BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 17, 2025) – Austin Prock, the Funny Car points leader, captured his second consecutive win of the 2025 season on Sunday at the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals held at Brainerd International Raceway. Prock defeated J.R. Todd in the final round, consolidating his lead in the Funny Car standings and positioning himself to clinch the regular-season championship ahead of the upcoming U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
Alongside Prock’s triumph, Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock also claimed victories at the 13th race of the 20-event NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, making it a weekend dominated by prominent champions paving their way toward the championship countdown.
Prock’s Commanding Performance in Funny Car Final
In Sunday’s Funny Car final, Prock powered his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS to a lightning-fast 3.907-second run at 321.50 mph, overpowering Todd who encountered tire smoke early during his run. This victory extends Prock’s impressive season tally to six wins in 13 events and 14 total wins since stepping up to Funny Car competition last year.
Prock’s dominance was highlighted by his remarkable reaction times throughout eliminations, averaging a .047-second start with a standout .043-second reaction in the final round. He advanced to the final by defeating Jim Campbell, Matt Hagan, and Chad Green, securing his first-ever victory at Brainerd International Raceway.
“That was huge. Last year, I got beat on a holeshot and that’s something you never want to do. But we got it done today. I came in here with a chip on my shoulder and went out and executed our game plan,”
Austin Prock said.
“In qualifying, I had a .006-second spread in reaction times and I felt good. This morning, all the stars aligned and I attacked the Christmas Tree, and had my best driving performance in either Top Fuel or Funny Car. That really makes me feel good going to Indy and into the Countdown.”
“We need to get into the playoffs and execute and just keep right on going. I don’t need to approach it any differently, but I need to make sure I’m on point. I hope this isn’t just a fluke, but I’m definitely hungry right now. Last year, I got a championship, but I wanted another one as soon as the banquet was over. That’s the mindset.”
With this win, Prock now leads teammate Jack Beckman by 242 points and is poised to clinch the NHRA regular-season crown and a $150,000 prize during qualifying at the upcoming prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
Todd’s path to the final included victories over Paul Lee, Ron Capps, and Jack Beckman, and he holds sixth place in the points standings heading into the next event.
Doug Kalitta Maintains Momentum with Top Fuel Win
Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel continued his strong 2025 season by winning his second consecutive race, delivering a 3.670-second run at 338.77 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster to defeat Clay Millican in the final round. This victory marked a significant milestone for Kalitta Motorsports, as it was the team’s 100th overall Top Fuel win and their third straight event win in the Top Fuel category.
Kalitta, who qualified first, produced consistently fast runs throughout the weekend, frequently clocking in the low 3.60-second range, including three consecutive runs on race day. Over his path to the final, he surpassed Terry Totten and Billy Torrence, posting a 3.665 in his semi-final battle against Torrence.
In the final, Kalitta led from start to finish, reinforcing his status as a top contender and securing his 57th career victory. The win also trimmed the points gap in the Top Fuel standings, pulling Kalitta within six points of second-place Tony Stewart and 51 points behind teammate Shawn Langdon as the championship battle intensifies heading into Indianapolis, which features the points-and-a-half format.
“This car has been a pleasure to drive. AJ [crew chief Alan Johnson] had it dialed in. It’s just a matter of putting it together the same way every time,”
Kalitta said.
“We’re getting close to the Countdown and it’s also been a while since I’ve won here in Brainerd. I have a lot of history here when Connie [Kalitta] was driving and I was working on his car. This has always been a special place to race. Consistency is definitely the name of the game. We have a great shot at another championship.”
Millican’s trip to the final was his second of the season, following impressive wins over Justin Ashley, Jordan Vandergriff, and Brittany Force, who had earlier broken the track speed record with a remarkable 341.25 mph pass that day.
Greg Anderson’s Flawless Run Seals Pro Stock Victory
The Pro Stock category saw reigning world champion Greg Anderson dominate the weekend at Brainerd, culminating in a win over KB Titan Racing teammate and points leader Dallas Glenn in the final round. Anderson’s Chevrolet Camaro, sponsored by HendrickCars.com, recorded a run of 6.551 seconds at 206.86 mph to claim victory.
From the outset, Anderson was in control, posting the fastest times in every qualifying session and elimination round. His opening round featured a track-record 6.521-second pass against Chris Vang, and he continued with wins over Eric Latino and recent Sonoma winner Aaron Stanfield to reach the final against Glenn.
In the championship matchup, Anderson gained a slight edge with a .025-second reaction time to Glenn’s .026 and maintained his lead to secure his fifth win of the year and 111th career Pro Stock victory overall. This marked Anderson’s first win at Brainerd since 2011 and fourth at the venue in total. His weekend also included victories in Friday’s American Rebel Light Battle for the Rebel Axe and Saturday’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.
The win sets the stage for a thrilling showdown at the U.S. Nationals, where Anderson trails Glenn by just nine points in the regular-season standings.
“It was flawless. Every time down the track, the car was low E.T. of the session or each round on race day,”
Anderson said.
“I can’t thank my guys enough. The car was a pleasure to drive. I am a lucky man.”
“It was not only awesome to win, but awesome to pretty much dominate the weekend. Everyone was on point. The car was perfect. The crew chiefs were perfect and I somehow didn’t screw it up. At my age, you never know when you’re going to win another one. I lost in the first round here last year and you don’t want to stumble, especially here when you’re racing in front of your buddies.”
Glenn’s advancement to the Pro Stock final marked his ninth final appearance in 11 races this season. He secured victories over Fernando Cuadra Jr., Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Erica Enders on his way to the final round at Brainerd.
Upcoming Championship Battle at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis
The victories by Prock, Kalitta, and Anderson at Brainerd International Raceway intensify the competition heading into the final stretch of the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. The regular-season championship battle is now tightly contested in multiple categories, with points leaders Prock in Funny Car, Kalitta close behind in Top Fuel, and Glenn narrowly leading Anderson in Pro Stock.
The series reconvenes on August 27 through September 1 for the 71st annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. This event is the world’s largest drag race and will feature the high-stakes points-and-a-half format that can greatly influence the countdown to the championship, amplifying the pressure on drivers striving for ultimate season honors.
