CAPPS COUNTING ON STRONG RESULTS IN SONOMA
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif. (July 22, 2008) - Ron Capps is fresh off a runner-up finish in Seattle on Sunday, his first of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, and hopes this new wave of momentum will help him sail into the winner's circle at this weekend's 21st Annual NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway.
Driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, Capps moved into sixth place in the class rankings, a position he expects to solidly improve upon in the last four events before the Countdown to the Championship kicks in for the top 10 following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
"Believe me, we don't want to go to Reading (Pa., Aug. 15-17), let alone Brainerd (Minn., Aug. 8-10) and start thinking, Man, we need to do this or that to get in. We don't want to be in that position," said Capps.
"Seattle was a great points weekend. Unfortunately, (14-time champion) John Force didn't qualify and we went around him in points, which was huge. We know he'll be one of the contenders at the end. So, anything you can gain on John at any time is a bonus, but it's going to be tight.
"We were definitely counting the points in Seattle as the day went on," added Capps, who hasn't won at Infineon Raceway since 1997 in his 25 career victories, but is always a favorite. "Now we are going to a place that warms my heart, in the area where I grew up. We've just been to Seattle, where I had won my first race, and I felt a lot of good mojo coming into that event, so it feels good to roll into Sonoma with this kind of momentum.
"Sonoma for me is a special place. It's where I lived for a long while, I met my wife up there, and I see a lot of friends and family when we race there. I have to get a lot of tickets for them. And it's so worth it.
"Track owner Bruton Smith obviously built a great track and it is always a terrific place to go to. From where we park our Monaco motor coach up on the hill, we have an awesome view of the track and the whole valley.
"I have my family with me on the road (wife Shelley, daughter Taylor, son Caden). We know the racing is going to be good, but it's also the things we can do with the family in the area which makes it a great race track.
"And I've been able to win there in the past," added Capps, who also has scored two runner-up finishes at Infineon, in 2002 and 2005, and qualified No. 1 in 1998. "We came close to winning our first race for NAPA AUTO PARTS in Seattle, so we're hoping to do it this weekend."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 6 in Funny Car points after 14 2008 events; one runner-up, four semifinal, two quarterfinal finishes, seven first-rounds
* Qualified No. 12 in Sonoma in 2007, lost first round to Del Worsham
* Sonoma Funny Car winner in 1998, runner-up in 2002 and 2005
* No. 1 qualifier in Sonoma in 1998
* No. 4 in 2007 Funny Car point standings
* Led 2007 Funny Car point standings by as much as 154 points through 14 of the first 17 races of the season
* Had three wins in seven final rounds in 2007; two semifinal finishes, four quarterfinals, nine first rounds, and one DNQ
* Round win-loss record in 2007 was 32-19
* NAPA AUTO PARTS is new primary sponsor for 2008
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2005
* Has three Skoal Showdown titles: 1998, 1999 and 2002
* Third in 2006 final point standings
* Had class-best five wins in 2006
* Had three wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first
win for DSR in '05)
* 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, '07, or '08 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 53 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 round win-loss record is 326-245
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 17-40 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 13 meetings against Force, and has won the last four of five first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 43 (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 (7)
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif. (July 22, 2008) - Ron Capps is fresh off a runner-up finish in Seattle on Sunday, his first of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, and hopes this new wave of momentum will help him sail into the winner's circle at this weekend's 21st Annual NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway.
Driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, Capps moved into sixth place in the class rankings, a position he expects to solidly improve upon in the last four events before the Countdown to the Championship kicks in for the top 10 following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
"Believe me, we don't want to go to Reading (Pa., Aug. 15-17), let alone Brainerd (Minn., Aug. 8-10) and start thinking, Man, we need to do this or that to get in. We don't want to be in that position," said Capps.
"Seattle was a great points weekend. Unfortunately, (14-time champion) John Force didn't qualify and we went around him in points, which was huge. We know he'll be one of the contenders at the end. So, anything you can gain on John at any time is a bonus, but it's going to be tight.
"We were definitely counting the points in Seattle as the day went on," added Capps, who hasn't won at Infineon Raceway since 1997 in his 25 career victories, but is always a favorite. "Now we are going to a place that warms my heart, in the area where I grew up. We've just been to Seattle, where I had won my first race, and I felt a lot of good mojo coming into that event, so it feels good to roll into Sonoma with this kind of momentum.
"Sonoma for me is a special place. It's where I lived for a long while, I met my wife up there, and I see a lot of friends and family when we race there. I have to get a lot of tickets for them. And it's so worth it.
"Track owner Bruton Smith obviously built a great track and it is always a terrific place to go to. From where we park our Monaco motor coach up on the hill, we have an awesome view of the track and the whole valley.
"I have my family with me on the road (wife Shelley, daughter Taylor, son Caden). We know the racing is going to be good, but it's also the things we can do with the family in the area which makes it a great race track.
"And I've been able to win there in the past," added Capps, who also has scored two runner-up finishes at Infineon, in 2002 and 2005, and qualified No. 1 in 1998. "We came close to winning our first race for NAPA AUTO PARTS in Seattle, so we're hoping to do it this weekend."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 6 in Funny Car points after 14 2008 events; one runner-up, four semifinal, two quarterfinal finishes, seven first-rounds
* Qualified No. 12 in Sonoma in 2007, lost first round to Del Worsham
* Sonoma Funny Car winner in 1998, runner-up in 2002 and 2005
* No. 1 qualifier in Sonoma in 1998
* No. 4 in 2007 Funny Car point standings
* Led 2007 Funny Car point standings by as much as 154 points through 14 of the first 17 races of the season
* Had three wins in seven final rounds in 2007; two semifinal finishes, four quarterfinals, nine first rounds, and one DNQ
* Round win-loss record in 2007 was 32-19
* NAPA AUTO PARTS is new primary sponsor for 2008
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2005
* Has three Skoal Showdown titles: 1998, 1999 and 2002
* Third in 2006 final point standings
* Had class-best five wins in 2006
* Had three wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first
win for DSR in '05)
* 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, '07, or '08 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 53 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 round win-loss record is 326-245
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 17-40 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 13 meetings against Force, and has won the last four of five first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 43 (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 (7)
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
