Reading Pre-Race Report
NHRA Nationals
Event 17 of 22
Countdown Event 1 of 6
Maple Grove Raceway
Reading, Pa.
Sept. 16-18, 2022
RON CAPPS: Driver of the NAPA AutoCare Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 2nd
Reading Event Highlights:
2017 event champion
Three-time runner-up (1999, 2000, 2016)
2019 No. 1 qualifier
2021 Reading Recap:
Qualified fifth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Blake Alexander in E1; defeated by Tommy Johnson Jr. in E2)
Last Event (Indianapolis):
Qualified No. 1; Event champion (defeated Dale Creasy Jr. in E1, J.R. Todd in E2, John Force in E3, Robert Hight in E4)
Career Statistics:
602 races; 71 wins; 34 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Statistics:
16 races; three wins; two runner-up finishes; five No. 1 qualifiers
Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 2nd
Reading Event Highlights:
2017 event champion
Three-time runner-up (1999, 2000, 2016)
2019 No. 1 qualifier
2021 Reading Recap:
Qualified fifth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Blake Alexander in E1; defeated by Tommy Johnson Jr. in E2)
Last Event (Indianapolis):
Qualified No. 1; Event champion (defeated Dale Creasy Jr. in E1, J.R. Todd in E2, John Force in E3, Robert Hight in E4)
Career Statistics:
602 races; 71 wins; 34 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Statistics:
16 races; three wins; two runner-up finishes; five No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
The defending series champion is pursuing his second consecutive Funny Car title, third overall, and first for Ron Capps Motorsports
Capps enters the Reading event after having raced to victory from the pole in Indianapolis, and a runner-up finish in Brainerd, Minn. He will be seeking his third consecutive final round appearance during the Pa. event
Capps owns both ends of the Maple Grove Raceway Funny Car track records:
Funny Car, E.T.: 3.837 seconds, Ron Capps (2019)
Funny Car, speed: 339.28 mph, Ron Capps (2019)
Quotable:Funny Car, speed: 339.28 mph, Ron Capps (2019)
“This season has flown by and I can hardly believe that we’re getting ready to head out to Reading, Pa. to start the Countdown. We have a lot of excitement and momentum coming off of our big weekend from the U.S. Nationals. Great performance by (Dean Antonelli) ‘Guido,’ (John) Medlen, and our NAPA AutoCare team. We’re all pretty excited to see what the Koretsky family has done since purchasing Maple Grove Raceway. Coming off of a big win like we did in Indy, it was nice to have a week off but we’re blessed that NAPA AUTO PARTS has given us a chance to run our NAPA AutoCare car, which we won in Indy, again this weekend in Reading. We’re thrilled to be able to represent the great AutoCare Center owners of this country, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to put the car in the winner’s circle once again.”
About Ron Capps Motorsports
Established in 2021, Ron Capps Motorsports is a single-car NHRA Funny Car team owned and operated by reigning and two-time world champion Ron Capps. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., the team made its on-track debut in 2022, and competes on the 22-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 70 wins in the category, and 71 overall (1 Top Fuel). The 2022 NHRA season marks Capps’ 28th year competing in the sport’s professional ranks.
