vicious engine explosion Friday during qualifying at Epping, N.H., for the New England Nationals.

Force covered the New England Dragway 1,000-foot course in 3.842 seconds at 331.63 mph in the opening session of qualifying, but the engine in her Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro exploded as she crossed the left-lane finish line. The body destroyed, the flaming car banged the guard wall.

Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels has signed on as a multi-year sponsor of the popular Top Fuel Harley motorcycle category competing at select events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Top Fuel Harley riders have thrilled fans at five NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competitions so far this winter and spring, with three more events yet to come: the NHRA New England Nationals, the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, and the NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Two-time NHRA Champion Frank Hawley has prepared many of today's top nitro racers. He's training two more as part of a new multi-year program.

Austin Prock and Jordan Vandergriff will experience the tutelage of the veteran drag racing school instructor. 

“I’ve already been through Frank’s S/C program," said Prock. "Up next I’m gonna test in the School’s Alcohol Funny Car.  We’re hoping to make some runs soon. We’re going to do several laps in that. And then once I get my license, I hope to start testing in a Nitro Funny Car."

All things considered, things aren’t that bad for Jack Beckman. The Funny Car standout sits fifth in the point standings, and is just 22 points out of third. He has only one first-round loss and just went a season-best 3.844 at the most recent race in Topeka.

But the one missing item – a victory in 2017 – tends to become a little more glaring when your Funny Car teammate has won four straight races, as Beckman’s counterpart Ron Capps has done. It also sticks out a little more when every other Don Schumacher Racing driver – a number that totals six more drivers both in Top Fuel and Funny Car – has at least one victory.

It’s not meant as a slight to Beckman, but rather just another indication of how much the Funny Car world champ wants to join the party and get in the win column at this weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals in Epping.