NHRA Champ Austin Prock Did WHAT This Offseason?!
About this episode
Austin Prock, two-time NHRA Funny Car champion, shares his offseason transition from John Force Racing to Bob Tasca Racing, highlighting the challenges of changing teams and adapting to new dynamics. He discusses his deep roots in motorsports, the intense physical and mental demands of driving nitro funny cars versus top fuel dragsters, and the unique culture of racing in Indianapolis. Austin also reflects on his rapid rise in drag racing, the horsepower extremes of funny cars, and his respect for all forms of motorsports, including NASCAR and sprint cars.
Two-time NHRA Funny Car champion Austin Prock joins the show to talk about one of the most talked-about moves in drag racing.
After winning back-to-back championships, Prock made a huge offseason change. Leaving his family team to join Bob Tasca Racing.
He talks about:
- Why he made the move
- What the transition has been like
- The pressure of defending a championship
- Life inside the NHRA Funny Car world
A must-listen for NHRA fans and motorsports enthusiasts.
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NHRA funny car
"I mean you just assume hey back-to-back two-time NHRA funny car champ just gonna keep running back"
NHRA funny cars are special race cars that go very fast in straight-line races called drag races. They have unique shapes and are part of a big racing organization.
NHRA funny car is a class of drag racing vehicle in the National Hot Rod Association, known for their distinctive body styles and extremely high speeds over a quarter-mile track.
Ford Expedition
"...that's the same in that building right now is the expedition that tows the race car and the Ford Mustang Dark ..."
The Ford Expedition is a big car that can carry lots of people and pull heavy things like trailers or boats. It's popular with families and people who need a strong vehicle for big jobs.
The Ford Expedition is a large, full-size SUV designed for family use and heavy-duty tasks like towing. It's often highlighted for its spacious interior and strong towing capacity, making it suitable for hauling trailers, boats, or race cars.
Ford Mustang
"The only thing that's the same in that building right now is the expedition that tows the race car and the Ford Mustang"
The Ford Mustang is a popular fast car from Ford that many people like to race and drive for fun.
The Ford Mustang is a classic American muscle car known for its performance and iconic design, often used in various motorsports including drag racing.
John Force Racing
""You know learning curve at John force racing everything's done in-house and you kind of live in your own world\nYou know you build your own parts. You build your own chassis""
John Force Racing is a top drag racing team that makes their own car parts and builds their race cars themselves. They focus on doing everything inside their own shop.
John Force Racing is a professional drag racing team known for competing in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) drag racing series. The team is famous for building their own parts and chassis in-house, emphasizing a hands-on approach to racing.
sprint cars
"Oval racing interest they keep up with NASCAR at all. Do you watch sprint cars? Yeah, I keep up with all of it"
Sprint cars are special race cars that go very fast on short dirt or oval tracks. They have big wings on top to help them stay stable.
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for short oval or dirt track racing. They are known for their large wings and lightweight chassis.
NASCAR
"I didn't even realize that NASCAR season was starting until the Sunday of the Daytona 500 So I'm definitely a NASCAR fan. Definitely a fan of all motorsports"
NASCAR is a type of car racing where drivers race special cars on oval tracks. It's very popular in the US and lots of people watch it.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is a popular American motorsport series featuring stock car racing primarily on oval tracks. It is known for its high-speed, close-quarters racing and large fan base.
Daytona 500
"I didn't even realize that NASCAR season was starting until the Sunday of the Daytona 500 So I'm definitely a NASCAR fan."
The Daytona 500 is a very famous and important car race in NASCAR. Many fans look forward to it every year.
The Daytona 500 is the most prestigious race in NASCAR, held annually at the Daytona International Speedway. It is often considered the 'Super Bowl' of stock car racing.
horsepower
"You know, you got horsepower and four tires. I'm in so yeah, I enjoyed it I and I respect all all forms of motorsports"
Horsepower tells you how powerful a car's engine is. More horsepower usually means the car can go faster or accelerate quicker.
Horsepower is a unit of measurement that indicates the power output of an engine. It helps describe how strong or fast a vehicle's engine is.
IndyCar
"There was Indy car guys at lunch. There was the Indy race part spring car team at lunch Like there's it's such a melting pot for all sorts of different racers So like is there Indy car teams around you and sprint car teams around you as well?"
IndyCar is a type of car racing with very fast, single-seat cars. They race on different types of tracks including big ovals and city streets.
IndyCar is a premier American open-wheel racing series, known for events like the Indianapolis 500. The cars are single-seaters designed for high-speed racing on ovals, road, and street courses.
drag racing
"Yep drag team and sprint car team Rico a bruise taking over the reins on that with Ricky Warner Those are two good friends of mine."
Drag racing is a race where two cars go straight ahead as fast as they can over a short distance to see who wins.
Drag racing is a type of motorsport where two cars race in a straight line over a short distance, usually a quarter-mile, to see who can accelerate the fastest.
nitro methane
"I feel like people that inhale nitro methane for a living are a little bit different because you got to be damn You're crazy to go and that fast"
Nitro methane is a special kind of fuel that race cars use to go really fast. It's very powerful but also dangerous to handle.
Nitro methane is a highly flammable fuel commonly used in drag racing and sprint car racing. It produces a lot of power but requires special handling due to its volatility.
NHRA tour
"Short story to go along with that Don Pardome actually got me my first sponsorship to get on the NHRA tour in 2019 So, yeah, he's a good family friend of mine."
The NHRA tour is a big drag racing competition where the best drag racers race their cars at different places across the country.
The NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) tour is a professional drag racing series in the United States, featuring various classes of drag racing vehicles competing at different tracks nationwide.
top fuel dragster
"So you driven both top fuel dragsters and funny cars Get into the weeds a little bit about how they drive differently because I"
Top fuel dragsters are super fast race cars that go straight and very quickly using special fuel. They are very long and have big engines that make a lot of power.
Top fuel dragsters are the fastest accelerating racing cars in drag racing, powered by nitromethane-fueled engines producing thousands of horsepower. They have a very long and narrow chassis with a wheelbase around 300 inches, designed for straight-line speed over a quarter-mile.
funny car
"The the funny car is tenfold harder to drive Okay, you have the same amount of horsepower the same power plant and 125 inches a wheelbase rather than 300"
Funny cars are special race cars that look like regular cars but are built to go very fast in a straight line. They have their engine placed in a way that makes them tricky to drive.
Funny cars are a class of drag racing vehicles with a shorter wheelbase (around 125 inches) and a body that resembles production cars but are built for extreme speed and acceleration. They have the engine mounted over the front of the rear axle, making them harder to drive due to weight distribution and proximity of components.
wheelbase
"Okay, you have the same amount of horsepower the same power plant and 125 inches a wheelbase rather than 300 You know so I always for you know circle track racers or grassroots racers"
Wheelbase means how far apart the front and back wheels are on a car. This distance changes how the car drives and feels.
Wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear axles of a vehicle. It affects handling and stability; longer wheelbases generally provide smoother rides, while shorter ones can make a car more agile but twitchier.
non-winged sprint car
"I compare it to Non-winged sprint car the nitro funny cars the non-winged sprint car the The dragsters like driving a Cadillac down the freeway, you know, it just kind of floats through there"
Non-winged sprint cars are fast race cars that don't have big wings on top. This makes them harder to drive but very exciting.
Non-winged sprint cars are high-powered race cars used primarily on dirt tracks, notable for lacking the large aerodynamic wings that help with downforce and stability. They require significant driver skill to control due to their light weight and powerful engines.
drive shaft
"the bell housings in between your feet the drive shafts between your legs You know the drive shaft when I sit in that thing the drive shafts a half inch away from my ass"
A drive shaft is a long rod that helps send power from the engine to the wheels so the car can move. In some race cars, it’s very close to the driver.
The drive shaft is a rotating shaft that transmits power from the engine or transmission to the rear wheels. In funny cars, the drive shafts run very close to the driver, making the cockpit cramped and challenging.
bell housing
"You know that the engine sitting right on top of your feet the bell housings in between your feet the drive shafts between your legs You know the drive shaft when I sit in that thing the drive shafts a half inch away from my ass"
The bell housing is a part that covers where the engine connects to the gears that make the car move. In some race cars, it's very close to the driver’s feet.
A bell housing is the bell-shaped cover that encases the clutch and flywheel, connecting the engine to the transmission. In funny cars, it is located between the driver's feet, making the cockpit very tight.
sitting on top of the rear axle
"Which the funny car is one of the only cars? I believe or motor sports where you actually sit on top of the rear axle So like getting that feel like when it steps out it feels so much different"
In funny cars, the driver sits right above the back wheels, which is different from most cars where the driver sits more in the middle. This changes how the car feels when driving.
In funny cars, the driver’s seating position is directly over the rear axle, which is unusual compared to most race cars where the driver sits ahead of or near the middle of the car. This affects the car's handling and the driver's feel.
alcohol dragster
"I only made probably eight runs in an alcohol dragster before I got in the top fuel car and John forcey threw me on a crash course like I literally"
Alcohol dragsters are race cars that use a special type of fuel called alcohol to go very fast in drag races.
Alcohol dragsters are drag racing cars powered by methanol (alcohol) fuel. They are generally less powerful than top fuel dragsters but still extremely fast and challenging to drive.
tire shake
"Both of our cars shook and just instinct I got out of the gas slapped it again when you have slow tire shake like that You have to be able to decipher what the tires do and to understand how to apply the throttle back so One sensation is like the tire will like waffle the slot sidewall"
Tire shake is when the car's tires start to wobble or vibrate a lot while going fast, which can make the car hard to control.
Tire shake is a rapid vibration or oscillation of the tires during acceleration, often caused by loss of traction or uneven grip, which can affect vehicle control and performance.
parachutes
"I slapped it turned on the wind light no parachutes sure to shut down on to her got it stopped it and crash it and Went on to second round. Did you forget the parachutes or they shouldn't come out? No, I went for him. I set them all up and they did not deploy"
Parachutes are like big fabric chutes that open up behind a race car to help it slow down quickly after going very fast.
Parachutes are drag racing safety devices deployed at the end of a run to help slow down the vehicle rapidly, especially important for very high-speed cars.
smoke the tires
"Smoke the tires a lot that thing ever land when you have a wheel in it. Oh, yeah Yeah, yeah, I mean it'll like I've had runs where it'll stick the tire"
When the tires spin so fast that they make smoke, it means they are slipping on the ground instead of gripping.
Smoking the tires means spinning the tires so much that they produce smoke, usually due to loss of traction during aggressive acceleration or wheelspin.
tire data
"Was there anything that he took from NASCAR just what he learned tire data"
Tire data means information about how the tires are working, like how hot or worn out they are, to help make the car go faster and safer.
Tire data includes information collected about tire performance such as temperature, pressure, and wear, which helps teams optimize car handling and speed.
timing
"And then we'll jiggle the engine we take a little timing out of it To get the tire to regain traction and then when we jam the timing back in it and apply the clutch"
Timing means when the spark happens inside the engine to make the car run well and not slip.
Timing in an engine refers to the precise control of the ignition spark relative to the piston position, which affects power output and traction.
clutch
"and then when we jam the timing back in it and apply the clutch"
The clutch is a part that helps you change gears in a car by connecting and disconnecting the engine from the wheels.
The clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages the engine from the transmission, allowing the driver to change gears smoothly.
Tesla Semi
"...cond it takes about 60 feet about the length of a semi truck from a dead stop doing a hundred Dude, do y..."
The Tesla Semi is a big electric truck that carries heavy loads without using gas. It can speed up quickly and helps keep the air clean by not making smoke.
The Tesla Semi is an all-electric Class 8 truck designed to revolutionize freight transport with zero emissions and impressive acceleration. Its significance lies in its potential to reduce the environmental impact of long-haul trucking while offering high performance and lower operating costs.
Ford Bronco
"...a pedal fest right here. Yeah, this was a bucking bronco. That was not intentional Can you is it right on ..."
The Ford Bronco is a tough, big car made to drive on rough roads and trails. People talk about it because it looks cool and can handle bumpy, hard places really well.
The Ford Bronco is a rugged off-road SUV known for its strong performance in challenging terrains and its recent revival as a modern, retro-styled vehicle. It's significant for enthusiasts who appreciate its capability and nostalgic design, often discussed in contexts involving adventurous driving or off-road experiences.
downforce
""And you have three four thousand pounds of downforce on it and it blows it into the air like that""
Downforce is the push that keeps a race car stuck to the ground when it goes really fast. This helps the car not slip or fly off the track.
Downforce is the aerodynamic force that pushes a car's tires onto the track, increasing traction and stability at high speeds. In drag racing funny cars, downforce can reach thousands of pounds, helping keep the car planted during rapid acceleration.
race car
"You know anything he touches he wins in and uh, he does a really good job in that race car You know, they put a good race car under him. He's gonna win a lot more too."
A race car is a car made to go really fast and compete in races. It is built differently from normal cars to help the driver win.
A race car is a specially designed vehicle built for competitive motorsport events, optimized for speed, handling, and safety on a racetrack.
stuck throttle
"That's that's this is the video I was talking about. Oh, yeah, this is it. This is you getting stuck throttle. Yeah Whoa, it looks like you're just doing a really long burnout man."
A stuck throttle means the gas pedal gets stuck, so the car keeps speeding up even if the driver wants to slow down.
A stuck throttle is a dangerous mechanical failure where the throttle remains open, causing the engine to continue accelerating uncontrollably.
burnout
"Whoa, it looks like you're just doing a really long burnout man. Yeah pretty much Oh, he did get her shut down and how yeah, how you explained it was exactly how it looked"
A burnout is when a car spins its wheels really fast but doesn’t move forward much, making the tires smoke.
A burnout is a driving maneuver where the driver spins the wheels while keeping the vehicle stationary or moving slowly, creating smoke from tire friction.
nitro car
"My my first run of the nitro car my head was six feet behind Yep, like he he's like I got to work on getting caught up because"
A nitro car is a super fast race car that uses a special fuel called nitromethane to go really, really fast.
A nitro car is a drag racing vehicle powered by nitromethane fuel, known for extremely high acceleration and power output.
acceleration in racing
"And it's like that but on steroids, you know, you're accelerating like Nobody should accelerate. Essentially. It's the fastest accelerating vehicle on the planet. Human bodies are not built for that."
Acceleration means how fast a car can speed up. Some race cars can speed up so fast that it feels really hard on the body.
Acceleration refers to how quickly a vehicle can increase its speed. In racing, some cars can accelerate faster than the human body can comfortably handle.
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