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INDIANAPOLIS, qualifying: Jon Capps qualified the Paul Smith-owned Vegas Fuel Funny Car for the biggest drag race of the season on Saturday at the 53rd annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Capps grabbed the final qualifying position in a brutal 16-car field that saw even John Force fail to make the cut.
Capps began his professional debut at the U.S. Nationals on a positive note Friday evening, running a career-best 4.826 at 311.49 mph in the Vegas Fuel car, qualifying in the No. 11 position. Capps made several more consistent runs including a 4.883 and a 4.905 and also increased his career-best speed to 318.47 mph. But after shaking the tires in his final qualifying run, Capps sat on the bubble in the No. 16 position and had to wait for several pair of cars to run before his spot in 'the Big Go' on Monday was secure.
Vegas Fuel car owner and crew chief Paul Smith offered a rare comment on Capps' first effort at Indy.
"It's great to get in this show," said Smith with a grin. "I didn't stand at the starting line because I didn't want to wish no bad things on John Force. He's one of the best racers out here. I came back to the pits and just waited until somebody told me that we were in. I appreciate Vegas Fuel, Jon Capps for helping us and all our crew," Smith added.
"My family helped me over here and all my guys and stuff. Tomorrow we race Jeff Arend," said Smith. "He's one of my best friends and he drove my car and we've won together. The best guy will win!"
Capps' qualifying effort at the U.S. Nationals is his second start this season in the 6,000 horsepower Vegas Fuel car. He also qualified in his Professional debut at the NHRA national event in his home town of Las Vegas this past April.
"We came out here on the first run Friday night and we had kind of a weird vibration in the car just past half track," recalled Capps. "My vision wasn't too good and I kind of made a guess at where the finish line was. Instead of getting myself in trouble I lifted a little bit early. It could have helped us out, we wouldn't have been so nervous about getting bumped out today.
"Every run went down the track and in these kind of conditions I've got Paul Smith and he's the best guy there is," Capps continued. "If you want to go out there and be a giant killer on Monday morning, who do you want? Paul Smith. I couldn't have a safer vehicle and the team busts there humps to make it right.
"I knew coming in here we'd run good, because of the type of weather it is," said Capps. "And Paul Smith is a tricky guy. He can get a car down track. I thought we had a great shot of getting in because nobody is used to running on these kinds of tracks like Paul.
"This is an amazing feeling for me, but I try to keep telling myself it doesn't really matter because Indy matters. But I can't get excited, I can't get nervous and if I do the best that I can and I know Paul does the best he can, then let the best man win.
"Indianapolis is a great new market for Vegas Fuel," Capps said. "We secured a lot of distribution out here in the Midwest with Marathon Oil Corporation. We're in 1500 Speedway convenience stores so this is great exposure for us to come out here and have a good showing. Hopefully we'll get some exposure for the drink and drive some customers to Speedway."
Along with backing from Vegas Fuel, Capps and the Paul Smith Racing team receive additional support from for their racing efforts from Vinnie Ferrone at VF Trucking and Valvoline. The hard working Paul Smith Racing team includes Doug Tyo, Randy Carmichael, John Smith, Mike Hennessey, Dennis Elias and Ben Carey.
Jon Capps qualifies the Vegas Fuel Funny Car at the U.S. Nationals
INDIANAPOLIS, qualifying: Jon Capps qualified the Paul Smith-owned Vegas Fuel Funny Car for the biggest drag race of the season on Saturday at the 53rd annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Capps grabbed the final qualifying position in a brutal 16-car field that saw even John Force fail to make the cut.
Capps began his professional debut at the U.S. Nationals on a positive note Friday evening, running a career-best 4.826 at 311.49 mph in the Vegas Fuel car, qualifying in the No. 11 position. Capps made several more consistent runs including a 4.883 and a 4.905 and also increased his career-best speed to 318.47 mph. But after shaking the tires in his final qualifying run, Capps sat on the bubble in the No. 16 position and had to wait for several pair of cars to run before his spot in 'the Big Go' on Monday was secure.
Vegas Fuel car owner and crew chief Paul Smith offered a rare comment on Capps' first effort at Indy.
"It's great to get in this show," said Smith with a grin. "I didn't stand at the starting line because I didn't want to wish no bad things on John Force. He's one of the best racers out here. I came back to the pits and just waited until somebody told me that we were in. I appreciate Vegas Fuel, Jon Capps for helping us and all our crew," Smith added.
"My family helped me over here and all my guys and stuff. Tomorrow we race Jeff Arend," said Smith. "He's one of my best friends and he drove my car and we've won together. The best guy will win!"
Capps' qualifying effort at the U.S. Nationals is his second start this season in the 6,000 horsepower Vegas Fuel car. He also qualified in his Professional debut at the NHRA national event in his home town of Las Vegas this past April.
"We came out here on the first run Friday night and we had kind of a weird vibration in the car just past half track," recalled Capps. "My vision wasn't too good and I kind of made a guess at where the finish line was. Instead of getting myself in trouble I lifted a little bit early. It could have helped us out, we wouldn't have been so nervous about getting bumped out today.
"Every run went down the track and in these kind of conditions I've got Paul Smith and he's the best guy there is," Capps continued. "If you want to go out there and be a giant killer on Monday morning, who do you want? Paul Smith. I couldn't have a safer vehicle and the team busts there humps to make it right.
"I knew coming in here we'd run good, because of the type of weather it is," said Capps. "And Paul Smith is a tricky guy. He can get a car down track. I thought we had a great shot of getting in because nobody is used to running on these kinds of tracks like Paul.
"This is an amazing feeling for me, but I try to keep telling myself it doesn't really matter because Indy matters. But I can't get excited, I can't get nervous and if I do the best that I can and I know Paul does the best he can, then let the best man win.
"Indianapolis is a great new market for Vegas Fuel," Capps said. "We secured a lot of distribution out here in the Midwest with Marathon Oil Corporation. We're in 1500 Speedway convenience stores so this is great exposure for us to come out here and have a good showing. Hopefully we'll get some exposure for the drink and drive some customers to Speedway."
Along with backing from Vegas Fuel, Capps and the Paul Smith Racing team receive additional support from for their racing efforts from Vinnie Ferrone at VF Trucking and Valvoline. The hard working Paul Smith Racing team includes Doug Tyo, Randy Carmichael, John Smith, Mike Hennessey, Dennis Elias and Ben Carey.
