ENNIS, TX – October 16, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Austin Prock clinched his first career No. 1 qualifier on Saturday at Texas Motorplex, taking the top position in Top Fuel into raceday at the 37th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals.
Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 20th event in the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Prock’s strong run of 3.682-seconds at 334.57 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster from Friday held up through final qualifying on Saturday, giving the young standout and the 2019 NHRA Rookie of the Year his first No. 1 qualifier in his professional career. It’s another exciting moment for Prock in the Countdown to the Championship following his win in Reading to open the playoffs. He’ll open eliminations against Alex Laughlin looking to collect his second victory of the 2022 season.
“We were really glad to keep our number one spot and hopefully this will translate into a good day on Sunday,” Prock said. “We went down the track every run in qualifying and I think the last time we did that was Reading and we ended with a Wally (trophy). So, hopefully, that will be the same case tomorrow.
“This team, they never quit. Everybody kept their heads down and kept working for that same common goal of competing for wins. All the parts and pieces are here and when we get it together, we’re right there. We have to make smart decisions tomorrow and if I drive well, we’re going to turn on some win lights.”
Clay Millican qualified second with a run of 3.685 at 332.08, while Brittany Force’s 3.689 at 335.75 gave her the third spot.
In Funny Car, Hagan collected his sixth No. 1 qualifier in 2022 on the strength of Friday’s run of 3.825 at 334.85 in his 11,000-horsepower Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat. That set the track record on Friday and the three-time world champion followed with two outstanding runs on Saturday, giving him plenty of momentum heading into raceday. Entering eliminations 98 points behind Robert Hight, Hagan will take on Terry Haddock in the opening round as he aims to finish off a big weekend with his fourth victory of the season.
“We’ve had four really good runs out there and, you know, it’s hard to do when you’re in a Funny Car,” Hagan said. “I mean, you put nitro in…
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