ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Sept. 25, 2026) – Ron Capps and the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car team opened the second race of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship with a strong showing Friday at Rockingham Dragway, collecting five crucial bonus points and powering to the provisional No. 1 position after two rounds of qualifying at the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock.
Capps, who entered the weekend ranked fourth in the Funny Car standings and 63 points out of first, wasted little time showing why he is one of the leading title contenders. The three-time world champion opened qualifying with a solid 3.926-second pass at 330.40 mph to slot into the No. 2 position. The run was second-quickest of the session and earned Capps two bonus points.
With favorable conditions setting the stage for a quick second session, Capps and his Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli-led team took full advantage. Capps launched the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car, which carries SKF branding as part of a special one-race partnership, to a stout 3.870-second blast at 330.40 mph, rocketing to the top of the Funny Car timing sheets and collecting three more bonus points for clocking the quickest run of the session.
The Q2 performance also earned Capps the Funny Car “Last Driver Standing” low qualifier bonus, which awarded the quickest driver of the session $1,000 along with an ASUS ROG Flow Z13 Nebula laptop courtesy of IGTG and Perimeter.One.
“My son Caden is at home; he didn’t get to make it this weekend, and he’s going to be so excited about this,” Capps said of his new laptop. “I’m freaking out right now because I was a kid growing up reading about Rockingham Dragway, and the next thing you know, I’m here driving for the legendary Don Prudhomme in 1997, and I was actually in the final round the last time NHRA raced here in ‘98. To come back here, now as a team owner, and go to FanFest last night and see all the fans who have been clamoring for a national event here was just awesome. We had so many partners come out this weekend, we’re just all so happy to be back here.”
Capps arrived in Rockingham looking to make up ground in the championship battle after opening the six-race Countdown to the Championship last weekend in Martin, Mich., where he recorded a new career-best speed of 339.37 mph before bowing out in the quarterfinals. Rockingham marks the second of three consecutive races to open the playoffs and, like last weekend’s event, is a new addition to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule.
For Capps and Antonelli, Friday’s performance also carried added significance given their history competing at Rockingham Dragway during earlier stages of their careers.
“Guido and I are like these two OG dogs, having flashbacks of all these memories from way back in the day,” Capps said. “We were on different teams back then, so this is really cool. Maddi (Gordon) and I came here right after Gainesville to do some media, and it was so weird being back here after all those years. It’s so historic, and such an iconic facility.”
Capps will have two opportunities on Saturday to defend his position atop the Funny Car field. If his 3.870-second effort holds through the final two qualifying sessions, he will secure his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 41st of his career.
Qualifying for the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock continues Saturday with two scheduled sessions at noon and 2:30 p.m. ET before eliminations begin Sunday.
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Capps, who entered the weekend ranked fourth in the Funny Car standings and 63 points out of first, wasted little time showing why he is one of the leading title contenders. The three-time world champion opened qualifying with a solid 3.926-second pass at 330.40 mph to slot into the No. 2 position. The run was second-quickest of the session and earned Capps two bonus points.
With favorable conditions setting the stage for a quick second session, Capps and his Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli-led team took full advantage. Capps launched the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car, which carries SKF branding as part of a special one-race partnership, to a stout 3.870-second blast at 330.40 mph, rocketing to the top of the Funny Car timing sheets and collecting three more bonus points for clocking the quickest run of the session.
The Q2 performance also earned Capps the Funny Car “Last Driver Standing” low qualifier bonus, which awarded the quickest driver of the session $1,000 along with an ASUS ROG Flow Z13 Nebula laptop courtesy of IGTG and Perimeter.One.
“My son Caden is at home; he didn’t get to make it this weekend, and he’s going to be so excited about this,” Capps said of his new laptop. “I’m freaking out right now because I was a kid growing up reading about Rockingham Dragway, and the next thing you know, I’m here driving for the legendary Don Prudhomme in 1997, and I was actually in the final round the last time NHRA raced here in ‘98. To come back here, now as a team owner, and go to FanFest last night and see all the fans who have been clamoring for a national event here was just awesome. We had so many partners come out this weekend, we’re just all so happy to be back here.”
Capps arrived in Rockingham looking to make up ground in the championship battle after opening the six-race Countdown to the Championship last weekend in Martin, Mich., where he recorded a new career-best speed of 339.37 mph before bowing out in the quarterfinals. Rockingham marks the second of three consecutive races to open the playoffs and, like last weekend’s event, is a new addition to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule.
For Capps and Antonelli, Friday’s performance also carried added significance given their history competing at Rockingham Dragway during earlier stages of their careers.
“Guido and I are like these two OG dogs, having flashbacks of all these memories from way back in the day,” Capps said. “We were on different teams back then, so this is really cool. Maddi (Gordon) and I came here right after Gainesville to do some media, and it was so weird being back here after all those years. It’s so historic, and such an iconic facility.”
Capps will have two opportunities on Saturday to defend his position atop the Funny Car field. If his 3.870-second effort holds through the final two qualifying sessions, he will secure his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 41st of his career.
Qualifying for the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock continues Saturday with two scheduled sessions at noon and 2:30 p.m. ET before eliminations begin Sunday.
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