John Force, Crew Chief Jimmy Prock Split

John Force with Jimmy Prock. Photo courtesy of Hot Rod.

With just two races left in the NHRA Countdown, John Force and crew chief Jimmy Prock are going their separate ways.

Prock submitted his resignation effective at the end of the 2014 race season. But Force demanded the resignation occur immediately.

“I approached him, and he couldn’t give me an answer,” Force was quoted as saying in a USA Today article. “I said, ‘Jimmy, I need to know if you’re with me or against me.’ We danced around for a few days, but I said, ‘I need to know because I have sponsor contracts that have been signed. I need to know where I stand.’ Jimmy Prock said, ‘I’m probably going to leave at the end of the year.’

“I told Jimmy Prock that I was accepting his resignation, but I was accepting it now,” Force said. “I’ll take it right now. So as of now, Jimmy Prock is no longer employed by John Force Racing.”

Force currently trails Matt Hagan by 36 points for the lead in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car standings. Prock became Force’s crew chief mid-way through the 2013 season and helped him clinch his 16th Mello Yello Funny Car championship.

Force recently lost Ford and Castol as sponsors, but has indicated he plans to continue racing.