CONCORD, N.C. (April 24, 2026) – Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps kept the momentum from the strong start to his 2026 campaign rolling at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, taking his NAPA Auto Care Funny Car to the provisional No. 1 spot Friday night under the lights at zMAX Dragway. Capps clocked a session-best 3.883 E.T. at 333.91 mph during Q2 to land at the top of the timing sheets heading into Saturday qualifying.
The Dean “Guido” Antonelli-led team opened the weekend at the season’s lone four-wide event with a stout 3.988-second run at 321.65 mph in the heat of the day to place fourth in the qualifying order. By the time the NAPA team returned to the starting line for the day’s second session, they had been bumped back to ninth. With conditions continuing to improve, Antonelli turned up the wick, tuning Capps’ machine to what was only the second 3.8-second run of the round, earning three bonus points in the process.
“This is classic zMAX,” said Capps, who entered the fourth race of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tied for first place in the Funny Car standings after earning a No. 1 qualifier in Gainesville, Fla., a win in Phoenix, and a runner-up finish at the most recent event in Pomona, Calif. “Opening session, there was a little humidity and the track was fresh, but you still saw great runs. This place is always good, and when the sun goes down, it’s great. So, we started seeing the good numbers ahead of us during Q2 and I could hear Guido on the radio ask “T Buck” (assistant crew chief Tom Buckingham) ‘what did they run?’ and he said 3.89. Guido came right back to the box, opened it up, and was in there for a minute and a half, and I just knew, he’s getting after it.”
With two more qualifying sessions scheduled for Saturday, Capps is unsure if his run will hold strong to earn the 39th No. 1 qualifier of his career but has nothing but confidence in his NAPA team as they prepare to go to battle in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge before Sunday’s elimination rounds.
“I’m so fortunate I get to race with Guido,” he added. “Obviously, everyone saw what we did in Phoenix; that’s as tough as it gets, especially after we had the explosion. You look at that, and all that we’ve accomplished so far this season, and we’re only four races in. Guido can throw down with the best of them. It’s really cool to have a crew chief who can adapt to anything. Usually, you have one who’s really good at tricky conditions, or one who’s really good in Disneyland conditions, but Guido’s good in all conditions, and that’s very rare.
“It’s looking like we’ll get some cloud cover tomorrow, so I’m not sure if this No. 1 will stick; it depends on the humidity and the heat, but we’ve got lane choice in the Mission Challenge, and we’ll be ready.”
Qualifying for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway resumes at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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The Dean “Guido” Antonelli-led team opened the weekend at the season’s lone four-wide event with a stout 3.988-second run at 321.65 mph in the heat of the day to place fourth in the qualifying order. By the time the NAPA team returned to the starting line for the day’s second session, they had been bumped back to ninth. With conditions continuing to improve, Antonelli turned up the wick, tuning Capps’ machine to what was only the second 3.8-second run of the round, earning three bonus points in the process.
“This is classic zMAX,” said Capps, who entered the fourth race of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tied for first place in the Funny Car standings after earning a No. 1 qualifier in Gainesville, Fla., a win in Phoenix, and a runner-up finish at the most recent event in Pomona, Calif. “Opening session, there was a little humidity and the track was fresh, but you still saw great runs. This place is always good, and when the sun goes down, it’s great. So, we started seeing the good numbers ahead of us during Q2 and I could hear Guido on the radio ask “T Buck” (assistant crew chief Tom Buckingham) ‘what did they run?’ and he said 3.89. Guido came right back to the box, opened it up, and was in there for a minute and a half, and I just knew, he’s getting after it.”
With two more qualifying sessions scheduled for Saturday, Capps is unsure if his run will hold strong to earn the 39th No. 1 qualifier of his career but has nothing but confidence in his NAPA team as they prepare to go to battle in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge before Sunday’s elimination rounds.
“I’m so fortunate I get to race with Guido,” he added. “Obviously, everyone saw what we did in Phoenix; that’s as tough as it gets, especially after we had the explosion. You look at that, and all that we’ve accomplished so far this season, and we’re only four races in. Guido can throw down with the best of them. It’s really cool to have a crew chief who can adapt to anything. Usually, you have one who’s really good at tricky conditions, or one who’s really good in Disneyland conditions, but Guido’s good in all conditions, and that’s very rare.
“It’s looking like we’ll get some cloud cover tomorrow, so I’m not sure if this No. 1 will stick; it depends on the humidity and the heat, but we’ve got lane choice in the Mission Challenge, and we’ll be ready.”
Qualifying for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway resumes at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Continue reading...
