[coverattach=1]CARLSBAD, Calif. (Sept. 23, 2009) - Ron Capps joined a star-studded list of Funny Car championship contenders sitting on the sidelines following the opening round of eliminations in Concord, N.C., last Sunday, in the first of six Countdown to 1 playoffs events of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. With only four of the 10 “Countdowners” making it out of the first stanza, the standings, which had reset for the playoffs, tightened up by the end of the day. And, now, just 78 points separate the top eight heading into this weekend's NHRA Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas.
"We weren't the only ones who were upset on Sunday," said Capps, driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Funny Car who is the 1998 Dallas winner and the 2005 polesitter at the Texas Motorplex. "Looking at the computer with Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) at the data after the run it was identical to the 4.10 (-second elapsed time) we ran in qualifying and the track was identical to the day before. It just didn't want to go through that certain spot on the track and it pulled the tires loose.
"So, we don't feel like there's anything to worry about. Lately, Ace has been working tirelessly on this new tune-up and you wouldn't believe the strides we've made with it in the last few races. And I believe that having the chance to improve our performance, especially when it counts during the playoffs in the next few races, is going to pay dividends.
"Going into Dallas I would love to say, 'Mark my words, we're going to be one of the teams battling for the championship in Pomona,' because I feel pretty confident we're going to qualify well and make a great run at the points there.
"In Concord, there were some upsets, a lot of people made up a lot of ground, and now you have a very, very tight battle.
"If you look at it from the fans' perspective," added Capps, who is currently fourth in the rankings and seeking his first Funny Car championship, "they have a great spectacle to watch in the next few races, because now you have the top eight drivers all within a few rounds of each other. So, anything can happen.
"We ran our quickest quarter-mile pass in Dallas in 2005 (4.694 seconds) and I've won there in the past. Ace has also done well there in the past (Funny Car win in 1987 and Top Fuel in 1992 as a driver), and it's a place I love to see on the schedule. At this point in time, I feel very comfortable."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in Countdown to 1 playoffs, following first event in Concord, N.C.
* Is 33 points out of first place
* No. 2 in 2009 Funny Car "regular season" after winning class-best five in seven final rounds of the first 18 races of the season (Pomona, Calif., Phoenix, Las Vegas, Topeka, Denver)
* Round win-loss record in 2009 is 32-14
* Currently holds the national record racing to 1000 feet of 4.023 seconds (Phoenix 2009)
* Qualified No. 11 in 2008 Dallas, lost first round to Tim Wilkerson
* No. 8 in 2008 Funny Car points; two runner-up, five semifinal, four
quarterfinal finishes, 13 first-rounds
* 2008 round win-loss record was 20-24
* Is tied with Tony Pedregon with longest qualifying streak among active
Funny Car drivers: 58
* 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
* NAPA AUTO PARTS is primary sponsor for second straight season
* 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 nine career No. 1 qualifiers, none in 2006, '07 or '08. Three in 2009 so far (Phoenix, St. Louis, Denver)
* 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 30 event wins in 61 final rounds to his credit (29 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 (racing to 1320 feet)
* His career-best speed is 331.61 mph (Pomona 1, '07) - racing to 1320 feet
* Capps' career round win-loss record is 365-269
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 21-41 in round wins. He's won 13 of the last 18 meetings against Force, and has won five of the last seven first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 44 (June 20, 1965); born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
* Lives in Carlsbad, Calif., with wife Shelley and daughter Taylor (7/25/96)
and son Caden (7/1/01)
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Sept. 25 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 and 4:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 26 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 27 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 12:15 a.m. (ET)
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, Sept. 25, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 6 K (11820 MHz, horizontal) (Analog feed)
Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 6 K (11820 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Sept. 27, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 6 K (11820 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
"We weren't the only ones who were upset on Sunday," said Capps, driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Funny Car who is the 1998 Dallas winner and the 2005 polesitter at the Texas Motorplex. "Looking at the computer with Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) at the data after the run it was identical to the 4.10 (-second elapsed time) we ran in qualifying and the track was identical to the day before. It just didn't want to go through that certain spot on the track and it pulled the tires loose.
"So, we don't feel like there's anything to worry about. Lately, Ace has been working tirelessly on this new tune-up and you wouldn't believe the strides we've made with it in the last few races. And I believe that having the chance to improve our performance, especially when it counts during the playoffs in the next few races, is going to pay dividends.
"Going into Dallas I would love to say, 'Mark my words, we're going to be one of the teams battling for the championship in Pomona,' because I feel pretty confident we're going to qualify well and make a great run at the points there.
"In Concord, there were some upsets, a lot of people made up a lot of ground, and now you have a very, very tight battle.
"If you look at it from the fans' perspective," added Capps, who is currently fourth in the rankings and seeking his first Funny Car championship, "they have a great spectacle to watch in the next few races, because now you have the top eight drivers all within a few rounds of each other. So, anything can happen.
"We ran our quickest quarter-mile pass in Dallas in 2005 (4.694 seconds) and I've won there in the past. Ace has also done well there in the past (Funny Car win in 1987 and Top Fuel in 1992 as a driver), and it's a place I love to see on the schedule. At this point in time, I feel very comfortable."
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in Countdown to 1 playoffs, following first event in Concord, N.C.
* Is 33 points out of first place
* No. 2 in 2009 Funny Car "regular season" after winning class-best five in seven final rounds of the first 18 races of the season (Pomona, Calif., Phoenix, Las Vegas, Topeka, Denver)
* Round win-loss record in 2009 is 32-14
* Currently holds the national record racing to 1000 feet of 4.023 seconds (Phoenix 2009)
* Qualified No. 11 in 2008 Dallas, lost first round to Tim Wilkerson
* No. 8 in 2008 Funny Car points; two runner-up, five semifinal, four
quarterfinal finishes, 13 first-rounds
* 2008 round win-loss record was 20-24
* Is tied with Tony Pedregon with longest qualifying streak among active
Funny Car drivers: 58
* 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
* NAPA AUTO PARTS is primary sponsor for second straight season
* 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 nine career No. 1 qualifiers, none in 2006, '07 or '08. Three in 2009 so far (Phoenix, St. Louis, Denver)
* 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 30 event wins in 61 final rounds to his credit (29 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 (racing to 1320 feet)
* His career-best speed is 331.61 mph (Pomona 1, '07) - racing to 1320 feet
* Capps' career round win-loss record is 365-269
* Capps' career record against 14-time champion Force is 21-41 in round wins. He's won 13 of the last 18 meetings against Force, and has won five of the last seven first-round match-ups over Force
* Age 44 (June 20, 1965); born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
* Lives in Carlsbad, Calif., with wife Shelley and daughter Taylor (7/25/96)
and son Caden (7/1/01)
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Sept. 25 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 and 4:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 26 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 27 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 12:15 a.m. (ET)
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, Sept. 25, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 6 K (11820 MHz, horizontal) (Analog feed)
Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 6 K (11820 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Sept. 27, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 6 K (11820 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
