Austin Prock wins at NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals, adds to Funny Car lead in Brainerd

Austin Prock, Doug Kalitta and Greg Anderson earned victories in the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway.

It was the sixth Funny Car victory of the season for Prock, the points leader in that class.

Kalitta earned his second Top Fuel win of the season and 57th of his career, while Anderson picked up his fifth Pro Stock victory this year and 111th of his career.

In the finals, Prock went 3.907 seconds at 321.50 mph to defeat J.R. Todd.

“I came in here with a chip on my shoulder and went out and executed our game plan,” Prock, who lost via holeshot last summer in Brainerd, told reporters after Sunday’s event.

“We need to get into the playoffs and execute and just keep right on going. I don’t need to approach it any differently, but I need to make sure I’m on point.”

Prock has a 242-point lead over John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman going into the next event — the U.S. Nationals on Aug. 27 in Indianapolis. Prock can clinch the NHRA regular-season championship — and the $150,000 prize — during qualifying at the world’s biggest drag race.

“This car has been a pleasure to drive. AJ [crew chief Alan Johnson] had it dialed in,” said Kalitta, who won for the first time in Brainerd since 2005. “It’s just a matter of putting it together the same way every time.

“I have a lot of history here when Connie [Kalitta] was driving and I was working on his car. This has always been a special place to race. Consistency is definitely the name of the game. We have a great shot at another championship.”

Anderson’s victory over Dallas Glenn in the Pro Stock final was his first at Brainerd since 2011.

Brittany Force set the track speed record in the Top Fuel quarterfinals Sunday with a 341.25.