CAPPS PRIMED FOR SOLID TEXAS SHOWING
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="left"borders="0"/>
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Sept. 17, 2008) - In the midst of an exciting Countdown to 1 playoffs battle among 10 Funny Car drivers for the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series championship, Ron Capps is primed for a strong showing at this weekend's 23rd NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
Capps, who drives the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T for Don Schumacher Racing, has enjoyed past success at this venue, having won the class there in 1998, and, more surprising for the driver who's better known for his consistency and victories than his No. 1 qualifiers, sat on the pole at the Motorplex in 1997 and 2005.
No. 7 in the point standings following last weekend's opening playoffs event in Concord, N.C., Capps is 92 points out of the lead, with five of the six playoffs races left in the season. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride from now until the season finale in Pomona, Calif., on Nov. 16.
"Obviously, the Texas event has been a crucial race in the points well before the Countdown was instituted," said Capps. "I remember going there a few years back when we were battling for the championship against John Force. We had him first round and we beat him.
"The crew guys back then did a great job in a pressure-cooker situation by going up there and beating one of the best there is. And here we are back in Dallas again and fighting for a championship. We're a few rounds back of the points leader (Cruz Pedregon) and you can't look to try to make it all up at once. It would be great if it happened, but we just need to go up and do the same we did in Concord: set our goals to qualify well enough to get lane choice first round and then try to win the race.
"We always look forward to going to the Texas Motorplex. At this stage of the game, it's so important to go rounds. You have one bad race and you might have to count yourself out of the championship. My success there in the past has been great and I think we're going to have a good weekend."
Capps also has that proverbial "Ace" up his sleeve this weekend. His crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch is a two-time winner in Texas: Funny Car in 1987 and Top Fuel in 1992.
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 7 in Funny Car points after 19 2008 events; one runner-up, four semifinal, four quarterfinal finishes, 10 first-rounds
* Is 92 points behind points leader Cruz Pedregon entering second of six events of Countdown to 1 playoffs
* Qualified No. 12 in Texas in 2007, lost first round to Ashley Force
* Clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 at Reading, Pa.
* 2008 round win-loss record is 15-19
* 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 U.S. Smokeless 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 328-250
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 17-41 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 14 meetings against Force, and has won four of the last six 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="left"borders="0"/>
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Sept. 17, 2008) - In the midst of an exciting Countdown to 1 playoffs battle among 10 Funny Car drivers for the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series championship, Ron Capps is primed for a strong showing at this weekend's 23rd NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
Capps, who drives the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T for Don Schumacher Racing, has enjoyed past success at this venue, having won the class there in 1998, and, more surprising for the driver who's better known for his consistency and victories than his No. 1 qualifiers, sat on the pole at the Motorplex in 1997 and 2005.
No. 7 in the point standings following last weekend's opening playoffs event in Concord, N.C., Capps is 92 points out of the lead, with five of the six playoffs races left in the season. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride from now until the season finale in Pomona, Calif., on Nov. 16.
"Obviously, the Texas event has been a crucial race in the points well before the Countdown was instituted," said Capps. "I remember going there a few years back when we were battling for the championship against John Force. We had him first round and we beat him.
"The crew guys back then did a great job in a pressure-cooker situation by going up there and beating one of the best there is. And here we are back in Dallas again and fighting for a championship. We're a few rounds back of the points leader (Cruz Pedregon) and you can't look to try to make it all up at once. It would be great if it happened, but we just need to go up and do the same we did in Concord: set our goals to qualify well enough to get lane choice first round and then try to win the race.
"We always look forward to going to the Texas Motorplex. At this stage of the game, it's so important to go rounds. You have one bad race and you might have to count yourself out of the championship. My success there in the past has been great and I think we're going to have a good weekend."
Capps also has that proverbial "Ace" up his sleeve this weekend. His crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch is a two-time winner in Texas: Funny Car in 1987 and Top Fuel in 1992.
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 7 in Funny Car points after 19 2008 events; one runner-up, four semifinal, four quarterfinal finishes, 10 first-rounds
* Is 92 points behind points leader Cruz Pedregon entering second of six events of Countdown to 1 playoffs
* Qualified No. 12 in Texas in 2007, lost first round to Ashley Force
* Clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 at Reading, Pa.
* 2008 round win-loss record is 15-19
* 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 U.S. Smokeless 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 328-250
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 17-41 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 14 meetings against Force, and has won four of the last six 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
