CAPPS OUT IN ROUND ONE IN SONOMA, IS SEVENTH IN POINTS
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif. (July 27, 2008) - It's all in the timing, they say, and that proved true in the opening round of Funny Car eliminations today for Ron Capps at the 21st annual NHRA Nationals. A glitch in the ignition timing caused the tires on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T to spin late in the run, which in turn resulted in a five-thousandths of a second loss for Capps to Gary Densham.
Both cars struck the tires, but Densham recovered to take the win with a 4.399-second pass at 288.77 mph to Capps' slowing 4.909/169.08.
"Yeah, it was a very disappointing Sunday," said Capps, who fell to No. 7 in the point standings. "But we have a great car, the NAPA guys have done a great job, and it won't hurt us too bad in points.
"We proved last year you don't have to be leading the points to go into the Countdown, and you don't even have to be one of the top three going into the later part of the Countdown to be world champion," added Capps of the scenario last year where he had led the rankings by as much as 154 points going into the 2007 Countdown playoffs only to struggle at the end of the season and finish fourth.
"We have a good hot rod; we just missed it first round. Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) is a little beside himself because he made a choice that he said probably bit him. Let me tell you, there's no car I'd rather be in on Sunday morning than the NAPA Dodge and driving for Ed McCulloch. He's really mad at himself but he's going to be good the rest of the year. We've got a great car and a great team."
Only the top 10 in points will vie for the Funny Car crown in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs which begin after the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. With only three national events left in the “regular” season, Capps has a comfortable 125-point margin over his teammate Jack Beckman in 10th place.
"This points thing is going to tighten up and I think if we keep going the way we've been going - other than this weekend - and keep up the momentum into Brainerd, Reading and so on, we're going to be OK in the points," he said. "That's all we've got to do. And we have to really hope our teammates get in as well. Currently, besides Beckman, his other DSR Funny Car partners Gary Scelzi and Jerry Toliver are 13th and 15th, respectively.
"Despite the glitch in the ignition timing, we have a great car, it's in one piece, we haven't hurt anything, we're great on parts, and it makes me feel good going into the rest of the year."
Next up for the NAPA AUTO PARTS team is the 27th annal NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 8-10.
UNOFFICIAL FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS, after 15 of 24 events:
1. Tim Wilkerson, 1083
2. Tony Pedregon, 899
3. Robert Hight, 933 (winner today)
4. Ashley Force, 830
5. Cruz Pedregon, 828
6. Gary Densham, 796 (runner-up today)
7. Ron Capps, 757
8. John Force, 740
9. Mike Neff, 686
10. Jack Beckman, 632
11. Bob Tasca III, 590
12. Del Worsham, 588
13. Gary Scelzi, 555
14. Melanie Troxel, 509
15. Jerry Toliver, 501
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif. (July 27, 2008) - It's all in the timing, they say, and that proved true in the opening round of Funny Car eliminations today for Ron Capps at the 21st annual NHRA Nationals. A glitch in the ignition timing caused the tires on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T to spin late in the run, which in turn resulted in a five-thousandths of a second loss for Capps to Gary Densham.
Both cars struck the tires, but Densham recovered to take the win with a 4.399-second pass at 288.77 mph to Capps' slowing 4.909/169.08.
"Yeah, it was a very disappointing Sunday," said Capps, who fell to No. 7 in the point standings. "But we have a great car, the NAPA guys have done a great job, and it won't hurt us too bad in points.
"We proved last year you don't have to be leading the points to go into the Countdown, and you don't even have to be one of the top three going into the later part of the Countdown to be world champion," added Capps of the scenario last year where he had led the rankings by as much as 154 points going into the 2007 Countdown playoffs only to struggle at the end of the season and finish fourth.
"We have a good hot rod; we just missed it first round. Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) is a little beside himself because he made a choice that he said probably bit him. Let me tell you, there's no car I'd rather be in on Sunday morning than the NAPA Dodge and driving for Ed McCulloch. He's really mad at himself but he's going to be good the rest of the year. We've got a great car and a great team."
Only the top 10 in points will vie for the Funny Car crown in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs which begin after the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. With only three national events left in the “regular” season, Capps has a comfortable 125-point margin over his teammate Jack Beckman in 10th place.
"This points thing is going to tighten up and I think if we keep going the way we've been going - other than this weekend - and keep up the momentum into Brainerd, Reading and so on, we're going to be OK in the points," he said. "That's all we've got to do. And we have to really hope our teammates get in as well. Currently, besides Beckman, his other DSR Funny Car partners Gary Scelzi and Jerry Toliver are 13th and 15th, respectively.
"Despite the glitch in the ignition timing, we have a great car, it's in one piece, we haven't hurt anything, we're great on parts, and it makes me feel good going into the rest of the year."
Next up for the NAPA AUTO PARTS team is the 27th annal NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 8-10.
UNOFFICIAL FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS, after 15 of 24 events:
1. Tim Wilkerson, 1083
2. Tony Pedregon, 899
3. Robert Hight, 933 (winner today)
4. Ashley Force, 830
5. Cruz Pedregon, 828
6. Gary Densham, 796 (runner-up today)
7. Ron Capps, 757
8. John Force, 740
9. Mike Neff, 686
10. Jack Beckman, 632
11. Bob Tasca III, 590
12. Del Worsham, 588
13. Gary Scelzi, 555
14. Melanie Troxel, 509
15. Jerry Toliver, 501
