PRUETT WINS EPPING TOP FUEL FINAL, TAKES BRISTOL PROVISIONAL NO. 1; BECKMAN WINS EPPING FUNNY CAR FINAL AT SUPER GRIP NHRA THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS
BRISTOL, TN — Friday at Bristol Dragway was a doubleheader of drama as the delayed NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto finals were finally decided before the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals kicked off its first round of pro qualifying.
TOP FUEL
Leah Pruett made history on two fronts Friday at Bristol Dragway. First, she closed out the delayed Epping final with a 3.794-second pass at 332.43 mph to defeat points leader Shawn Langdon and win the NHRA New England Nationals — her first race victory since 2023 and her first win since returning to full-time competition in 2026 following the birth of her child. Then, when qualifying got underway for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Pruett backed it up by posting the fastest time of the session to sit as the provisional No. 1 qualifier with that same 3.794-second run at 332.43 mph in her Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster.
FUNNY CAR
Jack Beckman earned his first win of the 2026 season when he took the Epping Funny Car final, crossing the finish line in 4.017 seconds at 318.54 mph in his PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car to defeat John Force Racing teammate Jordan Vandergriff.
When Bristol qualifying began, it was another John Force Racing driver who went to the top of the Funny Car order. Former champion Matt Hagan wheeled his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car to a 4.009-second pass at 319.60 mph to claim the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot heading into Saturday’s sessions.
PRO STOCK
Six-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson wasted no time stamping his name at the top of the order at Bristol Dragway. Anderson drove his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to a 6.673-second pass at 204.11 mph to sit as the provisional No. 1 qualifier. Should the run hold through the weekend, it will mark Anderson’s sixth No. 1 qualifier of the 2026 season.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Gaige Herrera opened Thunder Valley qualifying in commanding fashion, posting a 6.867-second pass at 196.59 mph aboard his RevZilla / Vance & Hines Suzuki to sit atop the class as the provisional No. 1 qualifier. If the run holds, it will be Herrera’s first No. 1 qualifier of the 2026 season.
The Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals continues Saturday with additional qualifying sessions before eliminations are set for Sunday at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee.
