AUSTIN PROCK ery day, you’ re going to eat yourself alive. You’ re going to fail.”
Prock used that mindset to make sure he came into work each day with a better attitude, which soon spread throughout the rest of the team as well.
“ When the guys see me happy, they become happy,” says Prock.“ I’ ve been really proud of this team and how they’ ve handled all of this. All of the hate, the animosity, the work, everything that we’ ve been going through. I’ m proud of them keeping a positive attitude and just taking the blows with us. We’ re in this together. When you go through all those struggles, those wins taste so much sweeter.”
The struggles haven’ t only been on the mechanical side of things. Prock’ s offseason departure from John Force Racing split one of the most passionate fan bases in motorsports, and his“ Who’ s laughing now?” line he delivered to NHRA on FOX’ s Amanda Busick on the top end in Maryland went viral within minutes. Prock, however, says there was nothing rehearsed about it.
“ Unfortunately, it wasn’ t premeditated. She asked the question and it just slipped out,” says Prock.“ But it’ s true. That’ s how we feel. I’ ve been very adamant saying that we’ re going to get the last laugh. There’ s no doubt in my mind. I have some of the best people in my corner. My father is going to go down as one of the greatest to ever do this. It’ s not if, it’ s when.”
Prock is also adamant that despite all the noise surrounding the newfound Force-Tasca rivalry, Jack Beckman – the man in the other lane in the final round and Prock’ s former teammate – has his utmost respect.
“ Me and Jack, we’ ve been really cool with each other throughout all this. He really is a class act,” says Prock.“ I loved racing with Jack, and I love racing against Jack. I wouldn’ t say there’ s really any rivalry between us. It’ s more of a rivalry for the entertainment value. Do I
Austin Prock( left) and Bob Tasca III( right) were all smiles during the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway.
want to beat that car maybe a little bit more than I want to beat some of the other cars? Yeah. But at the end of the day, I want to whoop everyone’ s ass. I don’ t care who’ s in the other lane. A win’ s a win.”
As for the vitriol that has plagued social media since Prock’ s departure from JFR? He welcomes the passion and buzz the new rivalry has brought to the table. He’ s also just as direct, however, about who his real fans are, as opposed to those who turned on him the moment he switched teams.
“ I was a little shocked at how big this story ended up being,” Prock admits.“ I thought people would be shocked that Force let us get away, honestly. I didn’ t think it would turn into this war like it has. John Force has a very passionate fanbase, and to the people that were my‘ fans’ and don’ t like me any more … they were never my fans. They were a fan of John Force, and I happened to be driving his race car, and that’ s why they liked me.
“ A lot of fans have taken his side, and a lot have taken my side,” continues Prock.“ The difference is my fans aren’ t on the internet running their mouth all day. I go to the racetrack and I feel like everything’ s cherry – the shirts are flying off the shelf, the hero cards are running out, the ropes are packed – and then you go home and you get on the internet and it’ s like people wouldn’ t piss on me if I was on fire.”
Through all of the ups and downs, Prock says team owner Bob Tasca III has never wavered, even as he wrote checks without seeing the desired results. Perhaps most importantly, though, is how Tasca has personally treated everyone with respect throughout the entire experience.
“ Working with Bob has really been a breath of fresh air,” says Prock.“ I’ ve gotten to know Bob Tasca away from the racetrack; Bob Tasca as an owner and as a driving coach, and I have really enjoyed every step of the way. He treats my family outstanding. He treats my team outstanding.
“ He’ s been our number one supporter through the struggles. He’ s the guy shelling out the coin to make all this happen, and when you don’ t see any results, it can get frustrating, especially when you’ re the owner. He’ s stood by our side this entire time. He’ s very intelligent. He understood there was going to be a process. I would’ ve loved to have been up there on the starting line to see him after we won. The losing was fun racing with him, and I can tell you one thing: the winning’ s really, really fun.”
And after getting a taste of victory in Maryland? Prock says he’ s ready for more.
“ I think we’ re all definitely hungry now after tasting it again,” says Prock. DI
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