LAS VEGAS — Reigning NHRA Funny Car champion Austin Prock got back on track Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Prock re-established his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS as a dominant Funny Car and became the first driver in history to win four-wide events in the NHRA’s two signature categories.
The No. 2 qualifier in the west coast version of an event that originated at ZMax Dragway in Charlotte, N.C., 15 years ago, Prock posted the quickest time during eliminations at 3.964 seconds but slowed to 4.009 seconds in the final quad, reaching the stripe just ahead of No. 1 qualifier Paul Lee.
Although the reigning series champ characterized the win as “ugly,” he wasn’t about to give it back.
“This ‘Prock Rocket’ ain’t perfect yet,” he acknowledged. “But it’s heading in the right direction and that’s what we need to be proud about right now. That was an ugly win but, like I said earlier this morning, if the win light keeps coming on, I don’t give a crap.”
In outracing Lee, Dave Richards and Matt Hagan to the finish in the final quad, he earned a bookend for the four-wide win he secured at Charlotte in 2023 while driving a John Force Racing Top Fuel dragster.
“I’m so proud of this JFR team,” said Prock. “I just love having John Force out at the race track. It just gasses you up every time. He told me he was proud of me this week and that means a lot.”
