Austin Prock, who is only four races into his Funny Car driving career, continues to look like a seasoned veteran. The rookie flopper pilot picked up his third career No. 1 qualifier while competing at the 24th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Jerry Tucker (Pro Stock) will also head into Sunday as the No. 1 seeds in their respective divisions.

Qualifying was just one part of a weekend that has already yielded a 
#2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory on Saturday, as he claimed the top spot on the strength of a 3.904-second elapsed time at 321.42 mph. He’ll be in an opening-round quad that features Jeff Diehl, Blake Alexander, and Alexis DeJoria a week after picking up his first Funny Car victory.

“That Tasca team, they do a great job. We’ve been duking it out all year, and he made a nice run in front of me today right before that last qualifying session,” Prock said. “I’m like, ‘Alright, well, the track’s pretty good,’ and along with my boss, John Force, running [3.]90, it showed there was some potential out there to make a really good run.
 
“My team has done a great job in these hot conditions. We’re really getting a handle on these hot weather conditions, and that was kind of our goal this year, to really dial that in because it’s typically really fast when it’s cool out. It’s going to cool down tomorrow so it’s definitely going to be the quickest runs you’ll see all weekend.”
 
Prock’s boss, John Force, took the second spot with a 3.908, 326.79, while points leader J.R. Todd moved up to third in the final session with a 3.930, 322.19.

The defending NHRA champion Kalitta maintained his top spot by improving with a pass of 3.738 at 336.82 in his Mac Tools dragster. It’s his first No. 1 spot of 2024 and the 54th in his career. He’ll open up raceday in a quad that includes teammate and points leader Shawn Langdon and four-time world champion Steve Torrence. 

“The team it stepped it up to that 3.73 in that first session, so that was plenty strong for the conditions. I’m feeling really confident with what we got going on,” Kalitta said. “I think on that last run, we were maybe just pushing it a little, much just to see what we could do. But the track seems plenty good in all the lanes, and it should be a good day tomorrow. It’s going to be a little cooler, which should play into our hand performance-wise.”

Tony Schumacher was second quickest, with a 3.768 at 325.53, and Clay Millican’s 3.773 at 332.34 was good enough for third.

Tucker, in only his second season of Pro Stock, picked up his first No. 1 qualifying effort. His 6.612 elapsed time at 206.61 mph in his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer/SCAG Power Equipment car got the job done. He was the quickest of the opening session on Friday and then stepped up again to start the day on Saturday, clinching his first top qualifier in the loaded Pro Stock ranks. He’ll open eliminations in a quad featuring Chris McGaha, defending event winner Dallas Glenn, and Elite Motorsports teammate Troy Coughlin Jr.
 
“I’m just trying to get my driving together, and I think it’s finally coming together. This is the car that Erica [Enders] drove last year and I managed to make three solid runs,” Tucker said. “It takes a year or so to learn how to drive [a Pro Stock car] properly. For the first five or six races, you’re just riding along. Then you start to get a feel for it, but it takes a while to really figure it out. 
 
From 1 to 16, they are all tough. I really don’t see any difference between anyone in the field. It won’t be easy tomorrow.”
 
Jeg Coughlin Jr., who won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Pro Stock, qualified second after going 6.625 at 206.64 and Greg Anderson is third thanks to his 6.625 at 206.32.
 
Eliminations for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals begin at 12 p.m. PT on Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 24th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the fourth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel -- 1. Doug Kalitta, 3.738 seconds, 336.82 mph vs. Bye vs. vs. 8. Shawn Langdon, 3.798, 319.29 vs. 9. Steve Torrence, 3.800, 332.75; 2. Tony Schumacher, 3.768, 325.53 vs. 15. Terry Totten, 4.092, 287.78 vs. 7. Shawn Reed, 3.793, 323.12 vs. 10. Justin Ashley, 3.800, 331.53; 3. Clay Millican, 3.773, 332.34 vs. 14. Krista Baldwin, 3.903, 316.38 vs. 6. Antron Brown, 3.792, 330.72 vs. 11. Tony Stewart, 3.807, 325.30; 4. Billy Torrence, 3.784, 332.26 vs. 13. Jasmine Salinas, 3.848, 326.32 vs. 5. Brittany Force, 3.787, 333.66 vs. 12. Josh Hart, 3.828, 324.59. 

Funny Car -- 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.904, 326.95 vs. 16. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.117, 275.73 vs. 8. Blake Alexander, Ford Mustang, 3.963, 321.50 vs. 9. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota GR Supra, 3.967, 319.98; 2. John Force, Camaro, 3.908, 327.74 vs. 15. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.056, 316.01 vs. 7. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 3.957, 319.14 vs. 10. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.972, 324.20; 3. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.930, 322.19 vs. 14. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.051, 312.64 vs. 6. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.943, 328.06 vs. 11. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.980, 324.67; 4. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.931, 332.02 vs. 13. Steven Densham, Mustang, 4.020, 308.78 vs. 5. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.939, 328.22 vs. 12. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.018, 323.50. 
Did Not Qualify: 17. Terry Haddock, 4.150, 299.60; 18. Jim Campbell, 4.215, 284.27; 19. Buddy Hull, 4.236, 294.31; 20. Alex Miladinovich, 4.268, 285.17. 

Pro Stock -- 1. Jerry Tucker, Chevy Camaro, 6.612, 206.61 vs. 16. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.683, 206.04 vs. 8. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.636, 205.57 vs. 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.640, 207.46; 2. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.625, 207.62 vs. 15. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.676, 206.76 vs. 7. David Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.636, 205.91 vs. 10. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.645, 205.16; 3. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.625, 206.32 vs. 14. Sienna Wildgust, Camaro, 6.675, 204.88 vs. 6. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.635, 206.39 vs. 11. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.648, 207.37; 4. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.627, 206.16 vs. 13. Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.660, 206.13 vs. 5. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.634, 205.19 vs. 12. Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.657, 205.85. 
Did Not Qualify: 17. Mason McGaha, 6.704, 207.08; 18. Matt Hartford, 6.719, 204.98; 19. Steve Graham, 6.727, 204.63; 20. Joey Grose, 6.791, 203.89.