As part of a lavish, globally streamed Ford Racing online presentation from Detroit late Thursday and in what he called “a new era” for his organization, Bob Tasca III of Hope, RI announced he is stepping away from the driver’s seat and becoming an NHRA Funny Car team owner only, at least for now.
And he has hired two-time and reigning champion Austin Prock to drive the Dark Horse Mustang, starting in the 2026 season that will kick off in March with the NHRA Gatornationals at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway.
By Susan Wade, Autoweek
Prock and his decorated crew chief father Jimmy Prock made official in late November that they were leaving Chevrolet-affiliated John Force Racing.
Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Racing, made the announcement on stage with actor/podcaster host Dax Shepard as the camera cut briefly to Tasca and Prock in the crowd. Tasca beamed and pointed to Prock, who flashed one of his championship rings.
Aside from a passing mention of NHRA Holley EFI Factory X Ford driver Chris Holbrook, drag racing took a back seat to off-road racing, endurance racing, NASCAR, IMSA, and Formula 1 as Ford Racing introduced its 2026 program. Multi-time World Driving Champion Max Verstappen was celebrated. Stock-car stars Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, and Zane Smith had the spotlight, as did international stars Daniel Ricciardo, Logan Sargeant, and Carlos Sainz and his Dakar Rally teammates.
The Tasca-Prock pairing is an alliance of two multi-generation drag-racing families and the only two drivers to exceed the 340-mph barrier in Funny Car competition.
Tasca had to concede to Prock the glory of being the first to break the 340-mph barrier in 2024. Tasca clocked a 341.68-mph speed at the PRO Superstar Shootout exhibition at Bradenton, Florida, but the event wasn’t an officially sanctioned NHRA race. Prock received credit for the feat months later, at the NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif., when he ran an identical 341.68-mph elapsed time.
But it’s clear Tasca has no grudges.
He said in a prepared statement, “I’m thrilled to welcome the Prock family under the Tasca Racing umbrella. I’ve had a front-row seat throughout my career watching the success Jimmy Prock has achieved, and he’s only continued to elevate his program with the addition of his sons.
“People will naturally ask how this all came together,” Tasca, 50, said, “and the answer is simple: the long-term vision of the Prock family and the Tasca family aligned perfectly. With the combined resources of Tasca Racing, Ford Racing, and the Prock family, we know this partnership will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.”
In a barely audible video from the presentation site that was posted on his social-media site, Tasca indicated Prock might be the only person to whom he would consider yielding his driver’s seat. He said it was a thrill “not just to have Austin but Jimmy and (Austin’s brothers) Thomas and Sam—the whole team. I can tell you right now this Funny Car is going to be a force to be reckoned with this season.”