NHRA driver looks to lock up title in boss’s return to track

Funny Car driver Austin Prock said he’s trying to treat this weekend’s NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway like any other race weekend.

But it’s anything but a normal race weekend for the first-year Funny Car driver.

Prock, who previously raced in the Top Fuel class, enters Sunday with a 147-point lead in the Funny Car standings. With a strong run Sunday, he can lock up the championship with one race remaining.

It’s also the first time in nearly five months that Prock’s team owner, 16-time Funny Car champion John Force, is back at the racetrack. Force suffered a traumatic brain injury in a crash at the NHRA Virginia Nationals in June.

Prock hasn’t seen Force in person since the weekend he suffered his crash.

“I wanted to cry when I saw him this morning. I haven’t seen him since Richmond,” Prock said Friday. “It’s great to have him back, and I think he’s having a good time. He’s proud of all the cars, how they’re performing, and I’d really like to lock the championship up for him.”

The elimination rounds begin at 11 a.m. Sunday for Funny Car and Top Fuel.

It’s been a strong start to the weekend for John Force Racing. Prock qualified first in Funny Car with an elapsed time of 3.817 seconds at 327.98 mph, and Brittany Force, the daughter of John, was the fastest in Top Fuel (3.66 seconds, 334.98 mph). Greg Anderson was the fastest in Pro Stock (6.596, 206.89), and Gaige Herrera set the pace in Pro Stock Motorcycle (6.813, 198.2).

Even with a comfortable points lead, Prock isn’t celebrating.

“We don’t have the (championship) trophy in our hands, it’s definitely not over,” Prock said Friday. “… We’re focused on winning on Sunday.”

It’s been a career season for Prock. He has six wins and has been the top qualifier at 14 races, breaking John Force’s record of 13 in 1999. He was tabbed by Force in the offseason to drive one of his Funny Cars after Robert Hight announced he was stepping away from racing due to health reasons.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in this situation,” Prock said. “And it’s been a long time since I’ve been in this situation like we’ve been in all year, driving the elite Funny Car, learning to handle the pressure and essentially learning how to block the pressure out and make it nonexistent. I learned a lot this year. I’ve grown a lot as a driver.”

Prock said having Force back at the track is like a “weight off everyone’s shoulders,” and that he’s brought a lot of good energy to the track. Jack Beckman, who has filled in for Force in his Funny Car, qualified second (3.821, 330.47). All the points Beckman earns are awarded to Force in the standings.

“It was a great way to welcome him back. All three John Force Racing cars made tremendous runs,” Prock said. “It was a good way to say, ‘Welcome back, boss.’ Happy to have him here this weekend.”

Brittany Force is looking for her first Top Fuel win of the season. Her No. 1 qualifying run at Las Vegas is her fourth of the season. The two-time Top Fuel champion said her main focus in these final two races is to get a win.

“Our focus is turning on four win lights (Sunday) with the Chevrolet team,” she said. “We’ve been pushing all season long, and we’re finally starting to see the reward. We’ve had No. 1 qualifiers, but our main focus, we really want to do is win tomorrow.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.