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CARLSBAD, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2007) - Ron Capps is accustomed to being under the gun, in a pressure-cooker situation, feeling the squeeze - all those cliches we're all tired of hearing. But he also knows it's time to step up to the plate, grab the bull by the horns, go for the gold and give it his all, as this weekend's Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park will determine the top four in each NHRA Pro category who will vie for championships in the two final events of the season, known as the Countdown to One.
After enduring three career seasons in which he's battled to the finish for his first Funny Car championship and came up short, Capps finds himself in familiar territory (more cliches are welcome; please submit).
The driver of the Brut Revolution Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is in a precarious position in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Countdown to Four playoffs. After leading the standings this season by as much as 154 points, Capps is now scratching to get back in the chase from his fifth slot in the rankings.
Fourteen-time champion John Force is sidelined after surviving a crash at the last event in Dallas following his second-round victory and a move into fourth in points. While he recovers from his injuries, the chances of his returning to competition this year are very slim. His resolve to return, however, is well-respected by all his fellow racers, who expect and hope he'll make a quick return.
Capps is just three points behind Force; a good qualifying effort could lob Capps into the top four before eliminations even begin on Sunday. Qualifying, of course, is the number-one goal, as every driver in the top eight in points has at one time or another failed to qualify this season.
"Right now I'm really excited," said Capps. "There is going to be a lot of pressure and basically it's who goes the furthest out of the six of us (Capps, Tony Pedregon, Robert Hight, Jack Beckman, Gary Scelzi and Mike Ashley) who will get into it. We just need to have a big race. But it's a perfect time. I told Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) that this is a great time for us to get racy. When I say racy I mean to get back in the mode that we were in the beginning of the year, where we roll up there and guys are not happy about racing us. And I think we have that car back (following a successful test session the Monday after the Dallas event).
"This is a great time to go to Richmond. This is going to be as pressure-filled as it gets. Especially for the six guys. Last year, it was our first year back to this track for some time and there were still some issues with the track surface that needed to be addressed. It was a difficult race track because we had a rainout and had to come back and it was freezing cold.
"So, I think a lot of the notes we had from last year are just going to be thrown away. It will be a whole different weekend."
As for John Force, "the guy amazes me," said Capps. "We had to test on Monday after Dallas and it was very hard. It was probably the one time I didn't want to drive a Funny Car. But we had to do what we had to do. Knowing John was in the hospital was tough.
"We need John Force. We really want to race with him in this Countdown and he just got around us in points. It would have made Virginia that much more exciting. But, I fully expect John Force to make it to Richmond and cheer his team members on. That's just the way he is."
FUNNY CAR COUNTDOWN TO FOUR POINT STANDINGS ENTERING VIRGINIA (wins in parentheses):
1. Tony Pedregon, Detroit, Q Horsepower Chevy Impala (3) 2259 (+71)
2. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang (2) 2243 (+55)
3. Jack Beckman, North Hills, Calif., MTS Dodge Charger (2) 2213 (+25)
4. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang (3) 2191 (+3)
5. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger R/T (3) 2188 (-3)
6. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger (3) 2186 (-5)
7. Mike Ashley, New York, Torco/Skull Gear Dodge Charger (3) 2176 (-15)
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* Is No. 5 after three events of the Countdown to Four playoffs
* Clinched No. 1 in the Countdown to the Championship at Reading, Pa., event
* Led 2007 Funny Car point standings by as much as 154 points from the fourth race of the season. Has back-to-back wins in Gainesville and Houston, another win in St. Louis, three runner-up, two semifinal, four quarterfinal, seven first-round finishes and a DNQ in first 20 races
* Has one Richmond runner-up finish, in 2000 (John Force)
* Has three Skoal Showdown titles: 1998, 1999 and 2002
* No. 13 qualifier in Richmond in 2006, lost first round to Scott Kalitta
* Third in 2006 final point standings
* Had class-best five wins in 2006: Gainesville, Fla., Bristol, Tenn., Topeka, Kan., Houston and Englishtown, N.J.
* Had three wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first
win for DSR in '05), won at Chicago 2 at Route 66 Raceway and Las Vegas 2
* 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 or 2007 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 51 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 record against 14-time champion Force is 17-38 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 11 meetings against Force, and has won the last four first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 42 (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 (6)
* Is featured, along with son Caden and the Brut Revolution racing crew, in a number of Brut ads appearing in mainstream magazines, such as People, Sports Illustrated, etc.
* New to Don Schumacher Racing in 2005 after eight years with Don Prudhomme.
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
* Is the subject, along with teammate Tony Schumacher, in the behind-the-scenes TV series, American Dragster, airing on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Oct. 5 - Professional Qualifying Sessions at 3:30 and 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 6 - Professional Qualifying Sessions at noon and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 7 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. Final Eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Oct. 6, ESPN and ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute pre-race show at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Oct. 5, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 11, Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, Horizontal)
Saturday, Oct. 6, 6:45 - 7:15 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 11, Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, Horizontal)
Sunday, Oct. 7, 7:15 - 7:45 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 11, Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, Horizontal)
Feeds include action with natural sound of Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, plus interviews with qualifying leaders on Saturday and winners on Sunday.
IT'S TIME TO GET RACY, SAYS CAPPS
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2007) - Ron Capps is accustomed to being under the gun, in a pressure-cooker situation, feeling the squeeze - all those cliches we're all tired of hearing. But he also knows it's time to step up to the plate, grab the bull by the horns, go for the gold and give it his all, as this weekend's Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park will determine the top four in each NHRA Pro category who will vie for championships in the two final events of the season, known as the Countdown to One.
After enduring three career seasons in which he's battled to the finish for his first Funny Car championship and came up short, Capps finds himself in familiar territory (more cliches are welcome; please submit).
The driver of the Brut Revolution Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is in a precarious position in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Countdown to Four playoffs. After leading the standings this season by as much as 154 points, Capps is now scratching to get back in the chase from his fifth slot in the rankings.
Fourteen-time champion John Force is sidelined after surviving a crash at the last event in Dallas following his second-round victory and a move into fourth in points. While he recovers from his injuries, the chances of his returning to competition this year are very slim. His resolve to return, however, is well-respected by all his fellow racers, who expect and hope he'll make a quick return.
Capps is just three points behind Force; a good qualifying effort could lob Capps into the top four before eliminations even begin on Sunday. Qualifying, of course, is the number-one goal, as every driver in the top eight in points has at one time or another failed to qualify this season.
"Right now I'm really excited," said Capps. "There is going to be a lot of pressure and basically it's who goes the furthest out of the six of us (Capps, Tony Pedregon, Robert Hight, Jack Beckman, Gary Scelzi and Mike Ashley) who will get into it. We just need to have a big race. But it's a perfect time. I told Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) that this is a great time for us to get racy. When I say racy I mean to get back in the mode that we were in the beginning of the year, where we roll up there and guys are not happy about racing us. And I think we have that car back (following a successful test session the Monday after the Dallas event).
"This is a great time to go to Richmond. This is going to be as pressure-filled as it gets. Especially for the six guys. Last year, it was our first year back to this track for some time and there were still some issues with the track surface that needed to be addressed. It was a difficult race track because we had a rainout and had to come back and it was freezing cold.
"So, I think a lot of the notes we had from last year are just going to be thrown away. It will be a whole different weekend."
As for John Force, "the guy amazes me," said Capps. "We had to test on Monday after Dallas and it was very hard. It was probably the one time I didn't want to drive a Funny Car. But we had to do what we had to do. Knowing John was in the hospital was tough.
"We need John Force. We really want to race with him in this Countdown and he just got around us in points. It would have made Virginia that much more exciting. But, I fully expect John Force to make it to Richmond and cheer his team members on. That's just the way he is."
FUNNY CAR COUNTDOWN TO FOUR POINT STANDINGS ENTERING VIRGINIA (wins in parentheses):
1. Tony Pedregon, Detroit, Q Horsepower Chevy Impala (3) 2259 (+71)
2. Robert Hight, Anaheim Hills, Calif., Auto Club Ford Mustang (2) 2243 (+55)
3. Jack Beckman, North Hills, Calif., MTS Dodge Charger (2) 2213 (+25)
4. John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang (3) 2191 (+3)
5. Ron Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., Brut Dodge Charger R/T (3) 2188 (-3)
6. Gary Scelzi, Fresno, Calif., Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger (3) 2186 (-5)
7. Mike Ashley, New York, Torco/Skull Gear Dodge Charger (3) 2176 (-15)
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* Is No. 5 after three events of the Countdown to Four playoffs
* Clinched No. 1 in the Countdown to the Championship at Reading, Pa., event
* Led 2007 Funny Car point standings by as much as 154 points from the fourth race of the season. Has back-to-back wins in Gainesville and Houston, another win in St. Louis, three runner-up, two semifinal, four quarterfinal, seven first-round finishes and a DNQ in first 20 races
* Has one Richmond runner-up finish, in 2000 (John Force)
* Has three Skoal Showdown titles: 1998, 1999 and 2002
* No. 13 qualifier in Richmond in 2006, lost first round to Scott Kalitta
* Third in 2006 final point standings
* Had class-best five wins in 2006: Gainesville, Fla., Bristol, Tenn., Topeka, Kan., Houston and Englishtown, N.J.
* Had three wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first
win for DSR in '05), won at Chicago 2 at Route 66 Raceway and Las Vegas 2
* 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 or 2007 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 51 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 record against 14-time champion Force is 17-38 in round wins. He's won nine of the last 11 meetings against Force, and has won the last four first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 42 (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 (6)
* Is featured, along with son Caden and the Brut Revolution racing crew, in a number of Brut ads appearing in mainstream magazines, such as People, Sports Illustrated, etc.
* New to Don Schumacher Racing in 2005 after eight years with Don Prudhomme.
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
* Is the subject, along with teammate Tony Schumacher, in the behind-the-scenes TV series, American Dragster, airing on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Oct. 5 - Professional Qualifying Sessions at 3:30 and 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 6 - Professional Qualifying Sessions at noon and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 7 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. Final Eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Oct. 6, ESPN and ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute pre-race show at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Oct. 5, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 11, Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, Horizontal)
Saturday, Oct. 6, 6:45 - 7:15 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 11, Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, Horizontal)
Sunday, Oct. 7, 7:15 - 7:45 p.m. (ET) – Galaxy 11, Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, Horizontal)
Feeds include action with natural sound of Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, plus interviews with qualifying leaders on Saturday and winners on Sunday.
