Funny Car points leader Austin Prock powered to his first career victory at the U.S. Nationals, defeating back-to-back winner Ron Capps in the final round of the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals on Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. All four drivers won the U.S. Nationals for the first time.
Prock went 3.885-seconds at 327.98 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS in the final round, leaving the starting line first and holding off Capps’ 3.935. It gives Prock his fifth victory this season, as he defeated Chris King, Alexis DeJoria and Blake Alexander to reach the finals, beating Capps to earn his ninth career victory. It continues to be a dream season for Prock, who will enter the Countdown to the Championship playoffs in the points lead and as a championship favorite. This weekend couldn’t have gone better for Prock, who was the No. 1 qualifier and followed it up with his first win at the world’s biggest drag race.
“We got our first U.S. Nationals win, super proud of the team. It was a great effort all weekend long,” Prock said. “Everyone talks about Indy, it’s the biggest race of the year, and it is. But all weekend long I treated it even less than a race, I kind of treated it as a test session and just tried to stay focused and race my own lane. That was good enough to get the job done this weekend. I’m very proud of the team. It still hasn’t hit me that we won the U.S. Nationals.
“So many people dream of winning this race and very few have. I’m very proud to add my name to that list with my dad (crew chief Jimmy), my brother Thomas turning the knobs with Nate Hildahl. It’s a pretty surreal moment. To cap off the regular season the way we did is very comforting. I don’t see us slowing down any time soon. People say when you’re hot, you’re hot and right now we’re hot and have been all year long.”
Capps, who just missed out on becoming the first Funny Car driver to win the U.S. Nationals three straight years, advanced to his 150th career final round and third this season on the strength of victories against J.R. Todd, Buddy Hull and Jack Beckman. He moved to fifth in points, while Prock…
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