Photos by Ron Lewis, Mike & Jeff Burghardt, Brian Losness
FRIDAY NOTEBOOK – VEGAS CHAOS: PROCK CASHES IN, FORCE FLIES, NHRA RUMORS HEAT UP
1 – PROCK STILL OWNS VEGAS – Austin Prock kept his mastery of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway intact Friday, making the quickest run in both qualifying sessions and claiming the $3,500 “Ted Wiens Trick or Traction Award” during the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection.
The Funny Car points leader powered his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to a 3.895-second run at 334.48 mph, putting him on pace for his seventh No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 25th of his career. He now sits in prime position for a third straight Las Vegas win and a potential sweep of both events at the facility this year.
“We’ve had a lot of success here,” Prock said. “Coming back for the Countdown is exciting for us. We got the win here last year and pretty much locked up the title, so hopefully we can do that again this weekend. We came in looking for more points and we earned all of them today — No. 1 qualifier and low ET both rounds.”
Prock credited his team for staying sharp under pressure, noting that small incentives like the “Trick or Traction” bonus bring out their best. “Anytime they throw up a little extra cash or some sort of bonus, this team snatches it up,” he said. “There’s always more incentive to do a good job when you can earn that.”
The defending world champion sits ahead of Matt Hagan, who ran 3.897 at 329.75, and rookie Spencer Hyde, who posted a 3.917 at 324.75. Prock said his focus is on maintaining momentum and avoiding mistakes with only two races left in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
“This countdown is so stressful, and it’s a hell of a lot less stressful if you can go into Pomona and breathe,” Prock said. “We’ve started about as good as we could, and now we just have to finish the job.”
2 – THE SPEED QUEEN DELIVERS ANOTHER JACKPOT – Two-time Top Fuel champion Brittany Force made her next-to-last race weekend one to remember Friday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, setting a track speed record with a 3.697-second run at 338.85 mph to take the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot at the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection.
The run earned Force the $3,500 “Ted Wiens Trick or Traction Award” and, if it holds, would mark her sixth No. 1 qualifier of the season. Force, who will retire from full-time racing at the end of the year, said the moment was meaningful.
“That was a killer run,” Force said. “We hit our marks exactly how we wanted. To go No. 1 at one of my favorite racetracks, that’s something special. We’re proud of this team and how we’re finishing the year.”
Force has long considered Las Vegas a home away from home. She’s raced at the facility in Super Comp, Top Alcohol Dragster, and Top Fuel and has multiple event wins, including a double-up with teammate Austin Prock in 2023.
“This place has always felt like home,” she said. “The backdrop, the atmosphere — it’s pure Vegas. My first win here was special, but doubling up with Austin and having my dad back at the track after his wreck made last year unforgettable.”
As she prepares to close her full-time career, Force said she’s focused on enjoying the moment. “It’s weird to think about stepping away,” she said. “I’m trying to stay in the moment with my team and enjoy these last races. Once we get to Pomona, I’ll handle that there.”
Force’s blistering run came amid one of the tightest Top Fuel fields of the season. Points leader Doug Kalitta followed with a 3.711 at 337.24, and Shawn Langdon was third at 3.715 and 336.57.
“I want to finish strong,” Force said. “This season has been one to be proud of — the records, the wins, the 340-mph runs. Fans ask if I’ll go faster, and I tell them, ‘343 is good enough until someone takes it from me.’”
Force smiled when asked what she wants fans to remember about her. “If I’ve inspired someone to chase their dream, that’s a win for me,” she said. “I’ve been lucky to live mine.”
3 – REED SETS THE PRO STOCK PACE – Cory Reed closed out Friday qualifying at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in commanding fashion, running a 6.597-second pass at 206.32 mph to take the provisional No. 1 spot in Pro Stock at the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection.
The J&A Service Chevrolet Camaro driver also earned the $2,000 “Ted Wiens Trick or Traction Award” for his efforts, continuing a breakout year that already includes his first career Pro Stock victory in Norwalk. Reed, who sits fifth in points, has been steadily improving, with back-to-back top-three qualifying efforts in St. Louis and Dallas before topping the charts Friday.
“It’d be nice to knock it out and get it done with,” Reed said of securing his first career No. 1 qualifier. “It’ll be tough, though. Erica’s running good again, Greg and I are really tight, and anything can happen tomorrow. Hopefully the weather gets really tricky.”
Reed’s smooth, confident approach reflects how far he’s come since entering the class. “I hope this momentum keeps going,” he said. “I want to move back forward in the championship, not backward. Having a good attitude helps — it makes it easier to go to bed and wake up happy.”
The 30-year-old admitted he’s been refining his technique after a few self-inflicted setbacks.
“Just myself, doing stupid stuff,” he said. “Thinking too much, flickering the bulb trying to be real shallow, hesitating on the gas. I’m trying to get that out of my system, and it’s getting better.”
Reed said his car’s performance Friday was helped by small mechanical changes and freshened power. “They moved some shift points up and bumped some lights for me,” he explained. “They took the engine out after the last race to freshen it, and I didn’t want them to. But they did a good job — it’s running strong.”
For Reed, who also recently shaved his head to donate hair, it’s been a season of both personal and professional growth.
“I’m just trying to improve mentally,” he said. “Once you get around 100 runs, things start to click. I’ve learned a lot from mistakes and just want to finish strong.”
With a smile, he added his final goal for the year: “I want to win the last two races. I’ll give it the best shot I can.”
4 – HERRERA REGAINING MOMENTUM – Gaige Herrera began his comeback bid in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship chase with a powerful Friday performance at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, taking the provisional No. 1 qualifier and earning the “Ted Wiens Trick or Traction Award.”
Herrera made the quickest run in both sessions, highlighted by a 6.800-second pass at 199.17 mph on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki. The effort netted him a $1,000 bonus and tightened the gap on teammate and points leader Richard Gadson, who entered the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection 72 points ahead. Angie Smith followed with a 6.824 at 198.82, while Gadson ranked third at 6.834, 198.06.
“I’m definitely happy with the start of the weekend,” Herrera said. “Getting those extra little bonus points and that check from the Wiens family just adds to it. Coming into this race, I had a different mindset — just going out there trying to be consistent as a rider. I feel like I’m kind of back to how I used to be.”
Herrera, the two-time defending world champion, said he isn’t interested in calculating scenarios. “I don’t really count points,” he said. “Every time I’ve been in a situation like this and started thinking about what I need to make up, it bites me. I just go out there and let the cards play how they’re going to play.”
While Gadson holds the upper hand in the standings, Herrera acknowledged that both riders have kept the rivalry friendly — for now. “We really haven’t talked much beef,” he said with a grin. “Right now, we’re focused on what we need to do. Going into Pomona, it’s going to be a different story. Points and a half there — it’s going to get interesting.”
Herrera, who won eight events in 2023, admitted this season’s challenge has given him renewed perspective. “I got a lot of wins very quick, and the two championships. This year’s been different, but it’s been good for me mentally,” he said. “Like my grandpa always told me, once you’re at the top there’s only one way you can go — down. I’ve had some downs this season, but it’s made me stronger.”
5 – BONUS TIME IS PROCK TIME – Austin Prock continued his Friday-night dominance, adding another bonus award to his growing list as NHRA’s “Ted Wiens Trick or Traction” program made its debut during the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The new incentive, sponsored by Ted Wiens Complete Auto Service, offered cash bonuses to the quickest drivers in the second qualifying session for each of the four NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series categories. The Top Fuel and Funny Car winners each received $3,500, while Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle low qualifiers collected $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.
Friday’s winners included Brittany Force in Top Fuel, Prock in Funny Car, Cory Reed in Pro Stock, and Gaige Herrera in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Among the group, only Prock remains undefeated in Friday bonus rounds this season.
“Anytime they throw up a little extra cash or some sort of bonus, this team snatches it up,” Prock said. “Dave told me last night that there’s going to be a little extra money on the line, and anytime there’s more incentive to go do a good job and earn that, it’s really cool.”
Ted Wiens Brand Manager Jennifer Wiens said the partnership was designed to blend the spirit of Halloween with a celebration of drag racing performance. “The ‘Ted Wiens Trick or Traction Award’ is a perfect way to celebrate Halloween and recognize the driver who lays down the quickest pass in Q2 on Friday,” she said.
Ted Wiens Complete Auto Service also sponsors Top Fuel driver Kelly Harper and supports multiple family entries in the sportsman ranks, including Top Dragster, Super Comp, and Super Gas.
6 – OF RUMORS AND THE TBA – After weeks of speculation, NHRA officials have confirmed that the fall 2026 Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will not convert to a four-wide format. The event will remain a traditional two-lane race, despite internal discussions to expand it.
Rumors of a four-wide format began circulating earlier this month, suggesting that Las Vegas would mirror the spring four-wide event held annually at Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway. According to NHRA Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Jeffrey Young, the idea was seriously considered before the sanctioning body opted against it.
“Next year will not be a four-wide,” Young said. “It’s going to be a normal event. We checked out Charlotte and wanted to test how it did with ticket sales and made a decision that for next year we’ll go two-wide for Vegas.”
Meanwhile, attention has shifted to the lone “TBA” slot remaining on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule. Industry sources told CompetitionPlus.com the new event is likely headed to a historic track in the Carolinas that has been sanctioned by the NHRA, IHRA, and the now-defunct AHRA — a description that fits Rockingham Dragway.
Rockingham, which has undergone extensive renovations under new ownership, is widely considered the leading candidate. When asked about the timeline for an announcement, Young said it could come soon. “I would expect an announcement in the next couple of weeks on that,” he said.
If confirmed, the return of Rockingham would mark the NHRA’s first national event at the North Carolina facility since it hosted the Winston Invitational in the 1990s.
7 – THE KINETIC CHESS OF DRAG RACING – Before the first pair of nitro cars fired for the NHRA Nevada Nationals, a different kind of training session took place in town — one where drivers learned what it means to stay calm when instinct says run.
MMA legend Randy Couture, a member of the SCAG Racing organization and longtime drag racing fan, hosted a group of racers that included Pro Mod championship contenders Mike Stavrinos and J.R. Gray, along with nitro drivers Dan Wilkerson and Dave Richardson. The retired fighter called it “kinetic chess,” a blend of discipline and instinct that he believes applies as much to the drag strip as it does to the octagon.
“The only place they really intersect is right between your ears,” Couture told the group. “There’s a huge piece of driving that’s mental — shutting down your fight-or-flight instinct. Nobody wants to stand there and have things coming at their face, but you have to train through that.”
Couture compared the focus needed to launch a Pro Mod to stepping into a cage for a title fight. “You’re strapped into this thing and there’s something in your brain screaming, ‘What am I doing here right now?’” he said. “Staying calm, cool and collected with that kind of horsepower at your disposal is what it’s all about.”
The demonstration got physical quickly. Wilkerson, who tunes and drives a Funny Car, said Couture tossed him around before he had a chance to react. “I told him, ‘You’re just throwing a bean bag around,’” Wilkerson laughed. “I didn’t even have time to defend myself. I’d rather be in my Funny Car — at least I know what to do when it goes wrong.”
Richardson agreed, despite his 6-foot-2 frame. “I felt small,” he said. “That guy’s just got something to him. At least in the race car I’ve got a helmet and belts. In there, I didn’t know what was coming next.”
Pro Mod racer Mike Stavrinos said the mental crossover made sense. “A lot of similarities between the two sports,” he said. “The mindset is the same — control the chaos, stay composed, execute.”
Couture wrapped up the session with advice that could apply to any racer staring down the Christmas Tree. “You have to overcome that instinct to get the hell out of there,” he said. “Control the chaos, execute, and don’t let the fear drive you.”
8 – WELCOME BACK BUDDY – Buddy Hull’s long-awaited return to NHRA Funny Car competition didn’t go exactly as planned, but the Jim Dunn Racing driver was simply grateful to be back behind the wheel.
Making his first run since a left-hand injury sidelined him for six national events, Hull’s comeback at the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection ended early when his KGC Construction-backed Funny Car caught fire during Friday’s opening qualifying session at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“Coming back after my hand injury, I wanted that first hit in Vegas to be clean and smooth — but racing doesn’t always go as planned,” Hull said. “We made it about 400 feet before the car lit up. It’s not the comeback story I pictured, but it’s part of the journey. Every time you strap into one of these cars, you’re reminded how unforgiving they can be … and how lucky you are to climb back out and get another shot at it.”
The fire was likely caused by a head gasket being pushed out, ending Hull’s first qualifying attempt. He was uninjured, but finished the day outside the field, setting up a critical Saturday for the Jim Dunn Racing team to secure a spot in eliminations.
“You get knocked down, you get back up, and you light it off again,” Hull said. “That’s what this sport is all about.”
9 – REMEMBERING KEN BLACK – The NHRA and The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway paid tribute Friday to late Pro Stock team owner and Las Vegas businessman Ken Black by naming the facility’s return road “Ken Black Way.”
The dedication came during the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals, marking a permanent tribute to the man whose KB Racing and KB Titan Racing organizations shaped two decades of Pro Stock dominance. The newly named stretch of pavement runs in front of the left-side grandstands – the same path KB Titan Racing drivers will continue to take after each pass down the racetrack.
Moments after the unveiling, crew chief and former Pro Stock standout Dave Connolly piloted a specially designed KB Titan Racing Chevrolet Camaro in honor of Black. The car carried a paint scheme replicating the original Vegas General Construction Pro Stocker that Greg Anderson drove in the team’s early years — complete with the vintage KB Racing logo. Each KB Titan driver also raced this weekend with Black’s name on their windows and the old KB Racing emblem on their cars.
“This is huge,” Connolly said. “This is probably the biggest honor I’ve had since starting my Pro Stock career. I’ve always had nothing but respect for Ken Black, his wife Judy, and this team that he started. He was such a good guy, and he did so much for this sport. He changed the class, there’s no doubt about it.”
Anderson, who has driven for the organization since its inception in 2002, wore a throwback KB Racing uniform as part of the tribute. “Obviously, we lost Ken a couple of months ago, and he meant everything to this race team,” Anderson said. “Not one of us out here would be here if it wasn’t for Ken Black. This is his racetrack, his town, and we want to do everything we can to make the family proud.”
Standing beside Black’s widow, Judy, Anderson reflected on their shared journey. “Everybody knows I would not be out here today if it wasn’t for Ken Black,” he said. “This entire KB team would not be here, and Pro Stock wouldn’t be what it is today. He would be so proud looking at that sign.”
10 – PRO MOD CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE INTENSIFIES – Four drivers roll into The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend knowing a single round could decide everything.
The 2025 Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series championship comes down to Billy Banaka, Mike Stavrinos, J.R. Gray, and Derek Menholt — four men separated by just 24 points heading into the season finale. Banaka leads Stavrinos by 11 points, with Menholt 16 back and Gray 24 in arrears.
“It’s a very tight race,” said Stavrinos. “There’s about seven or eight of us fighting for a championship. It’s going to come down to the final round, in my opinion.”
Gray, who led the list of regular-season winners with three, said the goal is straightforward. “It’s a real easy strategy — win the race, win the championship,” he said. “You can only do that one round at a time.”
Menholt surged into contention with his St. Louis victory and believes the Countdown to the Championship format helped level the field. “Everybody that’s in that hunt is competitive,” he said. “We wouldn’t have been able to compete if it wasn’t reset.”
The Pro Mod class has seen five winners in nine events this year, including three first-timers in Banaka, Stavrinos, and Menholt. Sidnei Frigo sits fifth in points, 51 back, as part of a deep 20-car field where even veterans like Mike Janis and Rickie Smith remain mathematically alive.
Banaka’s consistency has carried him to the top, though his margin offers little comfort. One early exit could erase a season’s worth of steady results.
For Stavrinos, the moment is a dream realized. “I’ve watched those championship battles all my life, thinking maybe one day we’d be here,” he said. “It’s surreal to come to Vegas knowing we’re less than one round out of first.”
The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will conclude qualifying Saturday before eliminations begin Sunday at 9 a.m. PDT.
By the time the lights cool on The Strip, one driver will celebrate a first world title — and the others will leave knowing how close they came.
“Win the race, win the championship,” Gray said. “It’s really that simple — and that hard.”
Heading into Saturday’s final rounds of qualifying, Banaka leads the way with a 5.738, while Stavrinos is No. 6 with a 5.772. Meholt is No. 10 with a 5.782 and Gray is No. 12 with a 5.794.
