Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster enter this weekend’s Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway on an upward swing that’s come at the perfect time for the young team.
A breakthrough victory last weekend at Maple Grove Raceway catapulted Prock and the Montana Brand / RMT team from 12th to sixth in the NHRA Camping World points standings, well within contention for the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Top Fuel championship. It was their first final round since the season-opening Winternationals and their first win of the season, second of Prock’s career and puts them just 74 points back of the lead, just four racing rounds.
“It’s been a trying year, but everyone has kept their heads down and kept at and still believed in themselves. Now we’re back in the fight of things and walking with a little bit of a pep in our step,” Prock said. “Looking forward to Charlotte. We have some good momentum coming in here and if we have another stout weekend, we will have a legitimate shot at the title. We’re going to focus on one round at a time like we did in Reading and see how things shake up. Anything is possible.”
In 2019, Prock qualified 13th and had a second-round appearance at the Carolina Nationals and earlier this season Prock exited in the first quad of the Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX after qualifying eighth. Prock will be looking to continue his with the help of veteran crew chiefs Joe Barlam and Rahn Tobler, the latter the only crew chief to have won series championships with three different drivers in two different classes.
Competition at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, the second of six NHRA Countdown to the Championship races, begins with qualifying Friday evening at 7:15 p.m. and Saturday at 2:15 and 6:00 p.m. Eliminations are slated for Sunday at noon. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and begins with a live qualifying show Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET. A second qualifying show airs Sunday at 2 p.m. ET with eliminations coverage at 3 p.m. ET.
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