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EPPING, N.H. — Reigning Funny Car world champion Austin Prock led the way on Friday at New England Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot for John Force Racing at the 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Cody Coughlin (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the seventh of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Friday’s second session also included the “No. 1 Clawifier Award presented by NAPA.” A special chair made of lobster pots awaited drivers on the top end, with the evening’s No. 1 qualifier sitting in the chair until they were replaced by a new No. 1 “Clawifier” or claim the award. The top team in each class were awarded lobster dinners.
Nobody replaced Prock as he kicked off the session, while Kalitta bumped Antron Brown out of the chair. A handful of Pro Stock drivers were on top on Friday before Coughlin grabbed control.
After struggling during the opening session on Friday, Prock and his team more than made up for it to close out the day, going 3.860-seconds at 331.69 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS. It puts the Funny Car points leader on track for his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 20th in his career. Prock was the runner-up at the event a year ago to legendary Funny Car driver John Force, and also advanced to the finals at the most recent event in Chicago.
“It took a lot to get this thing tamed down, but the guys did a great job diagnosing it and we laid down a really nice lap,” Prock said. “John Force Racing has had a lot of success here. Last year was a really special moment in my life and all I’ve ever wanted to do is drive a Funny Car.
“I always try to do the best I can every time I get in this car. That’s what these guys deserve, what our team deserve and what our partners deserve. I’m just trying to get in there and drive to the best of my ability.”
Racing at his home track, Bob Tasca III is currently second with a 3.891 at 335.40 and Paul Lee’s 3.891 at 329.18 puts him third.
In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta was the only driver to dip into the 3.60s and continued to roll in qualifying, going to the top spot with a run of 3.697 at 331.36 in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster. If it holds, it would be the veteran’s fourth straight top qualifier of 2025, which would continue an incredible streak.
It would also be the former world champion’s fifth No. 1 qualifier in the first seven races of the season and New England Dragway continues to be very good to Kalitta. Brown made a strong run to open the session, but Kalitta bumped him for a seat in the lobster pot chair as he aims to win in Epping for a second consecutive year.
“The car shook a little bit at the beginning, got cleaned up and then it set sail,” Kalitta said. “It was definitely what we were looking for. We were all gunning for the lobster and the way the team has this car running, I was hoping it would make it and it did.
“We’re very fortunate after the first day and Epping is a cool area. I’ve had a great running car all year (but) haven’t gotten the win yet, so I’m real hungry for that. This would be a great place to do it. We got it done last year, which was cool. We’re just trying to go rounds, keep our heads down and hope like heck it goes our way Sunday.”
Shawn Reed is currently second thanks to a pass of 3.702 at 334.24 and Brittany Force went 3.713 at 334.48 as she sits in the third position.
After a standout run during the second session, Pro Stock rookie Cody Coughlin is in position to claim his first career No. 1 qualifier thanks to a run of 6.537 at 210.28 in his Cody Coughlin Construction Chevrolet Camaro. In a field loaded with fast cars, Coughlin made the most of the cool conditions in the second session for KB Titan Racing, sitting on top heading into Saturday.
It’s been an up and down debut season for Coughlin, but Friday’s run certainly gives him momentum and marks the high point of his year thus far.
“It felt so seamless that I thought it was going to be slow,” Coughlin said. “But as they say, slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Greg and Dallas have been fast — everybody has been fast here with KB Titan power — so I figured they’d edge me out because they know all the tricks of the trade.
“I spoke to Greg during the off-season to congratulate him on his championship and we just meshed. I’ve always been a fan of the Hendrick [Motorsports] team, and when Greg invited me out to a test, I was hooked.”
Coughlin squeezed past Anderson on speed for the current No. 1 spot as the reigning world champion went an identical 6.537 at a slightly slower 209.95. Points leader Dallas Glenn is third following his run of 6.539 at 210.28.
