3-Time NHRA Funny Car Champ Robert Hight Taking Medical Leave from Racing

• Robert Hight is stepping aside with 65 victories and both ends of the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Funny Car class’ performance records (for elapsed time and speed).

• Austin Prock, 28, already is licensed in both nitro categories and will have chance to work with tuner dad Jimmy Prock and crew member brother Thomas Prock as Hight's replacement.

• ‘It’s a big hit to the team,’ Prock says.

In a news bombshell Tuesday from John Force Racing, three-time NHRA Funny Car champion Robert Hight, 54, has announced he will take a hiatus at the start of this season to address undisclosed medical concerns and 28-year-old Austin Prock will switch from the Top Fuel class to Funny Car in his place, at least temporarily.

So when the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season begins with the March 7-10 Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla., Prock will be driving Hight’s Cornwell Tools/Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro. His father, Jimmy Prock, will be his crew chief, and his brother, Thomas Prock, will be assistant crew chief.

Hight will remain in his role as president of John Force Racing and said he will resume competition as soon as his health permits. Hight did not give a timetable for his return.

The unexpected change of plans comes on the heels of surprise postseason news that key marketing partner Frank Tiegs (Flav-R-Pak, Montana Brand, Rocky Mountain Twist) is withdrawing his financial support. That left Prock without funding for his Top Fuel ride and Force’s daughter and two-time Top Fuel champion Brittany Force without sponsorship for approximately half a season, as John Force is scrambling for full funding for his race cars.

Prock said Hight broke the news to him: “I found out on Thursday. Total shock. Total surprise. Yeah, it was a huge surprise, actually. There was plans of not running our dragster this year, and it looked like I was going to be sidelined again, and then everything turned around.

“It's a little bittersweet,” he said. “I hate to see Robert have to step away for a little bit, but it's always been a dream of mine to drive a Funny Car, especially for my dad. And to top it off, the assistant crew chief being my brother Thomas. So it’ll be an all-Prock affair, and hopefully we can do good for all the fans and sponsors that we have.”

Jimmy Prock, he said, “is excited (although) it’s been bittersweet for all of us. All of us are really close with Robert. He's really like part of the family. I've known Robert pretty much my whole life, and my dad's raced with Robert his whole career pretty much, other than a year or so here or there. So it's a big hit to the team. You hate to see your driver have to step away, but we're all excited, racing with your family. That's really special. And hopefully we can all do a good job together.”

Brother Sam is general manager at John Force Racing, and Austin Prock said, “We have a machine shop and fab shop and parts room and you name it. We pretty much have it in that building, and he helps manage all that. So “It's really special being able to work with your family and all share the same passion,” he said. Even mother Jill often packs the parachutes before a pass.

Because Hight is coming off his fifth overall and second straight runner-up finish, he was especially eager to begin another campaign. Throughout the years, immediately after a race, whatever the outcome, Hight has said he wishes the next event were the next day. He raced the final three events of 2018 with a broken collarbone because he was in the thick of the title chase. So this setback was another difficult reality for him.