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INDIANAPOLIS - Back-to-back Funny Car world champion Austin Prock claimed his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the year on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating J.R. Todd in the final round of the specialty race as part of this weekend's prestigious Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Cody Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday in Indy, while Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the provisional No. 1 qualifiers in Indianapolis at the 14th of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. Selections in the opening round of Sunday's PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout were also made on Saturday. Top seed Jack Beckman selected Chad Green, Matt Hagan picked Spencer Hyde, Ron Capps called out Alexis DeJoria and defending Callout winner Prock will meet Todd for the second straight day. Prock, who has won the U.S. Nationals the past two years, went 3.921-seconds at 317.87 in his 12,000-horsepower Ford Racing Mustang to power past Todd's 4.006 at 325.06. It gives Prock the Mission #2Fast2Tasty title for 2026, as well as 16 bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
"We went the first six races without winning a single round, and then after Chicago, we made it to our first semifinal round, and I think we've been almost we've been in every Mission #2fast2Tasty Challenge except one. It just shows how far this team's come. Those are the kind of stats that'll win you a third championship in a row," Prock said. "Both runs that we've made were full pulls that had a few cylinders out, and the E.T. board still shows we're second quick, we're third quick. We're making impressive runs on six cylinders in this Ford Mustang. There's a lot of racing to go and I guarantee you this Ford Mustang will be dialed in on Monday." Capps jumped to the provisional No. 1 spot in his 12,000-horsepower Carlye Tools/NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra with a 3.914 at 332.18.
Kalitta earned a whopping 22 bonus points for the Countdown through his success in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge this year, but it was Pruett who got the final bonus win of the season, giving her momentum and confidence as she chases her first U.S. Nationals victory in Top Fuel.
"To get a win like that at Indy with the crowd, with the changing variables, the history, the pageantry, everything about it is fulfilling. I'm embracing it because all this is emotional warfare in preparation for the biggest, baddest Big Go that there could ever be. That's where I'm at."
His father, six-time world champion and points leader Greg Anderson, won the overall Mission #2Fast2Tasty title, but Saturday belonged to his son, as Cody continues to show impressive improvements in his debut season. "It's super special, and any win feels good," Cody said. "This place is extra special and iconic since it's Indy. This win gives me a lot of confidence. It's hard to win one round, especially on race day, and just to get two win lights is a huge confidence boost, and to be able to leave on Greg Stanfield is a big deal. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going for race day."
Pro Stock Motorcycle's Gaige Herrera and Richard Gadson dueled in the final of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, with Herrera clinching victory - and the season title - when Gadson went red by .002. Herrera would have been tough to beat, going to No. 1 as well with a standout run of 6.842 at 196.50 on his RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki.
"This was kind of how I saw it playing out that one of us was going to possibly go red," Herrera said. "I mean, that's how it's been with us. I feel like we're both going to lay it all out there. I won't lie. I went up there and squeezed my [clutch] lever a little extra tighter than normal to make sure I wasn't the one to go red. We go out there to cut each other's head off and it's live or die by the sword. "I'm also very happy to get this Mission [2Fast2Tasty overall win. This is a great deal and it makes it a lot more fun to race on Saturdays."
Saturday's final results from the NHRA Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Top Fuel Challenge -- Leah Pruett, 3.873 seconds, 319.98 mph defeated Doug Kalitta, 4.502 seconds, 187.16 mph. Funny Car Challenge -- Austin Prock, Ford Mustang seconds, 3.921, 317.87 mph defeated J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.006 seconds, 325.06 mph. Pro Stock Challenge -- Cody Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.642 seconds, 204.91 mph defeated Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.645 seconds, 203.58 mph. Pro Stock Motorcycle Challenge -- Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.842 seconds, 196.50 mph defeated Richard Gadson, Suzuki, Foul - Red Light.
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