GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 5, 2026) – There’s a new car and a new team, but the end goal remains the same for Funny Car standout Austin Prock, who enters the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season as the back-to-back world champion.
But there’s been plenty of change for Prock heading into this weekend’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway to kick off NHRA’s 75th anniversary. After winning consecutive championships, Prock and his team are now with Bob Tasca’s Funny Car team and Ford Racing, serving as one of the off-season’s biggest bombshells.
The team has been hard at work to get ready for Gainesville in their 12,000-horsepower PPG Mustang Dark Horse, but the objective hasn’t changed. After winning 17 times the past two years, Prock and his team have no other plans but to keep their hot streak going.
“It’s been a lot of work and a lot of long hours, seven days a week, for most of the off-season and still right now,” Prock said. “We bit off a huge chunk and we’re just sorting through it. We’ve had a little bit of success in testing, but we’ll keep working and we’ll be ready. All we have to do is qualify and be ready by Sunday. We’ve got a few more days to sort through this and I’ve got the best people in the business working with me.
“There’s no doubt in my mind we’ll be a front-runner this year. We do have to be patient, but I don’t think anybody here wants to be patient. We know what we’re capable of doing and we know we can go out there and win the first race.”
Last year, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Chad Green (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won at Gainesville Raceway to open the year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 8.
It’s the first of 20 races during the 2026 season and along with a full slate of racing, fans can expect a multitude of events to celebrate the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and NHRA’s 75th anniversary, including:
- Appearances from a host of NHRA legends during the event, including Kenny Bernstein, Don Garlits, Joe Amato, Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Darrell Gwynn and Bob Frey.
- A celebration of Bernstein’s historic 300-mph run from 1992.
- A free, limited-edition NHRA 2026 season poster to the first 6,500 fans in attendance on Sunday.
- A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and 75th anniversary stage in Nitro Alley.
- Race winners will get the special NHRA 75th anniversary Diamond Wally, along with the Gatornationals traditional Golden Gator trophy.
The Gatornationals remains one of the few races Prock hasn’t conquered the past two years, but doing so during the milestone year would be a memorable moment for the standout.
He’ll have to deal with the likes of four-time world champ Matt Hagan, three-time champ Ron Capps, Jordan Vandergriff, who is making his Funny Car debut for John Force Racing in Gainesville, Jack Beckman and Daniel Wilkerson.
Prock knows he’s again being chased, but it hasn’t changed his mindset as he hopes to start the season with one of the biggest wins in his career.
“I’ve wanted to win here so bad. My grandfather was in the finals here and I’ve never won here, so to win for the family, that would be cool and to win for Ford Racing and Tasca Racing on our first weekend, that would be a dream come true,” Prock said. “I think everyone would be really excited.
“We always want to go out there and dominate, that’s just how this team is. We’ve just got to keep our heads down, stay positive and keep working hard and towards our goal.”
Top Fuel’s Brown is after a repeat win, taking on reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, the returning Leah Pruett, racing legend Tony Stewart, Shawn Langdon, Justin Ashley, Clay Millican and Tony Schumacher.
The 2025 Pro Stock season was dominated by KB Titan Racing, with standout star Dallas Glenn earning his first world title. Glenn will take on teammate Greg Anderson, six-time world champ Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield.
Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera has never lost in Gainesville. Last year, he won his third straight, defeating rival Matt Smith. He’ll look for four in a row against reigning world champ Richard Gadson, Angie Smith, Steve Johnson and Jianna Evaristo.
The weekend will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Flexjet Factory Showdown and the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.
Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, music and more. Race fans in Gainesville can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan-favorite SealMaster Track Walk.
As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction. Fans have a chance to see teams in action and service their cars between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers and more. Fans can visit NHRA’s Nitro Alley, where sponsors and vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, and food and fun for the entire family.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 1:30 and 4 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 7 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 8.
The first round of the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, with the semifinals slated for 2:15 p.m. and the final round at 3:30 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will also air at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.
To purchase tickets to the 2026 NHRA Gatornationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
About Mission Foods
MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/
About NHRA
NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
