CONCORD, N.C. (April 30,2023) – For the second time in their careers, Robert Hight and the Flav-R-Pac / Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team and Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet Top Fuel dragster team swept the nitro categories picking up victories in their respective categories Sunday at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
The win would mark Hight’s second win of the season, 63rd of his career, seventh overall at zMAX Dragway and third at the Four-Wide Nationals. It will also be the final 2023 race Hight will wear the Flav-R-Pac colors. On the Top Fuel side, the victory was Prock’s first of the season, first at any Four-Wide event and fourth of his career. It was also the first Top Fuel win for Chris Cunningham as a lead crew chief.
Robert Hight and the Flav-R-Pac Camaro kept up the consistency from qualifying with a solid 3.926-second pass at 329.10 mph to win his first-round quad over Mike McIntire Jr.’s 3.940 at 321.35, Alex Laughlin’s 4.155 at 307.30 and J.R. Todd’s 5.530 at 134.23. Hight would be joined in the next quad by McIntire Jr.
Joining Hight and McIntire would be John Force in the BlueDEF Chevy and long-time rival Cruz Pedregon. Hight would dominate the second quad with a 3.875-second pass at 331.28 mph with Force also advancing on a hole shot with a .055 reaction time and 3.967 pass at 326.32 over McIntire’s .102 reaction and 3.941 run at 309.70. Pedregon would smoke the tires for a 9.796 at 87.59.
In the finals, it would be Hight picking up victory with a holeshot. The three-time champion would have a .053 reaction time to go with his 3.888-second pass at 328.30 mph defeating Alexis DeJoria’s .082 reaction and 3.872 at 333.41, Ron Capps’ 3.923 at 331.85 and Force’s 3.924 at 329.26.
“This is a big weekend for us. The car went down the track in every run and really hats off to the NHRA and the Safety Safari. They have had challenging conditions all weekend and I know they have worked long, long hours,” said Hight referring to the continuous weather delays throughout the three-day event. “After two first round losses in a row, we changed the car around. We stayed and tested after the last event in Vegas. Jimmy Prock felt we got the data we needed despite an ignition problem. So, to come in here and make seven respectable runs, and get down the track every run, that’s pretty exciting. When you are up against the group that we had in the final, whoever comes out on top, that is a big deal.”
With the victory, Hight advanced in the standing with his second victory of the season for the Racing Pro Media (RPM) Wally Winner Belt which will be given at the end of the season to the driver who has the best win % of all drivers racing a full schedule in the 4 Camping World classes.
Next up is the Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill May 19-21, 2023.
Tickets for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance are on sale now at NHRA.com/tickets. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
Unofficial NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Top 10 Points Standings
FUNNY CAR – 1. Matt Hagan, 433; 2. Alexis DeJoria, 375; 3. Robert Hight, Flav-R-Pac / Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevy Camaro SS, 364; 4. Ron Capps, 361; 5. Chad Green, 304; 6. Bob Tasca III, 300; 7. Tim Wilkerson, 265; 8. John Force, PEAK/BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevy Camaro SS, 260; 9. Cruz Pedregon, 247; 10. Blake Alexander, 210.
See a full recap of the event by NHRA National Dragster staff:
Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Sunday photo gallery:
Content: John Force Racing PR
Photo's: NHRA | Racing Pro Media (RPM)
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