WHILE PROCK AS A DRIVER WAS A NEW VARIABLE , MATT HAGAN HAS LINED UP AGAINST THE JIMMY PROCK- TUNED CORNWELL TOOLS FUNNY CAR IN NUMEROUS
FINAL ROUNDS . PROCK ’ S CREW WAS UNDERSTANDABLY RELIEVED WHEN THIS ONE WENT THEIR WAY . have lane choice . We were going for it . That put a little pressure on me because this was only my second night run , and my first one I lifted early because I was losing track of the blocks down there . I had to be perfect . That was the best run I made all weekend .”
The performance built Prock ’ s confidence in himself as a driver . He already had the utmost confidence in his family-led team .
“ There ’ s a reason this car has been so dominant in years past . They never quit ,” Prock said of his team . “ We were ready to quit about two days into this test session . We couldn ’ t get past the Christmas tree seven runs in a row . All of us stayed late until about 1 in the morning on Wednesday night and rolled into Thursday and this thing was a whole new race car . It showed tonight and it showed yesterday . I ’ m just so lucky to be in the seat of this thing , racing with my family , racing with this team . They ’ re a championship-caliber team and I ’ m going to try to win a championship for them .”
Prock drew No . 7 qualifier Alexis DeJoria in the first-round chip draw . He threw down low E . T . of the round , a 3.915 at 326.79 , to defeat DeJoria , who hazed the tires to a 4.589 at 185.56 . Also advancing to the semifinals were four-time and reigning NHRA world champion Matt Hagan , Prock ’ s team owner and teammate , John Force , and Tasca , who made the world ’ s fastest pass by a wheel-driven vehicle the night before .
The random chip draw paired Prock and Force together , ensuring a shot at the $ 250,000 for Team JFR . Unfortunately for Force , Prock set low E . T . of the round yet again with his 3.89 at 331.61 , while Force was third-quickest of the round with his 3.914 at 330.23 .
Hagan , who defeated J . R . Todd and Tasca in his Johnson ’ s Horsepowered Garage ’ 24 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat , was waiting for Prock in the final . Hagan wasn ’ t the one waiting on the starting line , as he grabbed a slight advantage , but Prock power pulled ahead by the time the two reached the finish line . The win light lit up in Prock ’ s lane with a 3.845 at 332.43 on the scoreboard . Hagan crossed second with a 3.872 at 329.75 for an . 018-seconds margin of victory .
“ I can ’ t even put it into words ,” Prock said in the winner ’ s circle . “ It still doesn ’ t feel real . This team is just so exceptional . I was just happy to not mess it up for them . This is a championship-caliber team and a race-winning team . I just had to hang on to the wheel and make sure I got it A to B for them , and we did that today . I had a quote before we came in here , saying if I ended up winning my first-ever race and it was the PRO Superstar Shootout , it would be legendary . I guess we ’ re that today .”
Prock was being humble when he said he just had to hang on to the steering wheel . He was the most consistent leaver all weekend . He cut an . 048 light in Q4 and his worst light in competition was . 081 in Q3 . His average light across four qualifying sessions and three rounds was . 070 , with a spread of just . 005 seconds in eliminations . Funny Car , you ’ ve been warned .
The PRO Superstar Shootout was an unforgettable weekend for the Prock family . Sporting # 374 , the competition number of his grandfather , former Funny Car driver Tom Prock , Austin added another historic accomplishment to the family ’ s chapter in the Funny Car history books .
“ It ’ s so special ,” Prock said . “ You ’ ll never top this one – our first win together . It ’ s been so much fun working together . We all share the same passion for racing , along with Nate Hildahl and the whole Cornwell Tools team . Really excited . We ’ re gonna have some beers tonight .” DI
108 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 187