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CARLSBAD, Calif. (Aug. 28, 2007) - After leading the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings by as much as 154 markers since the fourth national event of the season, Ron Capps finds himself just a half-round ahead as all but 10 of the points he garnered in the first 17 races are erased and the new Countdown to Four begins this weekend at the U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park.
Having clinched the No. 1 slot in the Countdown to the Championship at the last event in Reading, Pa., Capps is ready to deliver the Brut Revolution Dodge Charger R/T into the winner's circle for his first U.S. Nationals win and his fourth Skoal Showdown triumph this weekend.
And he has an "Ace" up his sleeve. That's crew chief Ed McCulloch, who has won more U.S. Nationals Funny Car titles than any other driver. McCulloch had claimed five Funny Car victories (1971, '72, '80, '88, '90) and one Top Fuel win (1992) at this prestigious event before he retired as a driver at the end of 1993. Both Capps and McCulloch have competed in seven Showdown bonus events. This weekend will mark Capps' eighth appearance in the Showdown.
"I've talked time and time again about the approach that a veteran racer like Ed McCulloch has," said Capps, a three-time winner this season. "Not just counting how many times he's won Indy, but the intensity of how he approaches race days.
"It's such a fun, intense moment to go to battle with him at every drag race. I really can't tell you how much I enjoy racing with him and learning from him. And I try to take that with me when I go to the starting line at big races like this and coming down to the championship. I so badly do not want to let him or the Brut crew members down. He's been through so many high-pressure situations in the past as a driver and now as a crew chief, I want the best for not just the whole team but for Ace."
The pressure is on for the top eight in the Countdown to earn a place in the Countdown to Four in the next four races, and this weekend brings extra anxiety for those also competing in the $100,000 Skoal Showdown bonus event. With five qualifying rounds scheduled, including running the Showdown during those sessions, there will be no time to relax. "The key is to hopefully get our Brut car qualified well before we begin the Showdown," said Capps, who is looking for his first Funny Car championship after three bridesmaid career finishes. "I've been in a position in the past, along with other drivers, going into Sunday with two qualifying runs left, being part of the Showdown and not yet solidly qualified. Having to focus on the final two qualifying passes is difficult, because you're trying to win that $100,000 bonus and yet you need to get qualified, and it's in the heat of the day.
"So, if you're not in the show by the time Sunday rolls around, you could be in a heap of trouble. Talk about pressure.
"It's so important for us to get qualified high either in the Friday night run or the Saturday afternoon and night runs. We don't need that extra pressure of going into the Showdown not being qualified."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* Clinched No. 1 in the Countdown to the Championship at Reading, Pa., event
* Leading 2007 Funny Car point standings after back-to-back wins in Gainesville and Houston, another win in St. Louis, three runner-up, two semifinal, three quarterfinal, five first-round finishes and a DNQ in first 17 races
* Led Robert Hight in rankings by 78 points before the Countdown to Four at the U.S. Nationals
* Has never won the U.S. Nationals
* Has three Skoal Showdown titles: 1998, 1999 and 2002
* No. 6 qualifier at U.S. Nationals in 2006, lost semis to Robert Hight
* Third in 2006 final point standings
* Had class-best five wins in 2006: Gainesville, Fla., Bristol, Tenn., Topeka, Kan., Houston and Englishtown, N.J.
* Had three wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first
win for DSR in '05), won at Chicago 2 at Route 66 Raceway and Las Vegas 2
* 2005 Funny Car championship runner-up, eight points short of title
* Qualified No. 1 once in 2005, in Dallas; first time since Brainerd 2000
* Has seven career No. 1 qualifiers, none in 2006 or 2007 so far
* A perennial fan favorite, Capps has driven and won in both Top Fuel and Funny Cars since he began his pro NHRA career in 1995
* His best season points finishes were seconds in Funny Car in 1998, 2000 and 2005
* He has 25 event wins in 51 final rounds to his credit (24 national event wins in Funny Car, one in Top Fuel)
* His career-best elapsed time (established during an event) is 4.694 seconds, set in 2005 in Dallas
* His career-best speed is 331.61 mph (Pomona 1, '07)
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 17-38 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 11 meetings against Force, and has won the last four first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 42 (June 20, 1965); born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
* Lives in Carlsbad, Calif., with wife Shelley and daughter Taylor (11) and son Caden (6)
* Is featured, along with son Caden and the Brut Revolution racing crew, in a number of Brut ads appearing in mainstream magazines, such as People, Sports Illustrated, etc.
* New to Don Schumacher Racing in 2005 after eight years with Don Prudhomme.
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
* Is the subject, along with teammate Tony Schumacher, in the behind-the-scenes TV series, American Dragster, airing on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 31 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 6:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 1 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1 p.m. and 6:05 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SKOAL SHOWDOWN ELIMINATIONS at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5 p.m.
MONDAY, Sept. 3 - Pre-race ceremonies, 9:30 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Sept. 2, ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 12:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 2, ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute magazine show at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 2, ESPN2 HD will televise three hours and 30 minutes of qualifying coverage at 2 p.m. (ET).
Monday, Sept. 3, ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at midnight (ET).
Monday, Sept. 3, ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of early eliminations coverage at noon (ET).
Monday, Sept. 3, ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Aug. 31, 11-11:30 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
Saturday, Sept. 1, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
Sunday, Sept. 2, 7:45-8:15 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
Monday, Sept. 3, 7:15-8:15 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
CAPPS AIMS TO "ACE" THE U.S. NATIONALS
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Aug. 28, 2007) - After leading the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings by as much as 154 markers since the fourth national event of the season, Ron Capps finds himself just a half-round ahead as all but 10 of the points he garnered in the first 17 races are erased and the new Countdown to Four begins this weekend at the U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park.
Having clinched the No. 1 slot in the Countdown to the Championship at the last event in Reading, Pa., Capps is ready to deliver the Brut Revolution Dodge Charger R/T into the winner's circle for his first U.S. Nationals win and his fourth Skoal Showdown triumph this weekend.
And he has an "Ace" up his sleeve. That's crew chief Ed McCulloch, who has won more U.S. Nationals Funny Car titles than any other driver. McCulloch had claimed five Funny Car victories (1971, '72, '80, '88, '90) and one Top Fuel win (1992) at this prestigious event before he retired as a driver at the end of 1993. Both Capps and McCulloch have competed in seven Showdown bonus events. This weekend will mark Capps' eighth appearance in the Showdown.
"I've talked time and time again about the approach that a veteran racer like Ed McCulloch has," said Capps, a three-time winner this season. "Not just counting how many times he's won Indy, but the intensity of how he approaches race days.
"It's such a fun, intense moment to go to battle with him at every drag race. I really can't tell you how much I enjoy racing with him and learning from him. And I try to take that with me when I go to the starting line at big races like this and coming down to the championship. I so badly do not want to let him or the Brut crew members down. He's been through so many high-pressure situations in the past as a driver and now as a crew chief, I want the best for not just the whole team but for Ace."
The pressure is on for the top eight in the Countdown to earn a place in the Countdown to Four in the next four races, and this weekend brings extra anxiety for those also competing in the $100,000 Skoal Showdown bonus event. With five qualifying rounds scheduled, including running the Showdown during those sessions, there will be no time to relax. "The key is to hopefully get our Brut car qualified well before we begin the Showdown," said Capps, who is looking for his first Funny Car championship after three bridesmaid career finishes. "I've been in a position in the past, along with other drivers, going into Sunday with two qualifying runs left, being part of the Showdown and not yet solidly qualified. Having to focus on the final two qualifying passes is difficult, because you're trying to win that $100,000 bonus and yet you need to get qualified, and it's in the heat of the day.
"So, if you're not in the show by the time Sunday rolls around, you could be in a heap of trouble. Talk about pressure.
"It's so important for us to get qualified high either in the Friday night run or the Saturday afternoon and night runs. We don't need that extra pressure of going into the Showdown not being qualified."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* Clinched No. 1 in the Countdown to the Championship at Reading, Pa., event
* Leading 2007 Funny Car point standings after back-to-back wins in Gainesville and Houston, another win in St. Louis, three runner-up, two semifinal, three quarterfinal, five first-round finishes and a DNQ in first 17 races
* Led Robert Hight in rankings by 78 points before the Countdown to Four at the U.S. Nationals
* Has never won the U.S. Nationals
* Has three Skoal Showdown titles: 1998, 1999 and 2002
* No. 6 qualifier at U.S. Nationals in 2006, lost semis to Robert Hight
* Third in 2006 final point standings
* Had class-best five wins in 2006: Gainesville, Fla., Bristol, Tenn., Topeka, Kan., Houston and Englishtown, N.J.
* Had three wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first
win for DSR in '05), won at Chicago 2 at Route 66 Raceway and Las Vegas 2
* 2005 Funny Car championship runner-up, eight points short of title
* Qualified No. 1 once in 2005, in Dallas; first time since Brainerd 2000
* Has seven career No. 1 qualifiers, none in 2006 or 2007 so far
* A perennial fan favorite, Capps has driven and won in both Top Fuel and Funny Cars since he began his pro NHRA career in 1995
* His best season points finishes were seconds in Funny Car in 1998, 2000 and 2005
* He has 25 event wins in 51 final rounds to his credit (24 national event wins in Funny Car, one in Top Fuel)
* His career-best elapsed time (established during an event) is 4.694 seconds, set in 2005 in Dallas
* His career-best speed is 331.61 mph (Pomona 1, '07)
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 17-38 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 11 meetings against Force, and has won the last four first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 42 (June 20, 1965); born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
* Lives in Carlsbad, Calif., with wife Shelley and daughter Taylor (11) and son Caden (6)
* Is featured, along with son Caden and the Brut Revolution racing crew, in a number of Brut ads appearing in mainstream magazines, such as People, Sports Illustrated, etc.
* New to Don Schumacher Racing in 2005 after eight years with Don Prudhomme.
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
* Is the subject, along with teammate Tony Schumacher, in the behind-the-scenes TV series, American Dragster, airing on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 31 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 6:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 1 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1 p.m. and 6:05 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SKOAL SHOWDOWN ELIMINATIONS at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5 p.m.
MONDAY, Sept. 3 - Pre-race ceremonies, 9:30 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Sept. 2, ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at 12:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 2, ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute magazine show at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 2, ESPN2 HD will televise three hours and 30 minutes of qualifying coverage at 2 p.m. (ET).
Monday, Sept. 3, ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying coverage at midnight (ET).
Monday, Sept. 3, ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of early eliminations coverage at noon (ET).
Monday, Sept. 3, ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Aug. 31, 11-11:30 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
Saturday, Sept. 1, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
Sunday, Sept. 2, 7:45-8:15 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
Monday, Sept. 3, 7:15-8:15 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 17 / Transponder 9 K (11880 MHz, horizontal) analog
