Reigning Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown made the quickest run on Friday at Brainerd International Raceway, taking the provisional No. 1 position and winning the night’s special American Rebel Light Friday Night “Battle for the Rebel Axe” at the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 13th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Top Fuel
Brown went 3.742-seconds at 334.90 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Matco Tools dragster, holding off a strong field to claim the $4,000 bonus and sit atop the “Throne of the North” made from cases of American Rebel Light. Brown also won the Rebel Axe trophy, a cigar box electric guitar custom-built in the shape of a 12-pack of American Rebel Light.
It was an ideal start for Brown, who has six career wins across Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle at Brainerd, as the four-time champ looks to qualify No. 1 for the first time since the season-opener in Gainesville, a race he also won this year.
“It felt good. The track was a bit tricky. We didn’t get the clutch right on first run, but that run definitely made up for it,” Brown said. “We got to do what we wanted to do, which was run the race track. The car was straight, stayed nimble and felt good. It sets us up good for tomorrow."
Clay Millican finished Friday just off the pace, taking second with a 3.746 at 330.72 and Shawn Langdon, the current points leader, is third after a run of 3.753 at 334.82.
Funny Car
In Funny Car, points leader and reigning world champion Austin Prock enjoyed another big Friday night, taking the American Rebel Light “Battle for the Rebel Axe” on Friday night with a run of 3.893 at 331.45 in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS.
Prock stood tall on the “Throne of the North,” also picking up the guitar and the $4,000 bonus, marking another impressive accomplishment during his 2025 season. The star has a chance to clinch the regular-season championship this weekend in Brainerd and Prock, who won the most recent race in Sonoma, is now on track to pick up his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season.
“You know, when American Rebel Light is part of a race, we seem to do well in this Cornwell Tools Camaro. We seem to run pretty well, so it was cool to collect the cash, and the guitar. It's a good way to start the weekend here in Brainerd,” Prock said. “On both runs today, my steering wheel was pretty far to the left, so it had my hands full a little bit there. I wanted to be prepared for that, and definitely felt a little loose down there, but it still ran 331 mph, so it couldn't have been slipping too badly.
“To win these races and win these championships, we've got to be able to go down all conditions of racetracks. So, we have a pretty good notebook right now.”
Jack Beckman, who returned to the Funny Car ranks a year ago in Brainerd, is currently second with a 3.907. Ron Capps, whose seven BIR wins leads all active drivers, is third after his run of 3.920 at 330.39.
Pro Stock
Duluth native Greg Anderson enjoyed a strong ending to his night in Pro Stock, taking the top spot on Friday night with a run of 6.614 at 204.76 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. The standout pass handed Anderson the $2,000 bonus in the American Rebel Light “Battle for Rebel Axe” and plenty of momentum for the rest of the weekend.
Should that hold, the reigning world champion would earn his fifth No. 1 spot of the season as he seeks another victory at the track where he grew up racing.
“It felt really nice and like before the run, I told all my guys, ‘We made a nice run on the first run, and I think we can go quicker on the second’. I told them I want that guitar. I want those cases of beer. Any time that anybody puts up a special bounty like that, it means the world to a guy like me. I love that,” Anderson said. “
“They made the right calls on the car and we made a beautiful run. It felt perfectly in low gear. That's all I could ask for. This has been a great night. Right now, I feel like I won the race. This track is different from anyplace we race, but it’s a great surface. That’s why you saw so many good runs in the second session. Guys know what they can throw at it, and it’s probably going to get quicker tomorrow.”
Points leader Dallas Glenn, who has won the past two years in Brainerd, is in second, just behind Anderson with a run of 6.616 at 204.79, while Erica Enders is third after going 6.623 at 205.82 during what she hopes is a big turnaround weekend.
43rd Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Friday Qualifying at Brainerd, Minn.
Friday's results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, 13th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.
Top Fuel -- 1. Antron Brown, 3.742 seconds, 334.90 mph; 2. Clay Millican, 3.746, 330.96; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.753, 334.82; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.758, 329.75; 5. Brittany Force, 3.766, 332.10; 6. Tony Stewart, 3.799, 326.40; 7. Jordan Vandergriff, 3.800, 328.30; 8. Ida Zetterstrom, 3.877, 311.41; 9. Kyle Satenstein, 3.882, 301.20; 10. Will Smith, 4.144, 229.98; 11. Billy Torrence, 5.074, 142.78; 12. Josh Hart, 5.408, 127.49; 13. Justin Ashley, 6.589, 91.13.
Funny Car -- 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.893, 331.45; 2. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.907, 323.66; 3. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.920, 330.39; 4. Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 3.930, 332.43; 5. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.934, 324.75; 6. Alexis DeJoria, Dodge Charger, 3.942, 330.23; 7. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.942, 302.62; 8. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.944, 329.67; 9. Hunter Green, Charger, 3.946, 314.09; 10. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.947, 325.22; 11. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.960, 317.42; 12. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.962, 312.21; 13. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.113, 245.00; 14. Jim Campbell, Charger, 5.060, 152.68; 15. Dave Richards, Mustang, 6.011, 116.41; 16. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 6.264, 109.30.
Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.614, 206.86; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.616, 206.23; 3. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.623, 206.01; 4. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.624, 206.73; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.628, 207.21; 6. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.634, 205.16; 7. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.641, 204.94; 8. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.642, 204.98; 9. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.643, 205.13; 10. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.659, 205.72; 11. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.665, 205.76; 12. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.675, 206.51; 13. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.680, 205.16; 14. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.688, 204.76; 15. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.690, 204.60; 16. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.695, 203.89.
Not Qualified: 17. Kenny Delco, 6.748, 203.71; 18. Joseph Wilczek, 7.187, 196.50.
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