TOPEKA, Kan. – Ron Capps isn’t off to the fast start that the veteran driver of the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger has grown accustomed to over the years, but in his estimation, at the end of the day, that may not be a bad thing.
In the past Capps has been a familiar face in quite a few winner’s circle celebrations during the first five to 10 races in each NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season. He was racking up Wally trophies at a frenetic pace at historic races like the Winternationals and Gatornationals in February and March.
However, by November when the steam cooled off of his early-season locomotive rush his team was left to ponder what might have been in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Capps has been a championship runner-up three times in his career and the world championship title that has so far eluded him remains his single biggest pursuit.
Not that he’s decided to change his gameplan or anything, but in a season of well-documented transition for his NAPA team, Capps is OK biding his time and letting new crew chief Tim Richards get settled into his new post. Capps wants to hit his stride near the end of the season this year and peak at the right time. Playoff time.
“We’ve been hot early before and then come up short in the Countdown,” said Capps, who has posted one semifinal and two quarterfinal finishes so far this season and sits ninth in the series standings. “It’s about getting hot when it matters. We’ve seen in the past few years, the car winning the championship is not necessarily the best car during the season, which is a product of the Countdown format. You have to get hot at the right time and that’s our goal. It’s like the NFL playoffs – first you have to get in, then you have to win all the games to get to the Super Bowl.”
He feels confident that with well-decorated tuner Richards at the helm, it could be as early as this weekend at the NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, May 20-22, when his NAPA team returns to the winner’s circle. Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) are the defending winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event that will be televised by ESPN2 HD.
A three-time winner in four finals at the ultra-fast Kansas dragstrip, Capps feels confident returning to a track where he’s had success over the years. His most recent victory at HPT came in 2009, when he defeated Ashley Force Hood in the final.
“Topeka has always been a demanding track, especially in June,” said Capps, who has earned 31 victories in his NHRA career. “The (hot-weather) conditions make it tricky. You have to work well as a team to overcome a day of track temperatures in the 120s. When you can win at a track like this – which is a great facility with great people – it seems more gratifying at the end of the day on Sunday.”
It is also gratifying to know that you have outlasted an all-star field of competitors in the 7,000 horsepower category, including 15-time world champ John Force, two-time champ Cruz Pedregon, defending winner Hight, former drag racing instructor Jack Beckman who has won twice this season, and rising star Matt Hagan, among others.
“I’ve been racing Funny Car since 1997, and I keep saying it gets tougher and tougher each year,” Capps said. “You don’t roll into a race and have a goal of winning – you have to accomplish your first goal which is qualifying, regardless whether you are a 15-time champ or someone searching for your first championship, first you have to qualify. And thanks to the depth of the Funny Car category, there will be good cars which do not make the Countdown. So, the first goal for the season is getting into the Countdown since you have to be in it to win it.”
In Top Fuel, Del Worsham holds the series lead with three victories so far in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster. Worsham’s teammate, defending race winner and world champ Dixon, hopes to make his first visit of the season to winner’s circle at this event. A strong field of contenders also will be racing for the trophy, including seven-time world champ Tony Schumacher, two-time season winner Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta, Spencer Massey, Brandon Bernstein and Morgan Lucas.
In a parity filled Pro Stock class, 2006 world champ Jason Line leads the way with three victories aboard his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP. Rookie phenom Vincent Nobile, defending world champ Greg Anderson and 2009 champ Mike Edwards have also claimed Wallys this season. Several drivers have emerged as title contenders as they chase their first career victories, including Pomona top qualifier Erica Enders, Houston runner-up Rodger Brogdon and Houston No. 1 qualifier Ronnie Humphrey.
* SCHEDULE: Full Throttle Drag Racing Series qualifying sessions are scheduled for 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 20 and 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 21. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 22.
* TICKETS: Tickets are available for the NHRA Summer Nationals. Call Heartland Park Topeka at (800) 43-RACES (72237) or visit www.HPT.com.
* ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 5:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, May 21. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, May 22.
* LUCAS OIL SERIES: The NHRA Summer Nationals also will feature competition in eight categories in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series gain experience. In addition, the Top Dragster category also will be featured. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 8 a.m. on May 20. Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 8 a.m. on May 21 and continue through May 22.
* ON THE WEB: Get live timing, scoring, multimedia and the latest news updates from every NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event on the Internet at www.nhra.com. Visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
