CAPPS QUALIFIES NO. 13 IN VEGAS
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2008) - Ron Capps raced the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car into the No. 13 position for Sunday's eliminations at the eighth annual Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Capps and the NAPA team were disappointed with their final pass of 4.108 seconds at 303.71 mph under nearly ideal conditions, but their quickest pass of 4.100/298.60 set on Friday evening kept them in the top 16 of a stellar field of 19 cars vying for those spots.
His other laps were a 4.170/296.44 (No. 11) in Friday's first session and a 4.140/299.00 (No. 10) earlier today.
"We're a little disappointed where we ended up," said Capps. "In the last session of qualifying a lot of clouds came in, it looked like it was going to rain, and it was ideal conditions for the nitro cars. And we expected to run an .06 or an .07.
"A 4.10 is not a bad run and I'm glad we're all disappointed with a .10. That means the team is very driven and determined to run better. But we're just not happy with that. We need to improve our qualifying.
"The good thing about (crew chief) Ed McCulloch and (assistant crew chief) Ronnie Thompson is that they'll figure out why it didn't run better and we'll have a good race car tomorrow.
"We are disappointed, but I really believe the NAPA guys will show up on Sunday, and, even though we don't have lane choice first round, we will have a car that is capable of winning."
Capps faces Ashley Force in the opening round of Funny Car eliminations on Sunday. While Capps, in No. 7, is out of contention for the Funny Car championship with two events remaining in the season, he could be a factor in the Countdown to 1 playoffs for the top six in points (Tim Wilkerson, Jack Beckman, Cruz Pedregon, Robert Hight and Ashley Force).
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2008) - Ron Capps raced the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car into the No. 13 position for Sunday's eliminations at the eighth annual Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Capps and the NAPA team were disappointed with their final pass of 4.108 seconds at 303.71 mph under nearly ideal conditions, but their quickest pass of 4.100/298.60 set on Friday evening kept them in the top 16 of a stellar field of 19 cars vying for those spots.
His other laps were a 4.170/296.44 (No. 11) in Friday's first session and a 4.140/299.00 (No. 10) earlier today.
"We're a little disappointed where we ended up," said Capps. "In the last session of qualifying a lot of clouds came in, it looked like it was going to rain, and it was ideal conditions for the nitro cars. And we expected to run an .06 or an .07.
"A 4.10 is not a bad run and I'm glad we're all disappointed with a .10. That means the team is very driven and determined to run better. But we're just not happy with that. We need to improve our qualifying.
"The good thing about (crew chief) Ed McCulloch and (assistant crew chief) Ronnie Thompson is that they'll figure out why it didn't run better and we'll have a good race car tomorrow.
"We are disappointed, but I really believe the NAPA guys will show up on Sunday, and, even though we don't have lane choice first round, we will have a car that is capable of winning."
Capps faces Ashley Force in the opening round of Funny Car eliminations on Sunday. While Capps, in No. 7, is out of contention for the Funny Car championship with two events remaining in the season, he could be a factor in the Countdown to 1 playoffs for the top six in points (Tim Wilkerson, Jack Beckman, Cruz Pedregon, Robert Hight and Ashley Force).
