EPPING, N.H. (May 31, 2025) – Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta continued an incredible qualifying run on Saturday at New England Dragway, keeping Kalitta Motorsports undefeated in Top Fuel in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge with a victory over Tony Stewart, setting the track speed record and also qualifying No. 1 for the fourth straight race at the 12th annual NHRA New England Nationals.

Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as well, while Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Cody Coughlin (Pro Stock) qualified No. 1 at the seventh of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta Motorsports’ Top Fuel duo of Kalitta and Langdon have now won all six Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge bonus races in 2025, with Kalitta taking his fourth victory of the year after going 3.670-seconds at 337.24 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster.

It also sent him back to the No. 1 spot for the fourth straight race and the fifth time in seven races during what was the latest spectacular showing in qualifying.

Kalitta’s massive speed set the track record as well, as the veteran looks to win in Epping for the second straight year and pick up his first 2025 event victory as well.

“(Crew chief) Alan Johnson and the guys have been doing a great job. The car left straight and felt great, and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow,” Kalitta said. “We’ve been qualifying really well. I’m looking for a great Sunday.

“This Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge is a great idea. It gives fans something exciting to watch and it’s fun for us too. It’s a little like sprint car racing where you’re racing every day. I’m definitely having fun with all of this. Let’s keep it up.”

Stewart, who has won back-to-back races to move into the points lead, is second with a 3.694 at 330.55 and reigning world champion Antron Brown is third after going 3.697 at 337.07.

In Funny Car, the John Force Racing duo of Jack Beckman and Austin Prock dominated qualifying, with Beckman claiming the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory over Matt Hagan and Prock holding on to the No. 1 qualifier spot.

Beckman, who won the most recent event in Chicago, went 3.913 at 316.52 to get his second win in the specialty race this season in his 12,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet SS. Beckman continues to roll since taking over driving duties for defending event winner John Force, and he’s thrilled to get a chance to race at New England Dragway.

Beckman was also impressed with the job his team did on Saturday in Epping.

“This was one of the wildest Saturdays I’ve ever been part of. We had to do a full engine change before (the final) round, no warm-up, just bolt it in and go,” Beckman said. “The crew thrashed, I had to hang out by the car to make up time for Matt, and we got it fired. I didn’t even know if we’d get it done today, but it looks cool as hell now. The Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge gives us a race within qualifying, and that adds so much more meaning.

“This place is as cool as it gets. Austin’s team makes it look easy. What both our crews did today, it’s awe-inspiring. I’m a huge historian of this sport and it means the world to be part of it like this.”

Nobody could touch Prock’s 3.860 at 331.69 from Friday in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, though the points leader came close with a 3.867 to close out qualifying. That was a solid sign for Prock, who picked up his second No. 1 of the season and the 20th in his career.

He’ll open eliminations against Buddy Hull as the defending world champion looks for his third win of the year.

“We went out there and laid down another strong run. That’s two No. 1 qualifiers in a row for us and we’re just getting started,” said Prock, who set a Funny Car record a year ago with 15 No. 1 qualifiers. “There’s still more on the table. If we need to push it harder, I believe there’s more in this car.

“I’ve always said, all I ever wanted to do was drive a Funny Car. Then all I wanted was to line up against John Force like my grandfather did. Now I’m doing it at this level with this team – it’s surreal.”

Bob Tasca III qualified second with a 3.891 at 335.40 and Paul Lee’s 3.891 at 329.18 gave him the third spot.

Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford is in the midst of his own impressive streak in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, winning for the third time in four races in the specialty event by defeating Dave Connolly with a run of 6.557 at 207.88 in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro on Saturday.

It also gives Hartford a class-best 13 bonus championship points thus far, which will translate nicely for the veteran in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. He’ll look to double-up on Sunday and win for first time in 2025 in what has been a resounding bounce back year for Hartford.

“Anytime you’re racing Dave Connolly, you know you’re lining up against one of the best Pro Stock drivers ever. He’s proved it over and over again,” Hartford said. “We were both running KB (Titan Racing) power, so it came down to who did a better job on the track. I’m proud to say that today, our team did. It’s a testament to our crew, our prep, and our execution.

“We’ve got 13 Mission points now — that’s over half a round heading into the Countdown. Every point counts. We know Greg (Anderson) and Dallas (Glenn) are out front right now in regular season points, but once they reset in Indy, we want to be right there with them.”

The first career No. 1 qualifier is official for rookie Cody Coughlin, as Friday’s 6.537 at 210.28 in his Cody Coughlin Construction Chevrolet Camaro stood up on Saturday. It marked a special moment for the driver just six races into his NHRA career and he’ll look to build on that during eliminations on Sunday. Coughlin opens raceday against Brandon Miller.

“This is only my sixth drag race ever, so to earn my first No. 1 qualifier award already is really special,” Coughlin said. “Coming from the circle track world, I never expected this would be easy. The KB Titan group builds rocket ships, and the level of competition out here is intense, even among teams using the same power.

“You have to do everything right to make a run like that, and I’m just proud we were able to put those numbers on the board. I hope this is just the beginning of more good things to come this year.”

Defending world champ Anderson qualified second thanks to a 6.537 at 209.95 and points leader Glenn is third after going 6.539 at 210.28.

Eliminations for the New England Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at New England Dragway.

LEBANON, Tenn. – Justin Allgaier improved his resume for “Father of the Year” on Saturday night, earning a second Gibson guitar trophy – one for each of his daughters – for his victory in the Tennessee Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Allgaier, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, swept all the stages on his way to his third NASCAR Xfinity Series win of the year, his second at Nashville Superspeedway, and the 28th victory of his career, good for ninth all-time. Chevrolet has won 12 of the first 14 Xfinity Series races of the season – a Series first.

“There’s no cooler feeling than to win at a place like this,” said Allgaier in front of the grandstands with fireworks exploding behind the backstretch. “These fans are incredible. I really wanted to get a second guitar. [My daughters] can fight over one of them or both of them.”

By that point his daughters — Harper and Willow — and wife Ashley had run across the infield grass to join Dad at the start-finish line. Both children joined the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion in the car as he guided it to Victory Lane, where his car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. waited to congratulate him.

“It was a really great run,” Earnhardt said. “Justin runs so good here. It’s no surprise to see him up there contending.”

Allgaier led a race-high 101 laps, including the final 48 circuits following a critical pass of Brandon Jones on the inside during the race’s final restart.

“JR Motorsports brought some incredible Chevrolets today,” Allgaier said. “That final restart was the key. Having clean air, and being out front … you have to make the most out of having good days. “This team never gives up. [My pit crew] deserves this more than anything. This [car] was on rails.”

Allgaier, the Xfinity Series points leader, beat rookie Connor Zilisch, his JR Motorsports teammate, to the checkered flag by 1.289 seconds. Sam Mayer was third, followed by Sheldon Creed in fourth and NASCAR Cup Series star Ross Chastain in fifth.

“[Justin] had the clean air at the end and I couldn’t quite get there,” said Zilisch, who led 18 laps. “Really good job by Justin there on that final restart.”

“Overall, we had a really solid day,” said Mayer. “Unfortunately, we didn’t execute on pit road and we got shuffled back on some restarts. Being disappointed in a third-place finish is good long term.”

Allgaier, 38, from Springfield, Illinois, averaged 111.006 mph around the 1.33-mile concrete oval, completing 188 laps in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 9 seconds. Six caution periods took up 39 laps while seven leaders exchanged the lead eight times.

Earlier Saturday, rookie William Sawalich, driving the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, earned his second career pole, with a lap of 155.152 mph (30.86 seconds) during Wilson County Convention and Visitors Bureau Qualifying. Sawalich led 37 laps but finished 35th after losing engine power.

Among other notables, former NASCAR Cup Series drivers Aric Almirola and Harrison Burton finished sixth and 13th, respectively, while Jeffrey Earnhardt placed 20th.

At the end, everyone was looking up at Allgaier, who was soaking in the time with his loved ones — and maybe thinking about where to put the latest family trophy.

“To have my daughters and wife here — these are the moments that are really, really special,” Allgaier said.

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan Blaney gave fans a burnout to celebrate kicking off the second half of the NASCAR season by running away down the stretch for his first Cup Series victory of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway.

“I’m ready to go celebrate,” Blaney said.

The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to victory lane in the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November.

“I never gave up hope that’s for sure,” Blaney said. ”We’ve had great speed all year. It just hasn’t really been the best year for us as far as good fortune. But (No.) 12 boys are awesome. They stick with it no matter how it goes.”

He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville. He also gave Team Penske a second straight Cup win at Nashville’s 1.33-mile concrete track.

Blaney, who started 15th, quickly drove his way to the front as he won the second stage. He easily held off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Hocevar matched his career-best finish at Atlanta in February after complaining during the race that his No. 77 Chevrolet was undriveable.

“Either I’m really dramatic or they’re really good on adjustments,” Hocevar said. ”Probably a little bit of both, but, yeah, proud of this group proud of this car. A place that is really, really difficult to pass, we’re able to go 26th to second.”

Denny Hamlin finished third in his 700th career Cup Series race, matching the third-place finish by Jeff Gordon at Darlington in 2013 for the best finish in a driver’s 700th race. Joey Logano, who won here last year, was fourth and William Byron fifth.

Hamlin was hoping for one more caution that never came after seven cautions for 35 laps.

“Just couldn’t run with the 12 (Blaney) there in the super long run,” Hamlin said. ”After 40 laps, I could maintain with him. But then after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.”

There was a sprint to the finish under green forcing teams and drivers to pick and choose went to pit. Blaney had led 107 laps when he went to the pits under green flag on lap 248. Hamlin took the lead before going to pit road on lap 256.

Brad Keselowski had the lead when he went to the pits on lap 269, and Blaney took the lead for the final 31 laps.

Waiting on a call

Hamlin raced Sunday night hoping to take advantage of his starting spot spot beside pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Whether Hamlin would chase his third win this season had been in question with his third child, a boy, due the same day.

Hamlin practiced and qualified well, so he drove his No. 11 Toyota even as Joe Gibbs Racing had Ryan Truex on standby in case Hamlin got the call that his fiancee was in labor. Hamlin won the first stage.

Tyler Reddick beat his boss Hamlin, a co-owner of his 23XI Racing team, to new parent status, which Reddick announced on social media earlier Sunday.

His family welcomed their second son at 2:20 a.m. on May 25, then Reddick followed up hours later by finishing 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

Early night

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. didn’t finish his first race this year. He was the first out when Hocevar tapped his No. 47 Chevrolet, spinning Stenhouse into the wall between Turns 3 and 4 for the second caution of the race on lap 106.

Punishment and more penalties possible?

AJ Allmendinger started at the back of the field and served a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag for an unapproved adjustment to the splitter during Saturday’s practice. His No. 16 Chevrolet was sent back to the garage and then the scanning station before practice and qualifying.

The No. 66 Ford of Chad Finchum failed inspection twice leading to engineer Austin Webb’s ejection. The Garage 66 team also lost pit stall selection.

Up next

NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway for the Cup Series on June 8.

Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.

It had been a season of frustration for Ryan Blaney through the opening 13 races of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series campaign. However, in race No. 14, Blaney flipped the script as he captured his first victory of the season in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday evening.

RESULTS: Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville

Blaney said, despite the rough luck through the season’s opening 13 races, he never gave up hope because he knew his team had been bringing him really fast race cars to the track each and every week.

“I never gave up hope, that’s for sure,” Blaney said in his post-race interview on Prime Video. “We’ve had great speed all year. It just really hasn’t been the best year for us as far as fortune. But the 12 boys are awesome, they stick with it, no matter how it goes. And it was great to finish one out tonight.”

Blaney and crew chief Jonathan Hassler used a strategic two-tire pit stop call to get track position in Stage 1, and once they got track position, the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang Dark Horse proved to be the best car in the 39-car field.

“I thought it was a good call. We drove up to [the] seventh [position] there in the first Stage. I thought two tires were great, my car was really good, and that really set us up for the rest of the race,” Blaney explained. “Great job by [Hassler] as always. All of the 12 boys appreciate what they do. The pit crew was great.”

Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, has secured his berth in the 2025 Playoffs with his 14th career NASCAR Cup Series win.

As he crossed the finish line on Lap 300 to register his race-high 139th lap led, Blaney defeated Carson Hocevar for the win by a margin of victory of 2.830 seconds.

Hocevar was slicing chunks off of Blaney’s lead in the early laps following the final pit stop of the night, but once he was trapped in lapped traffic, he stalled out and could never catch up to the eventual race winner.

“I was probably being a lot more vocal on the radio than I needed to be, but you’re just trying so hard and trying to find something that’s just not there,” Hocevar said. “We’re one spot short, again. But hopefully this is a step in the right direction.”

For the 22-year-old Hocevar, this marked his second runner-up finish of the season. The driver feels, despite the disappointment of finishing one spot short of the win again, that his No. 77 Spire Motorsports team is making some solid progress.

“I mean, it just proves how strong this group is. To go from the disappointment last week to having a really bad qualifying draw, qualifying really bad[ly], and sticking through it and having a shot. A shot, like a straightaway. But just proud of this group, Zeigler Auto Group, everybody that puts into this racecar, they deserve good finishes,” Hocevar stated.

Hamlin, the third-place finisher, made career start No. 700 on Sunday night, but it wasn’t a sure thing that he would race as his fiancee Jordan Fish reached her due date for the couple’s third child on Sunday. However, Fish didn’t go into labor, and Hamlin was able to race at Nashville.

The driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota won the opening Stage of the race, but down the stretch, he lost the air flow to his helmet, and his drinking system in the car malfunctioned, which made things quite toasty inside the car. But regardless if those systems were working or not, Hamlin says he lacked speed on the long run to compete with Blaney for the win.

“I was hot. I don’t run a cool shirt or anything like that, so, that’s three elements that the other drivers had that I didn’t have. So, yeah, I got hot. I had to Carson Hocevar the helmet visor up there to try to get a little air in,” Hamlin quipped. “But just couldn’t run with [Blaney] there on the super long run, right? After 40 laps, I could maintain with him, but after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.”

Joey Logano, the defending winner of this event, came home in the fourth position, and he was followed by William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Christopher Bell inside the top-10.

With his fifth-place finish, Byron extended his NASCAR Cup Series regular-season point lead over Kyle Larson to 48 points. Bell sits third in the standings at 88 points back, and Hamlin is fourth, 104 points back.

Chase Elliott, who finished 15th on the night, is now 105 points behind Byron in the standings.

Next up for the NASCAR Cup Series is a trip to Michigan International Speedway. The FireKeepers Casino 400 is scheduled for Sunday, June 8, and that race will be televised on Prime Video beginning at 2:00 PM ET. The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the radio broadcast for the race.

Amazon Prime is already setting the standard for NASCAR broadcasts. Hopefully Fox is taking notes.

Sunday’s Cup Series race at Nashville — won by Ryan Blaney — was the second Amazon race of the season after the internet behemoth made its NASCAR broadcasting debut at the Coca-Cola 600. So far, its two telecasts have been sharp, professional, devoid of nonsense and informative. Simply put, it’s the type of coverage that NASCAR fans deserve.

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Look, complaining about TV coverage is rote. Fans of every sport can easily nitpick broadcasts and there are significant subsets of every fan base that thinks broadcasters are biased against their favorite team.

But NASCAR fans have been dealt a tough hand in recent years. As Fox is in its third decade of covering NASCAR, it’s felt all too often like the network is mailing it in.

Nearly 25 years ago, Fox was in the same position Amazon is in. The network’s first NASCAR Cup Series race was the fateful 2001 Daytona 500. Fox’s entry into the NASCAR world was a pivot point for the sanctioning body. It had officially gone mainstream.

The early Fox years were glorious. Especially compared to other broadcasts. Fox set the standard for what NASCAR coverage should be, even if you weren’t a fan of “Digger” and the embedded camera on the apron in the corners of racetracks across the country.

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But something has changed in recent years. We’re not the only ones who have noticed, either. NBC’s coverage has put Fox’s to shame since the network took over the second half of the season from ESPN, and Fox hasn’t upped its game. Kevin Harvick is an insightful analyst. But he can’t overcome the hokeyness that permeates Fox’s broadcasts.

To be fair, Amazon isn’t starting from scratch. Like Fox, the streamer acquired NFL rights before it jumped into NASCAR. And its booth of Adam Alexander, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte have plenty of experience calling races. Alexander has been a main Xfinity Series play-by-play voice for years, and Junior and Letarte form the best analyst pairing in NASCAR from their years at NBC. The two worked together as driver and crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports and their chemistry is apparent on screen.

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But Amazon is nailing the production details that Fox isn’t. The broadcast is all about the race and doesn’t feature myriad cutaways to children watching in the grandstands. The camera shots follow what the booth is talking about. The graphics and picture quality are markedly better. There are no full-screen commercial breaks during green flag racing. And Amazon hasn’t gone to commercial with less than 10 laps to go.

It’s been a breath of fresh air for the NASCAR fans who have been able to watch. It’s no secret that NASCAR’s audience skews older than most other professional sports and the viewership gains that NASCAR saw in the 18-49 demographic during the 600 came at the vast expense of those 50 and over.

But it’s also no secret that streaming is the new cable and how we’ll consume most of our sports content in the near future. NASCAR was smart to add Amazon to the mix with its new media rights deal. Trading fewer younger viewers for more older viewers is the right play, especially as Formula 1 is the trendy motorsport among those not eligible for Medicare.

Ideally, Amazon will continue to build off how good its first two race broadcasts were and Fox, NBC and TNT — back in the NASCAR game this year — will aspire to meet Amazon’s standard.

But we won’t blame you if you’re pessimistic about that ideal world ever happening. We’re all worn down by the past decade of Fox’s NASCAR broadcasts.