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Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 20th event in the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Prock's strong run of 3.682-seconds at 334.57 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Montana Brand/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster from Friday held up through final qualifying on Saturday, giving the young standout and the 2019 NHRA Rookie of the Year his first No. 1 qualifier in his professional career. It's another exciting moment for Prock in the Countdown to the Championship following his win in Reading to open the playoffs. He'll open eliminations against Alex Laughlin looking to collect his second victory of the 2022 season. "We were really glad to keep our number one spot and hopefully this will translate into a good day on Sunday," Prock said. "We went down the track every run in qualifying and I think the last time we did that was Reading and we ended with a Wally (trophy). So, hopefully, that will be the same case tomorrow. "This team, they never quit. Everybody kept their heads down and kept working for that same common goal of competing for wins. All the parts and pieces are here and when we get it together, we're right there. We have to make smart decisions tomorrow and if I drive well, we're going to turn on some win lights." Clay Millican qualified second with a run of 3.685 at 332.08, while Brittany Force's 3.689 at 335.75 gave her the third spot.
"We've had four really good runs out there and, you know, it's hard to do when you're in a Funny Car," Hagan said. "I mean, you put nitro in the tank, and you never know what's going to happen. But honestly, just the way (crew chief) Dickie (Venables) has got this card dialed in this weekend, and the way the cars reacting and driving and just handling, it's just been great. "It's such a cool feeling, you know, to be able to do that, and to go out there with that expectation of doing that, then it comes together. So just shows you what Dickie and the crew and the guys are capable of when the conditions in the track's there." Hight ended up in second with his 3.854 at 333.43, while defending event winner Ron Capps qualified third with a 3.865 at 335.40.
"That was really exciting," said Enders, who will take a 125-point lead into Sunday. "Today's weather was significantly different than yesterday. It was obviously hotter and that's something that our cars don't necessarily appreciate. So, to be able to go out there on a tricky racetrack and to go low each session, that was pretty cool. It's really exciting going into Sunday, but tomorrow is going to be a new day. But we're going to motor through it and see if we can finish it out." Aaron Stanfield stayed second with a 6.529 at 209.52, while Cristian Cuadra's 6.533 at 209.30 puts him third.
"That (6.75) was a really good run for us," Sampey said. "I'm pretty sure it was as solid as the (6.72), considering the weather conditions were worse. We have the motorcycle to win the race, as we always do every weekend, I just hope and pray that my team has the rider to win the race. "The competition makes it pretty tough. It's fierce out here these days. Just getting past first round is always a task, but I know my team is ready for a win. But everybody else trying to stop us. I'm just going to try to keep my head straight, have a good time, enjoy the day, and look forward to putting that [symbolic winner] cowboy hat on my head at the end of the day for the first time." Defending event winner and points leader Matt Smith sits second with a 6.734 at 203.58, improving on his time from Friday. His wife, Angie, is third after going 6.793 at 200.96. Eliminations for the Texas NHRA FallNationals begin at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at Texas Motorplex.
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