Brittany Force reaches semifinals, John Force makes early exit

LAS VEGAS – Austin Prock paced John Force Racing by finishing second in Sunday’s final round of Funny Car competition in the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

With team owner John Force failing to advance in the first round, and teammate Brittany Force being eliminated in the Top Fuel semifinals, it was left to Prock to carry the banner for JFR – and that’s just what he did.

Prock has had an outstanding start to the season, reaching the finals in three of the first four races. He finished runner-up in the season-opening race at Gainesville, won his first career NHRA Funny Car race (in just his third-ever start in the class) last week at Phoenix, and now finished runner-up in Las Vegas.

He also won Saturday’s Las Vegas edition of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty competition, a race-within-a-race that takes place in each of the 20 NHRA national events. Continue reading →

Prock earns his third No. 1 qualifier position in the season’s first four races

LAS VEGAS – Austin Prock continued his red-hot ways Saturday, leading John Force Racing in the final day of qualifying for Sunday’s 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Having switched to Funny Car for the first time in his career to start this season, Prock continues to dominate qualifying in the class, earning his third No. 1 qualifier in the first four races of the season.

He’s also moved into the No. 1 position in the Funny Car points standings.

The Lansing, Mich., native then doubled up by winning this week’s edition of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, a season-long series of races-within-a-race that was worth an extra $10,000 for Prock and his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car crew.

Prock now hopes to make it two winning weekends in a row, as he won his first-ever NHRA “Wally” Funny Car winner’s trophy in last Sunday’s race in Phoenix. Continue reading →

Austin Prock earns provisional No. 2 spot in Funny Car, while John Force is right behind in No. 3. Brittany Force is No. 5 in Top Fuel

LAS VEGAS – Continuing the momentum gained from two wins last weekend at Phoenix, John Force Racing got off to a strong start in Friday’s first day of qualifying for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock captured the provisional No. 2 qualifying position, while team owner John Force grabbed the No. 3 spot. Meanwhile, Brittany Force took the provisional No. 5 qualifying spot in Top Fuel.

“We’re coming back stronger this year,” Brittany Force said of the collective JFR effort. “It was a tough season for us last year. We’re not done qualifying, there’s still more out there, but qualifying 2, 3 and 5 is a pretty good place to be.”

Driving the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, Prock was second-quickest (4.015 seconds/317.34 mph) after Friday’s first round of qualifying. Continue reading →

John Force won rescheduled Winternationals final at Phoenix, while Austin Prock earned his first-ever Funny Car win

LAS VEGAS – John Force Racing comes into this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway looking to keep its momentum going after capturing two wins this past weekend in Phoenix.

After weather postponed the final round of the Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., two weeks ago, team owner and 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force won the rescheduled and relocated concluding round at Firebird Motorsports Park as part of the NHRA Arizona Nationals weekend. It was the 156th national event win for Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history.

Also celebrating in the Winner’s Circle at Phoenix was Austin Prock, who won in just his third NHRA start in a Funny Car.

“Clinching the victory in Pomona (Phoenix) was thrilling,” said Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. “It’s still early in the season, but this win sets a positive tone we’re all proud of. Yet, we’re mindful of the fierce competition out there; we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

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Prock earned his first win as a Funny Car driver in just his third start in the class

CHANDLER, AZ – John Force Racing driver Austin Prock proved Sunday that he is unquestionably a quick learner. In just his third career NHRA start in a Funny Car, the Lansing, Mich., native recorded his first win in that class, earning top honors in the 39th annual Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park.

Prock (3.952 seconds/320.74 mph) defeated Alexis DeJoria (4.049 seconds/316.90 mph) in the final round.

“This is huge,” Prock said. “All you want to do is to make your parents proud. It was a big win for Chevrolet and a double-up for John Force Racing. We’re rolling out of here with some gold, baby. WOOOOOH!”

Cheered on by a second straight sold-out crowd in as many days, Prock joined team owner John Force in leaving Phoenix with a Wally winner’s trophy.

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Austin Prock earns second No. 1 qualifier in three races in Funny Car, Brittany Force qualifies No. 2 in Top Fuel

CHANDLER, AZ – The last time John Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history, won a race was three days before his 73rd birthday: May 1, 2022 in the 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, N.C.

Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park, Force gave himself an early 75th birthday present, capturing the rain-postponed final round of the Lucas Oil Winternationals, originally contested in Pomona, Calif., but which was rescheduled to be part of this weekend’s Arizona Nationals.

“Right now, I’m alive,” sad Force, driver of the PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car. “I was going to quit this morning and walk out the gate. And now I’ve changed my mind. I told Prock (young teammate Austin Prock), ‘John don’t quit.’”

The 156th win (4.033 seconds/318.24 mph) of Force’s legendary career came against one of his chief rivals, four-time Funny Car champ Matt Hagan (4.048 seconds/283.61 mph).

“I’m really excited to have pulled this off,” Force said with a big smile on his face. “I didn’t imagine there’d be drivers like Prock, Robert Hight, like Hagan, like (Ron) Capps. I mean, I’m too old to even race these kids. It’s exciting. I give it all I have and push the limits wherever I can.”

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Austin Prock is provisional No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car. while John Force and daughter Brittany win semifinal rounds in #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge

CHANDLER, AZ – It was a display of sheer Force in Friday’s NHRA qualifying for the Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park – as in an outstanding showing by all three John Force Racing drivers.

Austin Prock (3.840 seconds/334.40 mph) captured the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot in Funny Car.

“For sure it was cooking,” Prock said of the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS.

If Prock can hang on to the No. 1, it would be his second No. 1 qualifying effort in the season’s first three races.

As for the main event, Sunday’s Arizona Nationals eliminations, Prock hopes to follow in the footsteps of the driver he is filling in for this season, three-time Funny Car champion Robert Hight, who won the last two editions of the Arizona Nationals in 2022 and 2023.

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NHRA legend could become first Funny Car driver in history to claim wins in three separate and distinct events on same weekend

CHANDLER, AZ – This weekend’s NHRA national event at Firebird Motorsports Park has the potential of being a historic trifecta of sorts for John Force.

The winningest driver in NHRA history with 16 Funny Car championships and 155 national event wins, Force will attempt to become the first Funny Car driver in NHRA history to win three separate and distinct events in the same weekend.

First, Force will attempt to win the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge race-within-a-race specialty event. Four drivers each in Funny Car, Top Fuel and Pro Stock will square off with each other. The winners of the first round of the Challenge, which is also part of Friday’s lone Arizona Nationals qualifying session, will return for the Challenge’s final round during the first of two additional Nationals qualifying sessions on Saturday.

Then, in Saturday’s second qualifying session, Force, in his trusty PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car, will complete the final round of the Winternationals, which was rained out in Pomona, Calif., nearly two weeks ago. Force will face four-time and defending Funny Car champ Matt Hagan.

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The Pacific Northwest entrepreneur passed away in early February at the far too young age of 66 years old

KENNEWICK, WA – For nearly 50 years, John Force has taken great pride in the personal relationships he has built with sponsors who have supported himself or other drivers and cars within the John Force Racing organization.

While Force is thankful to have a strong rapport with sponsors, the 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion and winner of 155 national events typically considers sponsors as friends first and business partners second.

Such was the case with Frank Tiegs, the man Force and several thousand others will pay their respects to today in a Celebration of Life at 3 p.m. PT at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash.

Tiegs, of Pasco, Wash., sadly passed away February 8 at the age of 66. A successful entrepreneur who started his business empire with just one farm in Pasco, Tiegs went on to own more than a dozen businesses that included real estate, farming, processing, finance, development and marketing.

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Force is seeking 8th Winternationals title; race to resume in Phoenix in 2 weeks

POMONA, CA – Rain prevented John Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history, from potentially earning his first win in nearly two years during final eliminations of Sunday’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

As a result, Force will have to wait two weeks before the final round of the Winternationals’ Funny Car competition – Force vs. longtime rival Matt Hagan – will resume as part of the next race weekend, April 5-7, at Firebird Motorsports Park in suburban Phoenix, Ariz.

While a win is not guaranteed to Force, odds are in his favor: he is an undefeated 4-0 in all Winternationals meetings with Hagan (regardless of which round).

The winner of a record 16 NHRA Funny Car championships, Force last won a national event on May 1, 2022, at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, N.C. He made two final round appearances last season, but finished runner-up each time.

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