MOHNTON, Pa. — Funny Car points leader Austin Prock took a brief moment to reflect on what he’s accomplished since the start of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
But it was almost immediately back to business for the reigning world champion, especially with work still to be done. He’s enjoyed another dominant season thus far, but heading into this weekend’s 40th annual NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish at Maple Grove Raceway, Prock isn’t letting up.
Coming off a Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals win, a regular-season championship and a victory in the PlayNHRA All-Star Callout at Indy, Prock is just as eager to keep pushing forward in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS.
The Countdown to the Championship points reset for the playoffs gives Prock just a 20-point lead over his nearest competitor – John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman – which is all the motivation Prock and his team needs heading into the playoff opener at Reading.
“We had one of the most dominant performances in Funny Car history last year,” said Prock, who has rolled to seven wins thus far in 2025. “We’ve come out this year and matched that, and actually have one more win than we did at this point last season. But the points reset after Indy and everything can change. We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing.
“Last year, we rolled into the Countdown and won Reading and Charlotte back-to-back. When you can do that, it puts a lot of pressure on everybody else and gives you a little bit of a pad. That’s what gave us the edge to win the championship.”
Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Prock (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all claimed wins in their respective categories, at Maple Grove Raceway a year ago, with Brown and Prock finishing the season as world champions.
It is the 15th of 20 races during the 2025 season and the first of six events in the Countdown to the Championship, and Prock has enjoyed plenty of success at one of the quickest and fastest tracks on the NHRA circuit.
He won in Top Fuel in 2022 and then again last year in Funny Car en route to his march to the world championship. Prock won the first two playoff races to send an early statement and he would love to repeat that scenario this year.
But it certainly won’t be easy, taking on a championship-tested field that includes four-time champion Matt Hagan, who starts the Countdown in third, three-time champ Ron Capps and past champions Beckman, J.R. Todd and Cruz Pedregon. Add in the likes of Bob Tasca III, Paul Lee, Daniel Wilkerson, Chad Green and rookie Spencer Hyde, and it’s a loaded group that should make for a thrilling championship race.
Prock, though, is ready, looking for any chance to improve and make the most of every possible opportunity.
“I’m really strict on myself,” said Prock, who has 15 Funny Car wins over the past 32 races. “Even though we are having success, you’re still so hungry to turn on those win lights. Winning never gets old. I want to keep adding my name to the history book.”
