CAPPS READY FOR COUNTDOWN, SHOWDOWN AT INDY
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/r_capps_642736.jpg" alt="r_capps_642736" align="right"borders="0"/>
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Aug. 26, 2008) - Having clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 championship playoffs in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, Ron Capps will focus on winning his first national event of the season as well as a fourth $100,000 Showdown bonus-event title at this weekend's U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
Last year, Capps entered the U.S. Nationals, which was then the first event of the Countdown to Four playoffs, with a huge points lead which was knocked down to only 10 markers for the final battle. He struggled through the two-race Countdown to One, ending up fourth for the year.
This season, the U.S. Nationals is the last event before the Countdown to 1 kicks in for the top 10 in the remaining six events of the year. Capps, in eighth, could move up to sixth with a strong result this weekend.
"This year Indy is quite a bit different from last year," said Capps, who has never won the U.S. Nationals. "Last year was the first time for the Countdown, and we were quite a bit ahead in points, much like (No. 1 in points) Tim Wilkerson is right now, and then of course they reset the points.
"I think in 2007 a lot of people kind of questioned how to approach it properly, and obviously we proved that you don't have to be leading the Countdown to win the championship.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing my team tested because it looks like we're either going to be sixth or 10th in the points. Best-case scenario is we will be in sixth place, which is still going to put us quite a few points behind first (70). I'm really excited to see how my NAPA guys are going to react."
The NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge is tuned by the winningest U.S. Nationals Funny Car driver: Ed "Ace" McCulloch, a five-time U.S. Nationals champion. "I truly believe we've got the best leader there is in the pit area when you have to go to battle on race day," said Capps. "And this weekend it's the U.S. Nationals, the granddaddy of all drag races. It's a race where you need Ace's intensity and his experience at a place like Indy.
"And then on top of that we have the Showdown for $100,000," added Capps, who is making his ninth appearance in this bonus event. "I've been lucky enough to win it three times (1998, 1999, 2002). I think that success has been because I've been around good, experienced racers in the past, and Ed McCulloch has taught me so much. And this is a place where you really have to rely on that."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 8 in Funny Car points after 17 2008 events; one runner-up, four semifinal, three quarterfinal finishes, nine first-rounds
* Clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 at Reading, Pa.
* Qualified No. 5 at U.S. Nationals in 2007, lost first round to Kenny Bernstein
* Has never won the U.S. Nationals
* 2008 win-loss record is 14-17
* 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 328-248
* 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="right"borders="0"/>
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Aug. 26, 2008) - Having clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 championship playoffs in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, Ron Capps will focus on winning his first national event of the season as well as a fourth $100,000 Showdown bonus-event title at this weekend's U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
Last year, Capps entered the U.S. Nationals, which was then the first event of the Countdown to Four playoffs, with a huge points lead which was knocked down to only 10 markers for the final battle. He struggled through the two-race Countdown to One, ending up fourth for the year.
This season, the U.S. Nationals is the last event before the Countdown to 1 kicks in for the top 10 in the remaining six events of the year. Capps, in eighth, could move up to sixth with a strong result this weekend.
"This year Indy is quite a bit different from last year," said Capps, who has never won the U.S. Nationals. "Last year was the first time for the Countdown, and we were quite a bit ahead in points, much like (No. 1 in points) Tim Wilkerson is right now, and then of course they reset the points.
"I think in 2007 a lot of people kind of questioned how to approach it properly, and obviously we proved that you don't have to be leading the Countdown to win the championship.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing my team tested because it looks like we're either going to be sixth or 10th in the points. Best-case scenario is we will be in sixth place, which is still going to put us quite a few points behind first (70). I'm really excited to see how my NAPA guys are going to react."
The NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge is tuned by the winningest U.S. Nationals Funny Car driver: Ed "Ace" McCulloch, a five-time U.S. Nationals champion. "I truly believe we've got the best leader there is in the pit area when you have to go to battle on race day," said Capps. "And this weekend it's the U.S. Nationals, the granddaddy of all drag races. It's a race where you need Ace's intensity and his experience at a place like Indy.
"And then on top of that we have the Showdown for $100,000," added Capps, who is making his ninth appearance in this bonus event. "I've been lucky enough to win it three times (1998, 1999, 2002). I think that success has been because I've been around good, experienced racers in the past, and Ed McCulloch has taught me so much. And this is a place where you really have to rely on that."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 8 in Funny Car points after 17 2008 events; one runner-up, four semifinal, three quarterfinal finishes, nine first-rounds
* Clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 at Reading, Pa.
* Qualified No. 5 at U.S. Nationals in 2007, lost first round to Kenny Bernstein
* Has never won the U.S. Nationals
* 2008 win-loss record is 14-17
* 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 328-248
* 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
