A major offseason jolt hit the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series fans on November 24 as John Force Racing confirmed the end of its working relationship with Austin Prock and his father, longtime crew chief Jimmy Prock.
The announcement closed a two-year run that delivered back-to-back Funny Car championships for the sport’s most decorated organization. Fans immediately raised questions about why a dominant pairing would split so suddenly and what it means for 2026.
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The separation set off a wave of reaction when National Dragster posted the news on X with the caption:
“John Force Racing and Austin and Jimmy Prock have ended the racing partnership that produced NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car championships the past two seasons for the 24-time championship organization.”
Austin and Jimmy Prock’s exit comes after their Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS team clinched the 2025 Funny Car title without turning a wheel at the rain-canceled season finale in Pomona, extending a run that included nine wins, three runner-ups, and seven No. 1 qualifiers.
The 2024 season had been just as striking, with eight victories and a record 15 poles in Austin’s rookie Funny Car campaign. For Jimmy, it added another chapter to a career that began at JFR in 2001 and included tuning John Force to his 2013 title. Many fans expressed disbelief that a partnership this successful could stop abruptly. One comment summed up the broader confusion:
“Had to be a money issue.”
Others echoed frustration at seeing a relationship of more than two decades end after consecutive titles.
“The JFR organization has had an historic and unprecedented run in drag racing. Like all good things, it is coming to an end (within the next few years). It’s hard to accept, but it eventually happens to all the great teams. It’s been a ride!” one fan wrote.
“Only conclusion one can come to is, John Force must be a better NFC driver than a business owner. His employees Hight and the Procks just quit in the middle of the night and walked away showing noooooo respect to the. At least Brittany gave her dad 2 weeks notice,” another wrote.
The Procks have not revealed where they will land for 2026, and the specific reasons behind their departure remain unclear. With no announcement from either side beyond the standard acknowledgments, the split raised more questions than answers at the conclusion of a historic run.
John Force Racing faces sweeping change as its champions, Brittany Force and Austin Prock, move in new directions
The Procks’ departure arrives during a period of transition for John Force Racing, beginning with John Force himself stepping away earlier this month. His retirement comes after staying away from the sport for over a year following the head injuries sustained in a 2024 crash. It marks the end of a 16-title driving career for one of the most influential figures in American motorsports.
His daughter, Brittany Force, confirmed she would also step aside to begin a family. Her decision came after a decade-long run highlighted by two Top Fuel championships and a late-season win in Las Vegas that became her final pass before her sabbatical.
JFR responded quickly by signing Josh Hart to a multi-year deal, placing the Florida-based driver in the Monster Energy Top Fuel seat with Dave Grubnic and John Collins remaining on the tuning staff. Hart brings a similar no-nonsense, structured approach that once defined John Force’s peak years.
With Austin Prock now out, attention shifts to Jack Beckman, who finished second to him in the 2025 standings. Beckman is expected to continue in the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car, leaving JFR to find a replacement for the vacated title-winning seat.
JFR’s achievements remain unmatched with 24 championships spread across legends like Force, Robert Hight, Brittany Force, Tony Pedregon, and Austin Prock. But the departure of both Procks, combined with John’s retirement and Brittany’s sabbatical, closes one of the team’s most successful periods and forces a reset heading into 2026.
Edited by Mitali