NHRA News: Northwest Nationals top qualifiers
Funny Car points leader Austin Prock stayed red-hot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at Pacific Raceways, winning his fourth straight specialty race and fifth this season for John Force Racing on Saturday as part of the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.
Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Prock, Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Herrera all qualified No. 1 at the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
NHRA Funny Car
Prock went 3.993-seconds at 320.13 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat veteran Ron Capps in the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, continuing his domination in the bonus race. He’s now won the challenge five times this year, advanced to six finals and earned 17 bonus championship points in the process.
Austin Prock hopes to use his challenge win as a springboard to a Wally on Sunday.
Prock also made the quickest run in every qualifying session this weekend in Seattle, putting down impressive laps in a variety of weather conditions. At the site of his first professional victory, Prock will aim to pick up his fourth win in what’s already been an incredible 2024 season.
“This team has been very, very consistent. It’s definitely been a fun race car to drive,” Prock said. “We were low in all four qualifying sessions this weekend, and then ended up winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as well, so another great start for the weekend.”
Capps qualified second with a 3.886 at 331.53 and Paul Lee is third after going 3.917 at 327.03.
NHRA Top Fuel
In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley claimed his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the season on Saturday in Seattle, taking down defending world champion Doug Kalitta in the final round with a run of 3.890 at 315.49 in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. The third specialty race victory paces the Top Fuel field, a year after he dominated the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and puts Ashley in another strong position for Sunday eliminations. He defeated Antron Brown earlier in the day and then got past the points leader for the Saturday win.
“This is really meaningful, especially this time of the year because we’re getting closer and closer to the Countdown,” Ashley said. “The way the points are, they get added after the [Countdown points] reset, so these points and qualifying bonus points are super important. Any time we can get a win in competition, whether it’s on race day, or the Mission Foods Challenge, I think it’s really beneficial for us.”
Defending event winner Steve Torrence easily held on to the No. 1 spot for the second time this season and 39th in his career thanks to Friday’s 3.688 at a track-record 335.32. Torrence made a solid run to close out qualifying as well, as the four-time world champ has his sights set on his first victory of the 2024 campaign.
Ashley also qualified second with a 3.694 at 331.04, while Brittany Force took third with a 3.701 at 333.08.
NHRA Pro Stock
Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield, who has won back-to-back national events, now has a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory to his credit, going 6.557 at 208.10 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Janac Brothers car to beat a red-lighting Mason McGaha in the final round. It was a strong turnaround on Saturday for Stanfield, who struggled on Friday but rebounded over the final two qualifying sessions in a big way. He took down Deric Kramer in the opening round and then earned the victory when McGaha went red on the starting line.