Story By: JERRY BONKOWSKI / JOHN FORCE RACING – BRAINERD, MN – Austin Prock continued to set new standards Saturday at the wheel of the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS, winning his sixth straight Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge in advance of Sunday’s 42nd Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
The fourth-generation racer, who turns 29 on Wednesday, beat Ron Capps in the #2Fast2Tasty final after an opening victory over Bob Tasca III, to whom he had lost in the semifinals at Sonoma, Calif., by .001 of a second. It wasn’t that close this time around as Prock powered his way to a 3.945 second time while Tasca slowed to 4.022.
“This is crazy,” beamed Thomas Prock, brother of the point leader and a key player on the Cornwell crew. “I can’t believe we’ve won so many of these events and that was a great run right there. The track got very good after they prepped it (following a massive oildown). Great job by the NHRA. Way to stick with it and get it down right!”
In the final, Prock was out first and never trailed, winning in a time of 3.860 seconds that carried him to the No. 1 qualifying position for the ninth time in 13 races this season.
Until Saturday, no one had won more consecutive #2Fast2Tasty races than Top Fuel driver Justin Ashley, who won five straight times in 2023, the year the program made its debut. Overall, Saturday’s win was Prock’s seventh outright his season (he also shares a win with J.R. Todd after weather canceled their final round match at Pomona, Calif., last March) and the ninth for John Force Racing.
PROCK RACES TO NINTH NO. 1 START OF THE SEASON
After delays for weather and a series of track cleanups, Austin Prock made it all worthwhile Saturday, driving the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to the No. 1 qualifying position for Sunday’s 42nd Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway with a time of 3.860 seconds.
It will be the ninth No. 1 start of the season for the 28-year-old Funny Car rookie who will line up against 16th qualifier Jim Campbell in Sunday’s opening round with a chance to earn another weekend double made possible by his sixth straight win in Saturday’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.
While the “Prock Rocket” was assuming its usual position at the top of the order, “Fast Jack” Beckman continued to impress in a fill-in role for John Force in the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Camaro in which he finished the day in the No. 6 position after improving to 3.890 seconds at 327.51 mph in the delayed fourth qualifying session.
That will send the world’s fastest elevator repairman off in the first round against Bobby Bode and keep him on the opposite side of the ladder from Prock, making possible an all-John Force Racing final round.
PEAK crew chief Dan Hood was pleased with progress made since Beckman first climbed into the car in which Force won twice this year before suffering a TBI in a crash at Richmond, Va.
“We’re slowly getting there,” he said. “We were trying to run a little better than (the 3.890) but every run we can get for (Beckman), get him more comfortable, it’s just better for tomorrow. He’s a pretty cool guy, you know. He talks a lot like John, but we’re used to that.”
Meanwhile, a resurgent Brittany Force and her Monster Energy Chevrolet were the quickest combination on the property Saturday, putting a 3.698 at 335.47 miles per hour on the board that propelled the two-time Top Fuel World Champion to the No. 3 qualifying position, the same position from which she started when she won the race in 2016.
Hers was the only sub-3.70 second run of the second day, earning her three valuable qualifying bonus points and sending her into the first round against Clay Millican.
“We’re very pumped about that run,” said the 16-time tour winner of her 3.69. “We had three solid qualifying runs. It was enough to give us information and really get us prepared for race day tomorrow. We hit our first goal – qualifying top five. We just need to go some rounds (on Sunday).”