CAPPS GOES TO SEMIS, MOVES UP IN POINTS IN NORWALK
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
NORWALK, Ohio (July 29, 2008) - Ron Capps is just one point out of seventh place in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings following today's run to the semifinals in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T at the Second Annual NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Capps is No. 8 in the rankings after falling to Tony Pedregon in the semifinal round in a day filled with intermittent rain delays. Having lane choice by virtue of his No. 2 qualifying effort, Capps first dismissed his DSR teammate Jerry Toliver in a tire-smoking first-round duel with a 5.688-second elapsed time at 241.41 mph, then disposed of Del Worsham in the second round with a 4.936/301.13.
He faced reigning Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon in the semifinal match-up. Both launched nearly even at the starting lights, but a dropped cylinder slowed Capps to a 5.084/284.08 finish, while Pedregon cruised to a 4.967/291.82 victory.
"You get that late in the day and you're in the semifinals, you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, which is the final," said Capps, "and you just expect to be in the final when you've gone that far.
"Throughout today, with the rain coming, rain leaving, it was just an unbelievable day of attrition, basically. I probably got in and out of the car more today than I have all year up until now.
"It hurts that we lost. It put a cylinder out right at the hit of the throttle, and it's just so hard to make that up. Then when you get back to the trailer, you sit down and see what happened and you realize that there's some things that could have been a lot worse and hurt the car a lot worse. It could have been on fire. A lot of things could have happened. But we got out of the day with a move up in points, and we're a little more solid in the top 10. And nothing was hurt on the car. That's a bonus, especially nowadays.
"This morning I would have told you just getting past first round was everything in the world, which it was, and then you get past the second round and the next thing you know you're in the semis and you expect to win. So, it's a little disheartening for all the NAPA guys.
"We're going to sit down and watch Michael Waltrip and see how he's doing in the NASCAR race in New Hampshire today an hopefully he has a good finish.
"We're excited to have a weekend off. I'll spend it with the family going down the road in the motor home and then we'll go to Denver, where Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) is one of those crew chiefs who can adapt, and Denver is a place where you have to adapt, so it's something we look forward to.”
Next up is the Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver, Colo., July 11-13.
Unofficial NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car points, after 12 of 24 events:
1. Tim Wilkerson, 862
2. Ashley Force, 708
3. Tony Pedregon, 716 (winner today)
4. Robert Hight, 686 (runner-up today)
5. John Force, 661
6. Cruz Pedregon, 644
7. Gary Densham, 581
8. Ron Capps, 580
9. Mike Neff, 548
10. Bob Tasca III, 494
11. Del Worsham, 485
12. Jack Beckman, 438
13. Gary Scelzi, 430
14. Melanie Troxel, 397
15. Jim Head, 395
16. Jerry Toliver, 383
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
NORWALK, Ohio (July 29, 2008) - Ron Capps is just one point out of seventh place in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings following today's run to the semifinals in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T at the Second Annual NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Capps is No. 8 in the rankings after falling to Tony Pedregon in the semifinal round in a day filled with intermittent rain delays. Having lane choice by virtue of his No. 2 qualifying effort, Capps first dismissed his DSR teammate Jerry Toliver in a tire-smoking first-round duel with a 5.688-second elapsed time at 241.41 mph, then disposed of Del Worsham in the second round with a 4.936/301.13.
He faced reigning Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon in the semifinal match-up. Both launched nearly even at the starting lights, but a dropped cylinder slowed Capps to a 5.084/284.08 finish, while Pedregon cruised to a 4.967/291.82 victory.
"You get that late in the day and you're in the semifinals, you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, which is the final," said Capps, "and you just expect to be in the final when you've gone that far.
"Throughout today, with the rain coming, rain leaving, it was just an unbelievable day of attrition, basically. I probably got in and out of the car more today than I have all year up until now.
"It hurts that we lost. It put a cylinder out right at the hit of the throttle, and it's just so hard to make that up. Then when you get back to the trailer, you sit down and see what happened and you realize that there's some things that could have been a lot worse and hurt the car a lot worse. It could have been on fire. A lot of things could have happened. But we got out of the day with a move up in points, and we're a little more solid in the top 10. And nothing was hurt on the car. That's a bonus, especially nowadays.
"This morning I would have told you just getting past first round was everything in the world, which it was, and then you get past the second round and the next thing you know you're in the semis and you expect to win. So, it's a little disheartening for all the NAPA guys.
"We're going to sit down and watch Michael Waltrip and see how he's doing in the NASCAR race in New Hampshire today an hopefully he has a good finish.
"We're excited to have a weekend off. I'll spend it with the family going down the road in the motor home and then we'll go to Denver, where Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) is one of those crew chiefs who can adapt, and Denver is a place where you have to adapt, so it's something we look forward to.”
Next up is the Mile-High NHRA Nationals in Denver, Colo., July 11-13.
Unofficial NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car points, after 12 of 24 events:
1. Tim Wilkerson, 862
2. Ashley Force, 708
3. Tony Pedregon, 716 (winner today)
4. Robert Hight, 686 (runner-up today)
5. John Force, 661
6. Cruz Pedregon, 644
7. Gary Densham, 581
8. Ron Capps, 580
9. Mike Neff, 548
10. Bob Tasca III, 494
11. Del Worsham, 485
12. Jack Beckman, 438
13. Gary Scelzi, 430
14. Melanie Troxel, 397
15. Jim Head, 395
16. Jerry Toliver, 383
