NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Austin Prock has enjoyed a terrific 2024 regular season in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, racking up five victories and advancing to eight final rounds in his first year in the Funny Car ranks.
 
Heading into this weekend’s 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, Prock doesn’t plan on adjusting his mindset or his approach as the Countdown to the Championship playoffs open. It’s a new position for Prock this time of year, but it would be hard to argue switching something up that has worked so well this season for the John Force Racing team.
 
Prock and his team, led by his father, crew chief Jimmy Prock, have been stellar in all conditions in their 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS, and that aggressive style won’t change with everyone now chasing him in the postseason. His points lead now stands at 39 over Bob Tasca III heading to Maple Grove Raceway, and with a flurry of standouts right behind him, Prock knows it’s a great challenge in front of him.
 
“I don’t think we need to race any different. We need to have the same mindset and fight our way through it,” Prock said. “Our lead isn’t much, and you’re going to have to be on kill every single round. It’s going to be a dogfight to the finish, for sure. I’m trying to make the most of this opportunity. We’ve got a fast hot rod, and I’m enjoying driving it, and I’m looking forward to trying to finish this out strong.”
 
Last season, Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock), and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all claimed wins in their respective categories, and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1 and FOX, including elimination coverage on FOX on Sunday at 2 or 4:30 p.m. ET (depending on local listings).

 
It is the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship, but don’t expect a radical shift from Prock after an incredible first 14 races. The team qualified No. 1 a whopping 10 times in the regular season, and that often previewed a strong weekend for Prock, who advanced to the final round seven times when he qualified in the top position.
 
His success in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, which included seven wins and 25 bonus points, gave him the biggest points advantage in any class to open the playoffs, but Prock knows that could be wiped away instantly.
 
Prock won at Maple Grove Raceway in 2022 in Top Fuel, using a hard-charging finish to end up third in points. Getting his first in Funny Car at the fan-favorite facility won’t be easy, especially going against the likes of Tasca, defending world champ Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, Blake Alexander, and Jack Beckman, who is driving for John Force in the Countdown to the Championship.
 
Prock certainly enters the race with momentum after his first U.S. Nationals victory, and he’s eager to see how the next six races unfold.
 
“Any race weekend you go into coming off a win, it definitely gives you a little pep in your step,” Prock said. “Winning the U.S. Nationals was special for my family, and we’re excited for the Countdown. We’ve got to go into these next six races and keep doing the job we’ve been doing. We have to go in and execute and try to find a way to perform better than we have all year long. There’s a lot of good cars out, and you can’t count out any of these teams. I think everyone is in for a treat in the Countdown.”
 
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:30 and 5 p.m. ET on Friday and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, as well as at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations on FOX at 2 or 4:30 p.m. ET (check local listings).
 
To purchase tickets to the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, fans can visit www.maplegroveraceway.com. All children 12 and under are admitted free in the general-admission area with a paid adult.