Brittany Force captured her first victory of the season in Top Fuel, defeating points leader Tony Stewart at the NHRA New England Nationals on Sunday. She clocked a final run of 3.694 seconds at 340.39 mph in her Monster Energy dragster.
Joining her in the New England Dragway winner’s circle were J.R. Todd (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock).
With her win, Force ties Shirley Muldowney for the most wins by a female in Top Fuel history. She advanced to the finals by defeating Clay Millican, Shawn Reed, and No. 1 qualifier Doug Kalitta, posting a track-record time of 3.681 seconds at 341.42 mph in the semifinals. She downed Tony Stewart for the victory.
“This is just a big one. The last time I stood in the winner’s circle with (her father, John Force) was here and I wanted to win for him,” Brittany said. “This one is dedicated to him and everything he’s done over the last year. It’s been really tough and we’re so proud of him, and I’m just happy to have him out here. I need him out here with me. I knew we would get back to this winner’s circle, and I’m so proud of all these guys.
“Coming into race day, something just felt different — our whole team had a good feeling. It was a great story — Tony, five final rounds in a row, and now facing a Force in the final. (Crew chief David) Grubnic told me before the run, ‘You’ve been here before. You’ve won here. Just go have fun.’ That reminder brought me back to why we do this — we love it. You’ve got to drive from the heart, like my dad says.”
Stewart, who has reached five consecutive final rounds, finished the race in 3.720 seconds at 329.91 mph. He holds a 71-point lead in the standings after defeating Rit Pustari, Justin Ashley, and reigning champion Antron Brown to reach the finals.
Todd secured his first Funny Car victory since the season opener in 2024, defeating rookie Spencer Hyde with a run of 3.888, 332.43. This victory marked Todd’s 22nd career win and ended a 25-race winless streak.
Todd rebounded from an engine explosion during qualifying, with his crew working late into the night to rebuild the car. He advanced to the final by defeating Cruz Pedregon, Phil Burkart, and Alexis DeJoria.
“I’m just glad we got that win out of the way for Dickie’s sake,” Todd said. “I’m not saying there was pressure, but when you hire a guy of that caliber, people expect you to win. Coming in, I knew this was a good place for us. Dickie and (Matt) Hagan had a lot of success here. I was excited, but we’re still learning. Then Q4 happened and we blew it up. The guys worked until midnight rebuilding the car. Today felt like a fresh start, and we ran super consistently, exactly how Dickie’s won here before.
“These guys have been grinding since last season when we had a miserable second half. I think Brainerd was the last time we even made a semifinal. But they never complained, never gave up. Even last night after the fire, they were joking, saying maybe we should catch on fire every weekend if it means we win. They keep it light, and the only way to pay them back is with a trophy.”
Hyde reached his first final round after victories against Matt Hagan, Buddy Hull, and Jack Beckman, who crashed shortly after launching in the semifinals. Despite losing in the first round, defending world champion Austin Prock held onto the points lead.
Defending Pro Stock series champion Anderson faced longtime rival Erica Enders in the final, winning with a run of 6.469, 212.19 to set a track E.T. record. This victory was Anderson’s third of the season, bringing his career total to 109 wins.
Anderson’s teammate Dallas Glenn has also excelled this season, with the duo winning every event so far. He defeated Kenny Delco, Dave Connolly, and Matt Hartford to reach the finals, and has advanced to the title round in every event this year.
“I got lucky a couple times today. It takes a lot of luck to win one of these things. We finally made a great run in the final. To win when you’re off your game makes you feel pretty doggone good,” Anderson said. “This is the best race car I’ve ever had, no question. It’s paid for itself in wins and made me look like a star. I can’t take credit. Fifteen years ago, I traded my car tools for engine tools. I’m an engine guy now. My hat’s off to the team. The cars are so evenly matched these days, if you find even a small advantage in setup, it’s huge.”
Anderson is now three rounds away from achieving 1,000 career round wins, a milestone achieved by only one other racer.
One thousand “is a wild number,” Anderson said. “There’s only one other guy to do that – John Force. I never dreamed I’d be close to that. Every round win now feels like a bonus. I’m living far beyond my wildest dreams.”
Advancing to her first final of the season, Enders was denied her 50th national event win. She defeated Deric Kramer, Cory Reed, and Aaron Stanfield to reach the finals.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues June 6-8 with the 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn.
BOBBY BENNETT: LOGIC AND MORE TECH OFFICIALS COULD HAVE PREVENTED A DEBACLE