SONOMA, Calif. (July 21, 2022) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster team are hoping to hit their stride at this weekend’s DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 12th of 22 events on the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series schedule.
Although he’s made just one previous start at Sonoma Raceway in 2019 where he had a second-round exit, Prock benefits from the presence two veteran crew chiefs Joe Barlam and Rahn Tobler, who is the only crew chief to have won championships with three different drivers (Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon in Funny Car and Shirley Muldowney in Top Fuel). The ‘Silver Stallions’ as they’ve fondly been dubbed, have the Montana Brand / RMT dragster sitting seventh in the points standings with plenty of room for improvement.
“I’m really looking forward to this weekend at the Sonoma Nationals. I think this Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster team is making some good progress and it’s really going to show this weekend,” Prock said. “This track was Eric [Medlen]’s home track so it would be special to get a win for him here and celebrate with some ice cream in the winners circle.”
Eric Medlen, who raced for John Force Racing and passed away from injuries suffered during a testing accident in 2007, was one of four John Force Racing drivers who has won the Sonoma Nationals, he beat Cruz Pedregon, John Forc, Whit Bazemore and Tony Pedregon in 2006. Sonoma Raceway was closest Medlen’s his Oakdale, Calif., home and still today, the track celebrates Medlen’s life and career with an ice cream social after the Sunday winners’ circle celebration, paying homage to the six-time tour winner’s long-stated opinion that, “No one can be unhappy when they’re eating ice cream.”
Racing at the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway begins with qualifying Friday at 8 p.m. PT and Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. with eliminations beginning at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) for qualifying on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Eliminations will air on FOX Broadcasting Network Sunday at 4 p.m. ET.
