Texas NHRA Fall Nationals
Event 19 of 21
Countdown Event 4 of 6
Texas Motorplex
Ennis, Texas
Oct. 13 – 15, 2023
RON CAPPS: Driver of the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 4th
Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Event Highlights:
Three-time event champion (1998, 2021, 2022)
Three-time runner-up (2011, 2016-2017)
Two-time No. 1 qualifier (1997, 2005)
2022 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Event Recap:
Qualified third; Event champion (defeated Jeff Diehl in E1, John Force in E2, Robert Hight in E3, Matt Hagan in E4)
Last Event (St. Louis):
Qualified seventh; Event runner-up (defeated Tim Wilkerson in E1, Alex Laughlin in E2, Blake Alexander in E3; defeated by Matt Hagan in E4)
2023 Statistics:
18 races; three wins, four runner-up finishes; two No. 1 qualifiers
Career Statistics:
626 races; 76 wins, 38 No. 1 qualifiers
Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 4th
Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Event Highlights:
Three-time event champion (1998, 2021, 2022)
Three-time runner-up (2011, 2016-2017)
Two-time No. 1 qualifier (1997, 2005)
2022 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Event Recap:
Qualified third; Event champion (defeated Jeff Diehl in E1, John Force in E2, Robert Hight in E3, Matt Hagan in E4)
Last Event (St. Louis):
Qualified seventh; Event runner-up (defeated Tim Wilkerson in E1, Alex Laughlin in E2, Blake Alexander in E3; defeated by Matt Hagan in E4)
2023 Statistics:
18 races; three wins, four runner-up finishes; two No. 1 qualifiers
Career Statistics:
626 races; 76 wins, 38 No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- Capps enters the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals as the defending event champion after securing back-to-back Dallas victories in 2021 and 2022
- Seeking his third consecutive Dallas triumph
- The second-year team owner/driver begins the weekend ranked fourth following a runner-up finish at the most recent event near St. Louis
- Capps is seeking his third consecutive Funny Car championship and fourth overall
- A 33-point margin (less than two round wins) separates Capps from Bob Tasca, who currently occupies the top spot in the playoff standings
- Thursday, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., Stampede of Speed Pre-Stage FanFest driver autograph session at Railyard Park in Waxahachie
- Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – noon, Team Toyota autograph session at Toyota midway display
“I think (the championship) is going to come down to a few teams rolling into Pomona that are going to have a shot at it. Dallas was a gut check for our team last year. We went into the final round and beat Hagan. We had great runs and I really got up on the wheel. As a team, we came together and won the race. It was a huge springboard going into Vegas and Pomona. No matter what, Pomona has the points-and-a-half format so I think everybody is trying to garner as much as you can going into the NHRA Finals because anything can happen. It would be nice to gain some more coming out of Dallas but I really see it just continuing to tighten up because there are so many good cars that can make a run the last three races.”
About Ron Capps Motorsports
Established in 2021, Ron Capps Motorsports is a single-car NHRA Funny Car team owned and operated by reigning and three-time world champion Ron Capps. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., the team made its on-track debut in 2022 and competes on the 21-race NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit thanks to the support of NAPA Auto Parts, Toyota, and GearWrench.Capps, who serves as both the owner and driver of his namesake operation, is the second-winningest Funny Car pilot in NHRA history with 75 wins in the category. His 76 overall wins (1 Top Fuel) rank sixth amongst NHRA’s four premier classes. The 2023 NHRA season marks Capps’ 29th year competing in the sport’s professional ranks.
