Prock extends massive FC points lead, Kalitta gets back-to-back TF victories, Perfect weekend ends with win for Anderson

BRAINERD, MN – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock rolled to his second straight win of the season on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway, defeating J.R. Todd in the final round of the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and putting the reigning world champion on the verge of the regular-season championship.

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also won the 13th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

In the championship round on Sunday, Prock went a blistering 3.907-seconds at 321.50 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS, easily dispatching Todd, who ran into tire smoke early in the run.

With a commanding 242-point advantage over John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman, Prock will clinch the first NHRA regular-season championship – and the $150,000 prize – during qualifying at the world’s biggest drag race, the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indy. Continue reading →

BRAINERD, MN – Reigning Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown made the quickest run on Friday at Brainerd International Raceway, taking the provisional No. 1 position and winning the night’s special American Rebel Light Friday Night “Battle for the Rebel Axe” at the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 13th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Brown went 3.742-seconds at 334.90 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Matco Tools dragster, holding off a strong field to claim the $4,000 bonus and sit atop the “Throne of the North” made from cases of American Rebel Light. Brown also won the Rebel Axe trophy, a cigar box electric guitar custom-built in the shape of a 12-pack of American Rebel Light.

It was an ideal start for Brown, who has six career wins across Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle at Brainerd, as the four-time champ looks to qualify No. 1 for the first time since the season-opener in Gainesville, a race he also won this year. Continue reading →

BRAINERD, MN – Fresh off his first Pro Stock victory since 2011 – and snapping Elite Motorsports’ winless streak in 2025 – Greg Stanfield’s reward is a brand new car for this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

The veteran will debut a new Janac Brothers Racing/The Rod Shop car at the penultimate race of the regular season, looking for another big result with the Countdown to the Championship playoffs approaching. His previous car had come on strong this year in his return to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, capped off by his victory in Sonoma in a final round that also featured his son and Pro Stock standout, Aaron.

With the added momentum from the victory – and moving to seventh in points – Stanfield is thrilled to return to Brainerd, a track where he made his NHRA debut nearly 40 years ago.

“Going into Brainerd, I’ll be in a new Jerry Hass car. Everyone has been busting their tails to get it finished by this weekend,” Stanfield said. “We want to put on a good show for these Minnesota fans. My first race at Brainerd International Raceway was 1987 in Super Stock. It’s a cool place with some crazy fans that really love drag racing. Looking forward to having some fun, letting the clutch out and seeing what happens.” Continue reading →

BRAINERD, MN – Funny Car veteran Ron Capps is quick to sing the praises of Brainerd International Raceway and the loyal fans at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. As Capps and the rest of the stars of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series travel to Brainerd for this year’s annual race, his focus will be on another win at the penultimate race of the regular season.

Capps has been driving Funny Cars for 30 years and Brainerd International Raceway is always one of his favorite stops on the NHRA tour. He has an impressive seven wins from the facility, the most of any active NHRA driver. The fan-favorite track has been so good to Capps, he has his own “Capps’ Corner” section of the famous Zoo camping facility. This year, Capps and his team are focused on capitalizing on a track they are very familiar with in their 12,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra.

“Brainerd is a unique race in and of itself, but for the teams, it’s always an event that you circle on the calendar because you want to make sure, performance-wise, you have a race car that’s ready to go for battle heading into the playoffs,” said Capps, a three-time NHRA world champion. Continue reading →