Kelly
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NEW DRAGWAY, PLAYOFFS A WELCOME CHALLENGE FOR CAPPS
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<P>CARLSBAD, Calif. (Sept. 8, 2008) - Now that the "regular" 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season is over and the Countdown to 1 playoffs are about to kick in at this weekend's Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals in Concord, N.C., Ron Capps is eager to face these new challenges as he aims to capture his first Funny Car championship.
"This is what it's all about," said the driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car who enters the event No. 9 in the standings and 100 points out of first place following a points reset. "This is what we've all been waiting for, what we've all been fighting to stay in the top 10 for.
"We on the NAPA team have been experimenting with some parts this season. We learned a lesson last year going into the Countdown. We were leading the points most of the year and we learned that you can't peak at that time of the season. You have to wait for the Countdown to start and get into the playoffs mode.
"We're excited. Even though our results haven't shown how strong our car is, believe me, Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) is going to have his race face on come the event in Concord. This is what really gets those competitive juices flowing, when you think about what this Countdown entails.
"There's going to be a lot of variables to consider. A lot of teams will be looking to see if they're matched up in eliminations against another team in the Countdown or with a team that is not in the Countdown. And then there will be teammates meeting teammates.
"We're looking forward to all of the above. It's going to be an exciting time.
"We are thrilled about going to the new track in Concord," added Capps. "Bruton Smith has built over the years what we like to refer to as some of the best races tracks we drag racers have been on. We know this facility will be first-class, and there's a whole lot of hoopla surrounding this event in a new market for us, and we haven't even been there yet."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 9 in Funny Car points after 18 2008 events; one runner-up, four semifinal, three quarterfinal finishes, 10 first-rounds
* Is 100 points behind points leader Wilkerson entering first of six events of Countdown to 1 playoffs
* Clinched a spot in the Countdown to 1 at Reading, Pa.
* 2008 win-loss record is 14-18
* 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 328-249
* 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:
FRIDAY, Sept. 12 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 13 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Sept. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 4 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog Feed):
Friday, Sept. 12, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Sept. 13, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Aug. 14, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
