Austin Prock returned to familiar territory Friday night at Texas Motorplex, claiming the provisional No. 1 Funny Car position and pocketing another $15,000 “JEGS Friday Night Live” bonus. Prock’s run of 3.876 seconds at 336.07 mph was his sixth No. 1 qualifier of the season and another step in his push to defend his NHRA Funny Car world title.

The Cornwell Tools Chevrolet driver backed up his reputation for performing under pressure, going from an early stumble in the first qualifying session to the top of the charts in the second. For Prock, who came into the Texas FallNationals with eight wins in 2025, the turnaround wasn’t just about numbers, it was a statement after recent early exits.

“It’s a little nerve-racking on a Friday,” Prock said. “Especially when you spin early, because you’re a little bit gun shy because you don’t really know exactly what the track can hold. You’ve got to go up there and load this race car up to make a lot of horsepower and run a quick ET. So it’s a fine balance.”

Despite the pressure, Prock said he had complete faith in his Cornwell Tools team, led by his father, crew chief Jimmy Prock, and brother Thomas. “These guys are very intelligent, very sharp, and they threw a couple options at it,” he said. “You just got to believe in your run book and try to make smart decisions. They did exactly that, and we’re walking home with $15,000.”

The rebound performance came after a shaky start to the day, reminding Prock of last month’s struggles in Reading, where a similar misstep preceded a strong recovery. “Earlier this year … we spun it about the same point,” he said. “We actually made it a little bit further this one. Then we went up there and ran 88, and that gave them a little bit more confidence in what we’re capable of doing.”

Prock’s run came on a notoriously tricky surface. Texas Motorplex, known for its narrow groove and distinct traction limits, can make even seasoned drivers uneasy under the lights. Prock said he studied the track closely before Friday night’s pass. “I walked the racetrack and I was actually pretty impressed with how much traction there was outside the groove,” he said. “You could walk outside that dark distinct coloring and it still had quite a bit of grip. It kind of lets you float the race car around a little bit.”

Still, he admitted, racing there in the dark adds tension. “Every Friday night here in Dallas, this is one of the most nerve-racking runs of the year because they try their best to light this place, but it is still dark out there,” Prock said. “I got about to the 660 and I felt the thing maybe creeping a little bit to the wall and gave it some wheel. This Chevrolet steered good. It went right to the center line, did exactly what I told it to, and had my hands full.”

That level of control — even when “driving one-handed” to get the parachutes out — proved enough for low ET honors and a boost in confidence heading into the weekend. But for Prock, the run was more than a quick number, it was a reset moment after two frustrating races.

“I haven’t really lost any confidence or faith in this race team,” he said. “In Reading, we had a parts failure — there’s nothing you can do about that. In St. Louis, the racetrack just got away from us, and I did a great job recovering the race car – probably one of the better pedal jobs I’ve ever had in my life. Our luck just wasn’t on our side.”