Competition Plus’ Water-Cooler Topics From The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn.

Seeking to repeat as an event champion from a year ago, Pro Stock point leader Dallas Glenn and the KB Titan NHRA team entered the 42nd running of the Brainerd Nationals with two victories of the 2024 season and his last coming in Chicago at the Route 66 Nationals earlier this year. Needless to say, the team was hungry for another race victory. 

Glenn qualified No. 7 with a  6.628 second elapsed time at 205.47 mph and opened the first round against teammate, Eric Latino. The win not only produced a victory but also stood as low elapsed time of the event. The success aside, the win over Latino eliminated one of the KB Titan entries, who all lost in the first rounds.

Glenn was indeed the last man standing for KB Titan. 

Justin Ashley captured his third Top Fuel victory of the season on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway, defeating Shawn Langdon in the final round of the 42nd Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. 

Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also took wins at the 13th of 20 races in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Ashley led from start to finish against Langdon, posting a 3.745-second run at 329.34 mph in his dragster to earn his 14th career win. The victory, Ashley’s first since April, moved him to third in the points standings.

Point standings (top 10) following the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the 13th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series -

Final round-by-round results from the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the 13th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

It was a celebration Saturday – again – for Funny Car racer Austin Prock.

Prock won his sixth consecutive Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge trophy, and seventh of the season, by defeating Ron Capps in the final round.

Prock, in Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS for John Force Racing, clocked a 3.860-second elapsed time at 334.07 mph in the win. That pass also was good enough to vault Prock into the No. 1 qualifying spot at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn.

There are plenty of stout drivers in the Elite Motorsports Pro Stock stable, led by five-time NHRA world champion Erica Enders.

On Saturday it was Jerry Tucker’s time to step into the spotlight.

Tucker clocked a 6.612-second elapsed time at 207.78 mph in Q3 and it was good enough for him to capture the No. 1 qualifying spot in his Camaro.

Tucker and Enders had identical elapsed times, but Tucker was awarded the No. 1 spot because he had a higher speed. Enders’ mph was 207.27.

Austin Prock got a two-for-one deal on Saturday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. On the last Funny Car run of the day, he drove the John Force Racing Funny Car to 3.860 seconds at 334.07 mph to secure his ninth No. 1 qualifier of the season. He also defeated Ron Capps to win his seventh #2Fast2Tasty title of 2024. 

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Jerry Tucker (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Like he’s done several times in 2024, Prock will look for a clean sweep of the weekend on Sunday, opening eliminations against Jim Campbell.