Capps Tops Funny Car Qualifying after Round 2 at the Gator Nationals

Gainesville, FL – The AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, the high-octane season opener for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and the exciting start to the organization’s 75th anniversary celebration, delivered more nitro-fueled drama in Funny Car qualifying at Gainesville Raceway on Friday, March 6, 2026.

Ron Capps powered to the provisional No. 1 position in Round 2 with a sharp 3.890-second ET at 334.07 mph in his No. 28 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra. Capps’ strong pass vaulted him to the top of the ladder as teams adjusted to the challenging track conditions and chased consistent performance.

J.R. Todd remained firmly in contention, holding the No. 2 spot with a 3.912 ET at 334.15 mph in the No. 373 DHL Toyota GR Supra. Paul Lee secured third at 3.920/331.12 in the No. 6 entry, followed closely by Chad Green in fourth at 3.926/326.08 in the No. 7 machine—continuing his momentum as the defending Gatornationals Funny Car winner.

The competitive field features multiple former champions and standout performers, including Matt Hagan (No. 14) in fifth at 3.931/331.36, Cruz Pedregon (No. 71) in sixth at 3.948/329.91, Daniel Wilkerson (No. 5) in seventh at 3.961/323.19, and Jordan Vandergriff (No. 24) in eighth at 3.990/318.47—marking a solid showing in his Funny Car campaign.

Full provisional qualifying results after Round 2 (Funny Car):

1. Ron Capps (No. 28) – 3.890 sec / 334.07 mph
2. J.R. Todd (No. 373) – 3.912 / 334.15
3. Paul Lee (No. 6) – 3.920 / 331.12
4. Chad Green (No. 7) – 3.926 / 326.08
5. Matt Hagan (No. 14) – 3.931 / 331.36
6. Cruz Pedregon (No. 71) – 3.948 / 329.91
7. Daniel Wilkerson (No. 5) – 3.961 / 323.19
8. Jordan Vandergriff (No. 24) – 3.990 / 318.47
9. Hunter Green (No. 4494) – 4.048 / 318.77
10. Julie Nataas (No. 8002) – 4.082 / 261.72
11. Terry Haddock (No. 121) – 4.095 / 305.36
12. Austin Prock (No. 1) – 4.836 / 217.74
13. Dave Richards (No. 139) – 5.501 / 134.48
14. Jack Beckman (No. 3) – 5.644 / 130.49
15. Alexis DeJoria (No. 771) – 6.045 / 112.65
16. Spencer Hyde (No. 9) – 6.122 / 108.77
17. Buddy Hull (No. 323) – 6.482 / 100.61
18. Todd Losenko (No. 227) – 7.139 / 92.41
19. John Smith (No. 2412) – 24.017 / 59.16

Qualifying continues tomorrow, Saturday, March 7, with two more pivotal sessions that will lock in the final qualifying order and set the eliminations pairings for Sunday, March 8. The weekend also includes fierce battles across all pro classes, plus special features like the Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout.

The AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals roars on through Sunday at Gainesville Raceway, igniting the 75th anniversary season with world-class drag racing action. For live updates, full results, and more, head to NHRA.com.