[coverattach=1]CARLSBAD, Calif. (Nov. 11, 2008) - With no chance left for Ron Capps to capture the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship, the driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car and crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch are tuning the gauge to "race-win" mode at this weekend's NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
It's a given that they have approached every race of the 24-event 2008 series in race-win mode, but it's come down to this final race of the season for the driver whose last winless tour was in 2004 to make sure he doesn't end a tough year with a goose egg in the win column. His stellar professional NHRA career has produced 25 national-event wins in 53 final rounds since 1997.
No. 8 in the point standings, Capps could move into seventh place with a strong result this weekend, but a victory for NAPA AUTO PARTS and Don Schumacher Racing is No. 1 on the list.
"We're looking to finish strong," said Capps, a three-time championship runner-up. "Obviously we want to move up in the POWERade points, but more than anything we want to have a good strong weekend, and winning would accomplish that.
"With the NHRA ban on testing in the latter part of the season, teams not in the championship hunt have been able to use these last two races of the season, especially in Pomona, as testing sessions for 2009. I guess the unfortunate luxury, if you will, of not being one of the few cars fighting for a championship, which is something that we're used to, is that we're able to test some things for next year and not have the pressure of trying to win a championship at the last race.
"But, don't get us wrong, our No. 1 priority is to win our first race for NAPA AUTO PARTS, and this weekend's race in Pomona is our last chance this year. We'll do some testing if we can, but winning is our goal."
Capps has a solo career victory in Pomona, in 1998. He was No. 1 qualifier in 1999 and runner-up in 2006.
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 8 in Funny Car points after 23 2008 events: one runner-up, five semifinal, four quarterfinal finishes, 13 first-rounds
* Is 40 points behind No. 7 John Force entering sixth of six events of Countdown to 1 playoffs. No. 7 is the highest he can place for the year
* Qualified No. 8 at Pomona 2 in 2007, lost first round to Phil Burkart
* Pomona 1 winner in 1998 (Tim Wilkerson), runner-up in 2006 Pomona 1 (Robert Hight)
* Clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 at Reading, Pa.
* 2008 round win-loss record is 17-23
* 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 330-254
* 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Nov. 13 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, Nov. 14 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 15 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 16 – Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
It's a given that they have approached every race of the 24-event 2008 series in race-win mode, but it's come down to this final race of the season for the driver whose last winless tour was in 2004 to make sure he doesn't end a tough year with a goose egg in the win column. His stellar professional NHRA career has produced 25 national-event wins in 53 final rounds since 1997.
No. 8 in the point standings, Capps could move into seventh place with a strong result this weekend, but a victory for NAPA AUTO PARTS and Don Schumacher Racing is No. 1 on the list.
"We're looking to finish strong," said Capps, a three-time championship runner-up. "Obviously we want to move up in the POWERade points, but more than anything we want to have a good strong weekend, and winning would accomplish that.
"With the NHRA ban on testing in the latter part of the season, teams not in the championship hunt have been able to use these last two races of the season, especially in Pomona, as testing sessions for 2009. I guess the unfortunate luxury, if you will, of not being one of the few cars fighting for a championship, which is something that we're used to, is that we're able to test some things for next year and not have the pressure of trying to win a championship at the last race.
"But, don't get us wrong, our No. 1 priority is to win our first race for NAPA AUTO PARTS, and this weekend's race in Pomona is our last chance this year. We'll do some testing if we can, but winning is our goal."
Capps has a solo career victory in Pomona, in 1998. He was No. 1 qualifier in 1999 and runner-up in 2006.
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 8 in Funny Car points after 23 2008 events: one runner-up, five semifinal, four quarterfinal finishes, 13 first-rounds
* Is 40 points behind No. 7 John Force entering sixth of six events of Countdown to 1 playoffs. No. 7 is the highest he can place for the year
* Qualified No. 8 at Pomona 2 in 2007, lost first round to Phil Burkart
* Pomona 1 winner in 1998 (Tim Wilkerson), runner-up in 2006 Pomona 1 (Robert Hight)
* Clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 at Reading, Pa.
* 2008 round win-loss record is 17-23
* 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 330-254
* 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Nov. 13 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, Nov. 14 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 15 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 16 – Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
