<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
CARLSBAD, Calif. (March 10, 2008) - Ron Capps is aiming for a Gatornationals three-peat this weekend at the third event of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at Gainesville Raceway. The driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car has won the Funny Car class two straight years at this famed event, taking out John Force in 2006 and Phil Burkart last year. He was also runner-up in 2000 to his new Don Schumacher Racing teammate this season, Jerry Toliver.
In fact, Don Schumacher Racing teams have won at least one of the classes each year since 2004 at the Gatornationals, and team owner Don Schumacher was a Funny Car runner-up in 1973 and '74, and set top speed in 1973.
For the NHRA historians, here are the stats:
2004 - Tony Schumacher, winner in Top Fuel
2005 - Whit Bazemore, winner in Funny Car
2006 - Ron Capps, winner in Funny Car; Angelle Sampey, winner in Pro Stock Motorcycle
2007 - Tony Schumacher, winner in Top Fuel; Ron Capps, winner in Funny Car
Also, Capps' crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch is a four-time Gainesville Funny Car titlist (1972, 1986, 1989, 1990).
"It's funny," said Capps, "and I've said this before. Gainesville is one of those races that you'd love to win and have that trophy on your mantle. When I won it the first year I was just beside myself. I was on a cloud for a couple of weeks. I just couldn't believe we had won the Gatornationals. Then to go back and do it again was just unbelievable because that event has such history and it's just an incredible race.
"It's always had this outstanding reputation because the first 300-mph run was set there. But the time of year we go there it seems like the track is always a little bit tricky because of that Florida sun beating down on it. I think what's really made us so successful is that Ed McCulloch and our NAPA AUTO PARTS team have done so well to figure the track out and work on getting down the track run by run."
After a slow launch to the 2008 season, perennial battler for the Funny Car championship Capps is ready for a team resurgence.
"This year, for the first time in many years, we've lost first round in the first two races of the year," added Capps who is still seeking his first Funny Car crown. "What ends up happening is, because of the success that we've had the last few years as one of the guys fighting for the championship at the end of the year, it puts a target on our backs and guys take shots at us when they race us. And that's going to be part of it. We expect it and it's a compliment to our team. And I feel the same about a lot of the guys out there.
"It reminds me of being a gunfighter in the old days. You have to show up with your absolute best game every time because they're looking to put a notch in their belts when they race you, whether it's a shot at the tree or a shot at the tune-up."
Capps and the NAPA team have faced and dealt with other challenges presented to them this season. "We've had to really re-figure our car with the added weight (100 pounds this year)," said Capps, "and it's a completely different race car. We tested in Firebird Raceway on Monday and we feel very comfortable going into Gainesville.
"That Monday in Phoenix looked like a full national event, as most of the teams stayed to test. We were there to make huge changes to our car, something that a crew chief just doesn't do too often, but we felt we needed to. So, the numbers we ran compared to everybody else's were great numbers. But what excited me, Ace and the NAPA guys was the changes that we made and the fact that the sun came out that day and allowed us to test in the conditions we wanted to, which were non-mineshaft conditions, if you will.
"It was a very good test and it's a completely different race car. I can tell by driving it, I can tell by the sound of the car and the way it feels, and it excites me because the added weight has changed our approach to everything, and it's better now.
"Our first goal on Friday in Gainesville is to qualify, get in the show and work on our race day setup, like we've always done. I'm just having so much fun right now racing with Ace and the guys. It's fun to go back to a place where we've had the success that we've had, but, trust me, you cannot look back at that success and rely on is because if you start to rely on it and use it as a crutch, then you're in deep trouble."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car points after two 2008 events
* Has won Funny Car class at Gatornationals the last two years, was runner-up in 2000
* Qualified No. 3 at 2007 Gatornationals, won event over Phil Burkart
* 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 or 2007
* 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 52 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 313-232
* 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)
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
EVENT SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 14, nitro qualifying is at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, the qualifying is the same, at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations on Sunday begin at 11 a.m.
CAPPS GOES FOR GATORS THREE-PEAT
CARLSBAD, Calif. (March 10, 2008) - Ron Capps is aiming for a Gatornationals three-peat this weekend at the third event of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at Gainesville Raceway. The driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car has won the Funny Car class two straight years at this famed event, taking out John Force in 2006 and Phil Burkart last year. He was also runner-up in 2000 to his new Don Schumacher Racing teammate this season, Jerry Toliver.
In fact, Don Schumacher Racing teams have won at least one of the classes each year since 2004 at the Gatornationals, and team owner Don Schumacher was a Funny Car runner-up in 1973 and '74, and set top speed in 1973.
For the NHRA historians, here are the stats:
2004 - Tony Schumacher, winner in Top Fuel
2005 - Whit Bazemore, winner in Funny Car
2006 - Ron Capps, winner in Funny Car; Angelle Sampey, winner in Pro Stock Motorcycle
2007 - Tony Schumacher, winner in Top Fuel; Ron Capps, winner in Funny Car
Also, Capps' crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch is a four-time Gainesville Funny Car titlist (1972, 1986, 1989, 1990).
"It's funny," said Capps, "and I've said this before. Gainesville is one of those races that you'd love to win and have that trophy on your mantle. When I won it the first year I was just beside myself. I was on a cloud for a couple of weeks. I just couldn't believe we had won the Gatornationals. Then to go back and do it again was just unbelievable because that event has such history and it's just an incredible race.
"It's always had this outstanding reputation because the first 300-mph run was set there. But the time of year we go there it seems like the track is always a little bit tricky because of that Florida sun beating down on it. I think what's really made us so successful is that Ed McCulloch and our NAPA AUTO PARTS team have done so well to figure the track out and work on getting down the track run by run."
After a slow launch to the 2008 season, perennial battler for the Funny Car championship Capps is ready for a team resurgence.
"This year, for the first time in many years, we've lost first round in the first two races of the year," added Capps who is still seeking his first Funny Car crown. "What ends up happening is, because of the success that we've had the last few years as one of the guys fighting for the championship at the end of the year, it puts a target on our backs and guys take shots at us when they race us. And that's going to be part of it. We expect it and it's a compliment to our team. And I feel the same about a lot of the guys out there.
"It reminds me of being a gunfighter in the old days. You have to show up with your absolute best game every time because they're looking to put a notch in their belts when they race you, whether it's a shot at the tree or a shot at the tune-up."
Capps and the NAPA team have faced and dealt with other challenges presented to them this season. "We've had to really re-figure our car with the added weight (100 pounds this year)," said Capps, "and it's a completely different race car. We tested in Firebird Raceway on Monday and we feel very comfortable going into Gainesville.
"That Monday in Phoenix looked like a full national event, as most of the teams stayed to test. We were there to make huge changes to our car, something that a crew chief just doesn't do too often, but we felt we needed to. So, the numbers we ran compared to everybody else's were great numbers. But what excited me, Ace and the NAPA guys was the changes that we made and the fact that the sun came out that day and allowed us to test in the conditions we wanted to, which were non-mineshaft conditions, if you will.
"It was a very good test and it's a completely different race car. I can tell by driving it, I can tell by the sound of the car and the way it feels, and it excites me because the added weight has changed our approach to everything, and it's better now.
"Our first goal on Friday in Gainesville is to qualify, get in the show and work on our race day setup, like we've always done. I'm just having so much fun right now racing with Ace and the guys. It's fun to go back to a place where we've had the success that we've had, but, trust me, you cannot look back at that success and rely on is because if you start to rely on it and use it as a crutch, then you're in deep trouble."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car points after two 2008 events
* Has won Funny Car class at Gatornationals the last two years, was runner-up in 2000
* Qualified No. 3 at 2007 Gatornationals, won event over Phil Burkart
* 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 or 2007
* 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 52 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 313-232
* 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)
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
EVENT SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 14, nitro qualifying is at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, the qualifying is the same, at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations on Sunday begin at 11 a.m.
