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Justin Ashley, Austin Prock Victorious In NHRA 4-Wide Nationals At zMAX Dragway

by racerx55 September 21, 2025 0 comments

Story By: Matthew Thomerson/TheFourthTurn.com

CONCORD, NC – For the 16^th straight year, zMAX Dragway hosted the 4-wide Carolina Nationals in the homestretch to the 2025 NHRA Championship with just four events to go. Justin Ashley, Austin Prock, Brian Hough, Dallas Glenn and Richard Gadson all captured victories in their respective classes on Sunday. 

In Top Fuel, Ashley captured his fourth victory of the season with a time of 3.784 seconds at 329.83 mph. He beat Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, and Clay Millican to get the 19th victory of his career. Ashley last scored a victory in Top Fuel at Indianapolis in the U.S. Nationals. With the victory, Ashley cuts into the championship lead further.   

“It’s a great feeling,” Ashley said. “Obviously, winning any four-wide race, or any race for that matter, is great, but to win it right here for the first four-wide race in the fall that NHRA has ever had in the Countdown, this was a critical day for us,” Ashley said. “When you look through some of those quads, even specifically when you get to those final two rounds, it’s just brutal. The margin for error now is so small. Obviously four races left, but these races are hard to win, so I’m a firm believer in the fact you have to enjoy them when they come before shifting your focus over the next one.

In Funny Car, championship leader Prock got the 20^th win of his career with a time of 3.912 seconds and 332.43 mph. Prock has now won the Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in three consecutive attempts and sweeps the 4-Wide races for the season. It is his eighth win of the 2025 campaign. He beat No. 1 qualifier Matt Hagan, Daniel Wilkerson, and Chad Green.

“I just love driving this race car, and you just have to come out and perform,” Prock said. “Mr. H (Car Owner Rick Hendrick) told me to get this win today, and we delivered for him. This is definitely a special one.”

Three-time Funny Car champion Ron Capps suffered a scary incident in Round 2 of eliminations when the rear of his machine came off, coinciding with the parachutes deploying. Capps was uninjured in the crash.

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Hough beat Sean Bellemeur in final eliminations to get the victory. Hough ran a 5.548-second lap at 262.08 mph. It was his 13^th win in the class.  

In Pro Stock final, Glenn beat Greg Anderson to win his second consecutive Playoff race. 

In Pro Stock Motorcycle final, Gadson beat Matt Smith and took over the point lead.

Next up for the NHRA divisions is the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWT), Sept. 26-28.

Photo Credit: CMS/HHP photo