The dream continues for Austin Prock.

Just 11 days after winning the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Prock shows no signs of slowing down.

Prock captured the provisional No. 1 position at the Pep Boys Nationals on Friday with a 3.849-second elapsed time at 338.43 mph in Q2 at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.

This is the first race in the six-race Countdown to the Championship.

“Yeah, that was some classic Reading drag racing right there,” Prock said. “This place is always fast. A lot of trees around here, the air's always pretty (good) and they gave us a great racetrack. It  was pretty stout to go No. 1 again, 3.84 and run a career-best speed of 338 miles per hour and some change. Definitely got all of it. She was a little wounded down there. There were some fireworks coming out of the pipes there real late, but we got it done and really proud of this team. It was a heck of a way to start the playoffs.”

In his first season driving a John Force Racing Funny Car full time, Prock has been incredible behind the wheel.

Prock has five wins this season as he has snared Wallys in Phoenix, Bristol, Tenn., Richmond, Va., Seattle and Indianapolis. He also 10 No. 1 qualifiers in 14 races in his John Force Racing Camaro – now possibly 11 of 15.

Now the stakes are even higher for Prock as he entered Reading – the first race in the six-race Countdown to the Championship as the points leader – 20 points in front of Bob Tasca III after the points were reset for the Countdown.

“I knew it left hard and just past the Christmas tree I felt the tire just a hair and it cleared up. And this place, for whatever reason, it seems like in theory both lanes should pull you to the wall, but when you're driving these things for some reason it pulls you in towards the center line,” said Prock, who pilots the Cornwell Tools Chevy for JFR. “So, I probably got about 200 feet out,  and I kind of started feeling it trying to make that move inside. And I had quite a bit of wheel turning left all the way down the track, and when I crossed the (finish line), they were going nuts (on the radio). So, that was really special.”

From 2019-23, Prock drove a Top Fuel Dragster for John Force Racing, finishing a career-best third in the points standings in 2022. He collected four national-event wins and three No. 1 qualifiers.

Then, in 2024, he was thrust into the driver’s seat of JFR Funny Car when three-time world champion driver Robert Hight was sidelined with a medical condition.

“I'm always learning. When you stop learning you might as well hang it up because you're just going to become stagnant, and you'll never get better,” Prock said. “I'm always working on getting better, and I feel like the last two weekends I definitely have improved my craft in driving. I'm really proud of that. I made two really nice, straight runs (Friday) and left the starting line very stout. Proud of the two runs that we made. We racked up five more points, not that I'm counting points. It is nice to hear we get some in the bank.”

Prock said there’s been no secret formula for his success – just driving time.

“One, growing up racing circle track and learning really how to feel the tire and feel the motions of the race car and studying,” he said. “I study each and every of my runs, and I always talk with our track specialists trying to sort out what the track's going to do to kind of have a game plan and just feel the race car and give it what it needs without overdriving it.”

Prock will try and hold on to the No. 1 spot through Saturday’s final two qualifying sessions.

“It should hold. It is going to be a little bit warmer, and we run both sessions are earlier in the day. The track temp will probably be around … I think it was around 102 or 105 or something that run. You'll probably be closer to 120” Saturday.

Prock’s Funny Car teammate, Jack Beckham, who is driving for the injured John Force, is third on the qualifying ladder at 3.869 seconds at 330.80 mph.

“We always share our information, but our race cars are quite a bit different — but they both seem to produce a pretty similar result,” Prock said. “I'm really proud of John Force Racing. The Funny Cars will fly and it's great to see. It's really nice to see (Beckman) running good, and it's only going to get better from here. It'll be a very tough competition this playoff.”

One thing is for sure Prock’s run in Q2 definitely received the stamp of approval from his father/championship crew chief Jimmy Prock.

“Well, a fist pump's one thing, but did the leg come up?” Austin asked regarding his dad’s reaction. “Because if the leg came upx then he is really proud. The leg came up in Indy. He was really proud. We've been trying to get some big mph out of this thing for the last two years, and we've been picking away at it and picking away at it. And we've run 335, 336, but just to leap up into 338, that was pretty cool. I know he's proud of that. I know he's a little pissed that it wounded it a little bit because he hates hurting parts, but we got a good result out of it. If we make it run clean, then let's try to make it run 340.”

And Austin loves competing at the storied Maple Grove Raceway.

“The fans are always great here and the racetrack's always good. The conditions are always good, and it's awesome to put on a good show and really showcase what NHRA drag racing's all about,” Austin said. “It was a great start to the day. Great start for the playoffs. I'm happy. I've been having fun, and I know the whole team is as well.”