Fast and Furious, the fourth of Universal's auto racing franchise and starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, registered a worldwide box-office debut of $102.6 million last weekend.

In the United States and Canada, the hot-rodding movie earned $72.5 million during its first three days, smashing Monsters vs. Aliens‘ week-old record for the best opening of the year.

Fast and Furious also broke the record of Anger Management for the best April debut. The Adam Sandler movie debuted with P42.2 million in April of 2003.

Universal Pictures spent $85 million in making the movie.

TOP 10 MOVIES IN NORTH AMERICA
(Weekend of April 3 to 5, 2009)

1. Fast and Furious – $72,508,000
2. Monsters Vs. Aliens – $33,510,000
3. The Haunting in Connecticut – $9,550,000
4. Knowing – $8,130,000
5. I Love You, Man – $7,850,000
6. Adventureland – $6,010,000
7. Duplicity – $4,300,000
8. Race to Witch Mountain – $3,351,000
9. 12 Rounds – $2,300,000
10. Sunshine Cleaning – $1,879,000

Figures courtesy of Box Office Mojo

ALL-TIME TOP 10 OPENINGS FOR AUTO RACING MOVIES

1. Fast & Furious (2009) – $72.5 M opening
2. Cars – $60.1 M opening
3. 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) – $50.4 M opening
4. Talladega Nights – $47 M opening
5. The Fast & The Furious (2001) – $40 M opening
6. The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) – $24 M opening
7. Speed Racer – $18.5 M opening
8. Days of Thunder – $15.5 M opening
9. Herbie: Fully Loaded – $12.7 M opening
10. Death Race – $12.6 M opening

Figures courtesy of Slash Film

More about Fast and Furious here.