NHRA Reading Results, Updated Standings: Austin Prock Still Rules NHRA Funny Car Class

Neither Jack Beckman nor Austin Prock had any idea when they rang in the new year that they’d be driving an NHRA Funny Car this fall, let alone battling each other in the Countdown to the Championship.

But there they were Sunday at the Pep Boys Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, near Reading, Pa., carrying the banner for John Force Racing into the final round against each other. Both have been substitutes, Prock all year for three-time champion Robert Hight, who took a medical leave of absence, and Beckman for the injured team owner for the past three events.

Prock defeated his new teammate to record his sixth victory of the season and 10th of his career.

“It surprises me every time I hold one of these,” he said, clutching his sixth trophy of the season and 10th overall. It also was his second in three years here at Maple Grove Raceway, for he won the Top Fuel final in 2022. The fourth-generation racer celebrated his victory and 86-point lead over Bob Tasca III in the standings along with the 81st birthday of grandfather Tom Prock, a former Funny Car racer.

Other winners Sunday were Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock). In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hector Arana Jr. was a first-time winner this season.

Kalitta Loses Top Fuel Lead in Second Straight Stumble

Doug Kalitta, the reigning Top Fuel champion who entered this race as the No. 1 seed for the Countdown, appeared to be rebounding from his failure to qualify at the previous race, at Indianapolis.

Kalitta qualified third and left the starting line ahead of Montreal-area businessman Dan Mercier in Sunday’s opening round. But right away, Kalitta ran into tire smoke and conceded the victory to part-timer Mercier—and his points lead to Justin Ashley.

The next seven racers behind him in the standings advanced, but by the end of the quarterfinals, only Ashley and Shawn Langdon (the Kalitta Motorsports teammate who bumped him from the U.S. Nationals) remained in the race.

Ashley lost his critical semifinal match-up against closest rival Langdon, who went on to finish as runner-up to Antron Brown, who won for the fourth time in 10 races. That opened the door for Langdon to regain the points lead for the first time since he lost it April 14. But with the loss to Brown, Langdon is third in the standings.

When the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series heads this coming weekend to zMAX Dragway at Concord, N.C., for the Betway Carolina Nationals, Ashley will have a mere one-point edge over second-place Brown. Langdon is five points behind in third, while Kalitta dropped to fourth place, 27 points behind Langdon. That means just 33 points separate the top four in the class.

After Mercier’s cruel reminder for Kalitta that anything van happen on race day, Serge Blanchette, Mercier’s crew chief, said, “We are blessed to race here in the USA with all of you. It is a shame for Mr. Kalitta.”

Kalitta said, “We qualified real well, and the Mac Tools car was running well. For whatever reason, the thing smoked the tires at the hit [of the throttle]. It was one of those deals, and unfortunately, we let one get away. Hopefully we can just shake it off and be ready for Charlotte. We have a lot of racing left.”

Then Mercier eliminated four-time champion Steve Torrence in the second round in an ugly pedalfest, and Blanchette said, “Sometimes you be better lucky than good.”

And Mercier’s first reaction was to say, “Thanks a lot to the American customs officer. He say OK to pass customs for this beautiful country.” Making his body look like those inflatable tube men advertising signs that bend in the breeze, Mercier gushed, “For the first time in my life, I pedaled. It’s fun.” He lost in the semifinal round to Antron Brown.

At the June race at Joliet, Ill., Mercier advanced to his career-first semifinal, defeating 10-time champion Tony Schumacher and No. 1 qualifier T.J. Zizzo.

Races tight in Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle

Aaron Stanfield replaced Dallas Glenn as the Pro Stock leader and will carry a nine-point advantage into the second Countdown event.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hector Arana Jr.’ victory over Richard Gadson in the final didn’t shake up the points at the top of the leaderboard. Gaige Herrera remains No. 1 and Matt Smith No. 2. They’re 17 points apart. Gadson is third, two points behind Smith. So 19 points covers the first three in the bike standings, with the Vance & Hines team fielding two of the top three racers (Herrera and Gadson).

Arana’s triumph, his second at Reading and his 19th totally, came at the Long Island resident’s home track.

Sampey Earns First Top Alcohol Dragster Win

Three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Angelle Sampey was poised to race for her first Top Alcohol Dragster trophy at the previous event, the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. At the starting line, an oil line broke, and she was forced to watch as Hunter Green claimed the victory on a solo pass. But Sunday, she got her chance – and took advantage of it.

Driving her Hangsterfer’s-sponsored, Michalek Brothers Racing-owned entry, she defeated Mike Coughlin by five 10-thousandths (.0005) of a second for a victory that was extra-special because this is where she earned her first of 46 Pro Stock Motorcycle victories in 1996.

Sampey said her goal this weekend was to “finish what we started at Indy. Everything happens for a reason, and so that I could come to [the site of] my vey first win and do it all over again in a Top Alcohol Dragster. I thank you, Antron Brown, for talking me into doing this, because I didn’t want to do it. Now I’m glad I’m doing it.”

Why Six-time Pro Stock Bike champion Matt Smith Might Quit

Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Matt Smith is aware that nemesis Gaige Herrera is motivated more by the idea of keeping him from winning Championship No. 7 than he is scoring back-to-back titles for himself – just to ensure that his crew chief Andrew Hines remains unsurpassed as a six-time champion. Hines, Smith, and the late Dave Schultz lead the category.

Smith said he’s trying simply to focus on his teammates’ motorcycles: “I think just running all the bikes that I have, it helps me. I just focus on everybody else's stuff, and mine I just throw in the last minute and I don't really focus on my stuff so I'm not second-guessing myself. That helps me more than anything. And being a tuner, tuning four motorcycles, and a rider, it's hard. It's hard to do that out here.

“I hope we can get seven [title No. 7]. If we can get seven, I said before I'll probably quit. I don't know,” he said. “I mean, I think Gaige wants me out here, so if I can get seven, I might come back and still try to beat up on him.”

Prock Drives Way into First-to-340 Discussion

The race to the first official 340 mph milestone isn’t a cinch for Funny Car title contender Bob Tasca III, even though he surpassed that (at 341.68) in February’s PRO Superstar Shootout.

The conversation this season naturally has centered on Tasca, but his Funny Car rival Austin Prock is threatening to beat him to it. Prock ripped off a 338.43-mph run in Friday night qualifying that held as the fastest during qualifying in both nitro classes.

It's no wonder everyone is looking at the Funny Car class for the most likely source of the driver to break what could be drag racing’s last speed barrier. Since Robert Hight posted the national-record 339.87-mph speed in 2017 at Sonoma, Calif., the Top Fuel class has been unable to match or improve that. Doug Kalitta, who had the top speed during qualifying this weekend, clocked 336.73 mph.

Brittany Force set the Top Fuel national speed mark at 338.94 in Nov. 2022 at Pomona, Calif. She has hit the 338 plateau three more times, and Justin Ashley, Clay Millican, and Mike Salinas also have run 338 mph. But on the Funny Car side—at Reading’s Maple Grove Raceway—Ron Capps and Hight registered runs of more than 339 mph (Capps, 339.28, 2019, and Hight 339.02, 2017).

“The ol’ Prock Rocket was on fire tonight,” Prock said after his Friday feat. That speed was the third-fastest overall this season, including faster than any Top Fuel dragster. The only car that’s been faster is Bob Tasca’s Ford Mustang, which ran 338.51 mph at Seattle and 338.77 at Sonoma, Calif.

One of John Force’s Records Could Fall Soon

With five more events remaining in the season, Austin Prock needs to top the starting lineup just three more times this season to eclipse boss John Force’s record that has stood since 1996.

Prock, who was barely one year old when Force set the Funny Car record of 13 No. 1 qualifiers in a single season, has 11 this year. In 1996—the year he became the first drag racer recognized as Driver of the Year for all American motorsports—Force was the No. 1 starter in 13 of 19 events. (For added perspective, Robert Hight, who cited medical reasons for stepping out of the seat this year and yielded his seat to Prock, was the No. 1 qualifier nine times in his second pro season in 2006.)

“It’s pretty nuts when you think about it,” Prock said of his opportunity. “We haven’t done it yet, but if everything works out, it would be incredible. But, honestly, it’s all about the guys who give me an outstanding car every run. All I can do is not screw up in qualifying, and I’ve been doing all right with that so far.”

Results

Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway

Final finish order (1-16) at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. The race is the 15th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Antron Brown; 2. Shawn Langdon; 3. Justin Ashley; 4. Dan Mercier; 5. Clay Millican; 6. Tony Stewart; 7. Tony Schumacher; 8. Steve Torrence; 9. Ida Zetterstrom; 10. Doug Foley; 11. Jasmine Salinas; 12. Smax Smith; 13. Josh Hart; 14. Billy Torrence; 15. Doug Kalitta; 16. Brittany Force.

FUNNY CAR:

1. Austin Prock; 2. Jack Beckman; 3. Bob Tasca III; 4. Alexis DeJoria; 5. Ron Capps; 6. J.R. Todd; 7. Chad Green; 8. Cruz Pedregon; 9. Matt Hagan; 10. Mike Smith; 11. Blake Alexander; 12. Jim Campbell; 13. Daniel Wilkerson; 14. Dave Richards; 15. Buddy Hull; 16. Joe Morrison.

PRO STOCK:

1. Aaron Stanfield; 2. Erica Enders; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Dallas Glenn; 5. Cristian Cuadra; 6. Matt Hartford; 7. Camrie Caruso; 8. Chris McGaha; 9. Jeg Coughlin; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 11. Mason McGaha; 12. Cory Reed; 13. Eric Latino; 14. Kenny Delco; 15. Jerry Tucker; 16. Deric Kramer.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Hector Arana Jr; 2. Richard Gadson; 3. Gaige Herrera; 4. Matt Smith; 5. Angie Smith; 6. Steve Johnson; 7. Chase Van Sant; 8. Marc Ingwersen; 9. John Hall; 10. Geno Scali; 11. Chris Bostick; 12. Jianna Evaristo; 13. Ron Tornow; 14. Kelly Clontz.

Final Rounds

Sunday's final results from the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. The race is the 15th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Antron Brown, 3.798 seconds, 327.27 mph def. Shawn Langdon, 3.803 seconds, 332.02 mph.

Funny Car -- Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.896, 332.51 def. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.951, 330.88.

Pro Stock -- Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.569, 209.26 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.557, 210.47.

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.839, 198.38 def. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.874, 198.12.

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Angelle Sampey, 5.304, 273.83 def. Mike Coughlin, 5.307, 273.88.

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Phil Esz, Chevy Camaro, 5.522, 262.23 def. Annie Whiteley, Camaro, 10.059, 118.44.

Competition Eliminator -- Don Eckel, Dragster, 6.942, 191.35 def. Al Ackerman, Dragster, 7.982, 164.55.

Super Stock -- William Kennedy, Pontiac Firebird, 10.449, 128.40 def. Joe Santangelo, Chevy Camaro, 9.729, 127.35.

Stock Eliminator -- Russell Linke, Chevy Camaro, 10.462, 118.00 def. Dan Fletcher, Camaro, 11.456, 103.55.

Super Comp -- Chris DePascale, Dragster, 11.071, 84.21 def. Shawn Fricke, Dragster, Foul - Red Light.

Super Gas -- David Morris, Chevy Camaro, 9.919, 166.70 def. Michael Handras, Chevy Cavalier, 9.989, 160.23.

Top Sportsman -- Brian Vollman, Cobalt, 7.369, 185.23 def. Michael Grafas, Corvette, 6.956, 197.28.

Top Dragster -- Alan Kenny, Dragster, 6.124, 212.96 def. Tim Gray, Dragster, 7.436, 180.07.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock -- Johnny Pluchino, Ford Mustang, 6.325, 223.50 def. John Montecalvo, Mustang, 6.326, 222.47.

Factory Stock Showdown -- Scott Libersher, Chevy Camaro, 7.755, 177.46 def. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 7.797, 176.03.

Round By Round

Final round-by-round results from the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the 15th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Clay Millican, 3.821, 281.19 def. Josh Hart, Foul - Red Light; Steve Torrence, 5.987, 218.87 def. Brittany Force, 8.973, 70.93; Tony Stewart, 4.348, 230.96 def. Billy Torrence, 6.302, 180.33; Tony Schumacher, 3.759, 329.91 def. Doug Foley, 3.780, 327.51; Justin Ashley, 3.759, 328.22 def. Smax Smith, 4.823, 152.87; Dan Mercier, 3.931, 282.48 def. Doug Kalitta, 8.356, 101.84; Shawn Langdon, 3.753, 332.59 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.745, 327.74; Antron Brown, 3.723, 332.84 def. Jasmine Salinas, 4.338, 260.06;

QUARTERFINALS -- Mercier, 5.291, 261.32 def. S. Torrence, 7.014, 110.02; Ashley, 3.771, 330.72 def. Millican, 3.779, 329.58; Langdon, 4.076, 249.39 def. Stewart, 4.351, 212.56; Brown, 3.881, 295.79 def. Schumacher, 4.711, 174.28;

SEMIFINALS -- Brown, 4.268, 251.49 def. Mercier, 11.674, 55.82; Langdon, 3.813, 328.86 def. Ashley, 5.348, 133.10;

FINAL -- Brown, 3.798, 327.27 def. Langdon, 3.803, 332.02.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.878, 330.96 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 13.242, 71.69; Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.875, 334.48 def. Mike Smith, Mustang, 4.211, 245.99; Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 3.940, 327.51 def. Jim Campbell, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.886, 164.65; Jack Beckman, Camaro, No Time Recorded def. Joe Morrison, Dodge Charger, Foul - Centerline; Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.898, 332.34 def. Buddy Hull, Charger, 13.461, 65.66; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.943, 310.63 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.934, 332.67; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 6.130, 163.29 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 11.365, 83.72; Chad Green, Mustang, 4.131, 254.71 def. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.447, 199.37;

QUARTERFINALS -- Tasca III, 5.236, 164.39 def. Capps, Foul - Red Light; Prock, 3.892, 330.07 def. Green, 3.972, 318.09; DeJoria, 4.748, 169.15 def. Pedregon, 6.140, 109.18; Beckman, 3.917, 327.59 def. Todd, 3.947, 317.94;

SEMIFINALS -- Beckman, 6.652, 215.48 def. DeJoria, 6.723, 208.55; Prock, 3.931, 328.14 def. Tasca III, 4.619, 184.98;

FINAL -- Prock, 3.896, 332.51 def. Beckman, 3.951, 330.88.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.577, 209.98 def. Deric Kramer, Chevy Camaro, 16.458, 50.92; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.566, 209.04 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.587, 208.46; Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.571, 208.91 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 11.523, 76.96; Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.562, 208.94 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, Foul - Red Light; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.561, 209.72 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.555, 209.82; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.529, 209.56 def. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.574, 208.68; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.558, 210.34 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.573, 208.88; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.526, 209.26 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.623, 207.82;

QUARTERFINALS -- Stanfield, 6.569, 208.75 def. C. McGaha, 11.661, 81.68; Enders, 6.554, 210.77 def. Hartford, 6.579, 208.97; Anderson, 6.555, 209.43 def. Caruso, 11.501, 75.87; Glenn, 6.538, 209.07 def. Cuadra, 6.570, 209.46;

SEMIFINALS -- Enders, 6.570, 209.92 def. Anderson, 6.581, 209.36; Stanfield, 6.562, 208.68 def. Glenn, 18.736, 41.58;

FINAL -- Stanfield, 6.569, 209.26 def. Enders, 6.557, 210.47.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE -- Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.831, 194.58 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.906, 195.05; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.803, 200.68 def. John Hall, 6.888, 195.42; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.833, 197.22 def. Marc Ingwersen, 6.845, 196.59; Hector Arana Jr, 6.832, 198.26 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, Foul - Red Light; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.817, 198.58 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.901, 196.93; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.813, 200.08 def. Ron Tornow, Broke - No Show; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.858, 175.37 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, Broke - No Show;

QUARTERFINALS -- Herrera, 6.834, 199.23 was unopposed; Arana Jr, 6.812, 198.79 def. A. Smith, 6.822, 199.37; Gadson, 6.893, 196.82 def. Van Sant, 6.905, 194.04; M. Smith, 6.860, 198.17 def. Johnson, 6.896, 193.02;

SEMIFINALS -- Gadson, 6.872, 196.85 def. M. Smith, 16.441, 42.67; Arana Jr, 6.884, 195.62 def. Herrera, Foul - Red Light;

FINAL -- Arana Jr, 6.839, 198.38 def. Gadson, 6.874, 198.12.

Updated Points Standings

Point standings (top 10) following the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the 15th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1. Justin Ashley, 2,181; 2. Antron Brown, 2,180; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2,175; 4. Doug Kalitta, 2,148; 5. Steve Torrence, 2,123; 6. Clay Millican, 2,102; 7. Tony Stewart, 2,087; 8. Tony Schumacher, 2,085; 9. Brittany Force, 2,048; 10. Billy Torrence, 2,031.

Funny Car

1. Austin Prock, 2,250; 2. Bob Tasca III, 2,164; 3. John Force, 2,151; 4. J.R. Todd, 2,123; 5. Matt Hagan, 2,113; 6. Ron Capps, 2,108; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,082; 8. Blake Alexander, 2,068; 9. Chad Green, 2,067; 10. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,056.

Pro Stock

1. Aaron Stanfield, 2,209; 2. Dallas Glenn, 2,200; 3. Erica Enders, 2,174; 4. Greg Anderson, 2,163; 5. Jeg Coughlin, 2,095; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,078; 7. Cristian Cuadra, 2,072; 8. Jerry Tucker, 2,066; 9. Eric Latino, 2,042; 10. Mason McGaha, 2,037.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Gaige Herrera, 2,198; 2. Matt Smith, 2,181; 3. Richard Gadson, 2,179; 4. Hector Arana Jr, 2,138; 5. Chase Van Sant, 2,102; 6. John Hall, 2,099; 7. Angie Smith, 2,096; 8. (tie) Jianna Evaristo, 2,063; Steve Johnson, 2,063; 10. Chris Bostick, 2,033.