Ron Capps Motorsports
CAPPS HAS STRONG FAMILY TIES TO BRANERD, IT’S LIKE GOING HOME FOR HIM
Brainerd, MN – Capps raced to a runner-up finish at the 2022 event and as a 74-time NHRA national event champion, Capps is seeking his 
milestone 75th Wally trophy in Brainerd.
Ron begins the weekend ranked second in the Funny Car point standings and is within two round wins of reclaiming the points lead.
“I always circle this race on the schedule every year for several reasons. Brainerd has always been close to home for me. My wife’s family grew up there and it’s sort of a family reunion. On top of that, it’s really where I started my career. Brainerd was where, as a crew member, I started up a conversation with John Mitchell, who saw something in me and then turned around and gave me an opportunity to get my license in his Top Alcohol Dragster. I ended up becoming the driver of his A/Fuel Dragster, and that really kick started my career as a driver, explained Capps.
Ron Capps Maintains No. 2 Points Position After Quarterfinal Finish in Topeka
TOPEKA, KS – NHRA Funny Car star Ron Capps went into the Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor chasing his fifth Topeka 
win and the 75th event title of his career. His pursuit ended in the second round during rain-delayed Sunday eliminations, falling to fellow world champion J.R. Todd on a tire-hazing run. Still, the championship contender leaves the final NHRA national event at Heartland Motorsports Park as the No. 2 driver in the points standings.
“Man, what a grueling weekend here at Heartland Park,” said Capps, who became the first NHRA driver to compete in the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) series on Thursday before the Topeka race. “We can’t thank the fans enough for showing up despite the weather. The heat was unbelievable – for the teams to work in, and the fans to hang out in, it was just brutal. But the fans packed the campground and the grandstands all weekend long and that’s why we love it here.”
With crew chief Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli calling the shots, Capps made his best run of qualifying in the first session on Friday, which also happened to be the second-quickest pass of the session. His 3.950 E.T. at 314.17 MPH gave him two bonus points, and it held up for the No. 2 spot by the time qualifying wrapped up on Saturday.
CAPPS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE LAST EVER TOPEKA RACE
Topeka, KS – Capps will be looking to score two trophies this week. Before the NHRA race weekend gets underway, Capps will make his SRX 
debut at Eldora Speedway Thursday night. Capps is the first NHRA drag racer to compete in the SRX series.
A 74-time NHRA national event champion, Capps is seeking his milestone 75th Wally trophy in Topeka. Begins the weekend ranked second in the Funny Car point standings and is within one round win of reclaiming the points lead.
By advancing beyond the quarterfinals in Sonoma, Capps secured a spot in the Topeka #2Fast2Tasty Challenge presented by Mission Foods.
“Any time you go to a race track for the last time it’s never great but I’m fortunate enough to have had a lot of history at Heartland Park Topeka over the years, especially early in my career when I used to go there as a crew member. Some fans may not remember, we actually used to go to Heartland Park Topeka twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Obviously, the history tells the tale. Records were set there pretty much every year we went. It’s a fantastic race track in the heart of the country with a lot of race fans that come from all over the place, and I’m sure we’ll see that again this weekend,” explained Ron.
Ron Capps, NAPA, Team Up for NHRA World Champ’s Superstar Racing Experience Debut
BROWNSBURG, IN – Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps announced today that NAPA, Capps’ longtime primary 
partner in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, will be along for the ride as he makes his debut in the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) series at Eldora Speedway on Thursday, August 10.
For more than 15 years, NAPA has supported Capps’ NHRA career as the principal backer of his 11,000-horsepower nitro Funny Car. The NAPA logo first appeared on Capps’ car in 2007 as an associate partner before expanding into a primary sponsorship role in 2008. The Atlanta-based organization has supported 49 of Capps’ 74 NHRA victories and was onboard for all three of his series championships (2016, 2021, 2022). When Capps made the decision in late 2021 to step away from his former team and form Ron Capps Motorsports, NAPA was the first to publicly support Capps and his new venture. When the SRX series announced that Capps would be the first drag racer to represent NHRA nation at the Eldora Speedway, NAPA was quick to get in on the action.
“NAPA has been committed to racing and drivers like Ron for decades, and we’re so proud to support his passion and energy for a new adventure like this one,” said Marti Walsh, vice president of marketing, NAPA. “We constantly seek to collaborate and partner with people who exemplify NAPA’s core values and can grow with us long-term – and Ron is precisely that. We look forward to cheering him on for all the races to come.”
Ron Capps Misses Out On Sonoma Final Round by .006 Seconds
SONOMA, CA – Three-time and reigning NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps parlayed a strong qualifying effort at the NHRA 
Sonoma Nationals into a late-round finish Sunday afternoon at Sonoma Raceway. The driver of the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra came up just .006 seconds short in the semifinals, missing out on the chance to race for his second win of the season and the milestone 75th of his career.
Capps and crew chief Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli kicked off qualifying by making the second-quickest pass of the session, a 3.942 E.T., to earn two bonus points. It would be his quickest pass of the four qualifying sessions, and he only slipped down one spot to third by the time qualifying wrapped up on Saturday evening.
Sunday’s eliminations began with a first-round meeting with Tim Gibbons, the 95th different driver Capps has faced in eliminations. Gibbons had to shut off after the burnout, while Capps took advantage of the free pass and lifted after hazing the tires down track. In a second-round battle between two of the most accomplished drivers in the class, Capps grabbed a starting line advantage over Robert Hight and got the win with a 4.018-second pass. He also earned a spot in the next Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge with that round win. Capps was first off the line again in the semifinals against Chad Green, but his consistent 4.013 E.T. was just .006 seconds short of turning on the win light next to Green’s 3.991 E.T.
CAPPS HEADS HOME TO SONOMA LOOKING FOR A WIN
Sonoma, CA – As a native of central California’s San Luis Obispo, Capps considers Sonoma Raceway to be a home track. The 74-time 
national event champion, Capps is seeking his milestone 75th career victory in Sonoma
Ron begins the weekend ranked second in the Funny Car point standings and is within one round win of reclaiming the points lead.
Capps talks Sonoma, “It’s been a fun couple of weeks but this is one of my favorite races of the year and I’m really looking forward to it. I consider Sonoma to be one of my home tracks, having grown up in San Luis Obispo and going there a lot as a kid. This event always gives us what I feel is one of the best Friday night qualifying sessions of the year. When that sun starts to go down, the Sonoma fans are gifted with a fantastic qualifying session from top to bottom. And then, just having my friends, my family, mom and dad, people I hung out with growing up, they all come out. Everyone camps out and I get to enjoy some good home-cooking up on the hill. This will be the first time Shelley and I will have our American Coach out there, and I’m just looking forward to a great weekend all around.”
NHRA Sonoma Nationals Event Highlights: Four-time event champion (1997, 2010, 2011, 2013), Four-time runner-up (2002, 2005, 2016, 2018), Two-time No. 1 qualifier (1998, 2021)
Ron Capps Has Successful Seattle Outing But Falls Short of Event Win
KENT, WA – Ron Capps continued his quest for a fourth Funny Car world championship as the NHRA returned to Pacific Raceways near 
Seattle for the NHRA Northwest Nationals, the second of three Western Swing events. While he didn’t leave with the hardware, the No. 2 ranked driver of the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra made up valuable ground on the current points leader.
Capps rocketed to the top of the timing sheets during the weekend’s second qualifying session with a run of 3.961 seconds at 322.81 MPH. His time was the quickest of the round, garnering him three bonus points, and also enabled him to drive past Matt Hagan to win the first round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. In the final qualifying session and second round of eliminations for the Mission Foods specialty race, Capps faced his Toyota teammate J.R. Todd and used a 3.951-second pass to defeat him and win his third #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the season. With the wins, Capps has picked up a total of 11 Countdown to the Championship bonus points.
In eliminations, Capps, the No. 3 qualifier, faced Jeff Diehl who he has defeated 11 times on race day. Diehl lost traction at the start of the run and while Capps also lost traction, he was able to pedal the car to get the round win. The second round pitted Capps against eventual race winner Tim Wilkerson. The twice-defending world champ grabbed an early starting line advantage but he quickly smoked the tires as Wilkerson sailed to the win.
Ron Capps Wins Third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at NHRA Northwest Nationals
KENT, WA – Ron Capps clinched his third #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge win on Saturday at the NHRA Northwest Nationals near 
Seattle when he defeated his fellow Toyota Racing teammate J.R. Todd in the final round of the Mission Foods-backed race-within-a-race.
The three-time and twice-defending Funny Car world champion secured his spot in the Seattle edition of the specialty race by advancing to the semifinal round last weekend during the NHRA Mile-High Nationals in Denver where he faced eventual race winner Matt Hagan. While he was outpaced by Hagan at the Denver event, halting his chances for a final Bandimere Speedway trophy, Capps had the opportunity for redemption on Saturday afternoon at Pacific Raceways when he lined up opposite his Denver semifinal foe.
During the second round of qualifying for the NHRA Northwest Nationals, Capps got the slight starting line jump over Hagan and never trailed for the win, clocking a session-best 3.961 E.T. aboard the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra versus Hagan’s early tire-smoker to earn three bonus points and set up a #2Fast2Tasty final round match-up with Todd. Once again, Capps was first on the throttle and used his early advantage coupled with a 3.951-second pass to defeat Todd’s 3.967 E.T. By racing to victory in his sixth Mission Foods Challenge, Capps brought his running #2Fast2Tasty total to 11 championship bonus points and a $37,000 purse.
Capps Looking to Add to His 5 Fuel Wins in Seattle
Kent, WA – Ron won his first NHRA trophy in a professional class at the 1995 Seattle event while competing in the Top Fuel category
Capps has both Top Fuel and Funny Car wins from Seattle. A 74-time national event champion, Capps is seeking his milestone 75th career victory.
As a member of the Toyota Gazoo Racing team, Capps is vying to win Toyota’s 200th NHRA trophy (current Toyota NHRA win count: 199).
By advancing to the semifinals at the NHRA Mile-High Nationals, Capps earned a spot in the Seattle Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday Capps is a two-time Mission Foods specialty race winner, having claimed the $10,000 prize and three championship bonus points in Joliet, Ill. and Norwalk, Ohio.
Capps talks about Seattle, “This time of the year is always great with the West Coast Swing. Heading into Seattle, we’ll have the altitude change coming off of Denver. We’ll be back down to sea level and this is a track where we often see some of the best air with all of the trees surrounding the track. We’re looking at high 70s, low 80s right now with no chance of rain, which for our race fans in Seattle, those are fantastic conditions.
Ron Capps Advances to Semifinals in Denver, Maintains No. 2 Ranking
MORRISON, CO – After capturing victory No. 74 last month, Ron Capps was looking to etch his name in the Bandimere Speedway history 
books by clinching his milestone 75th NHRA triumph on Sunday at the final running of the NHRA Mile-High Nationals in Morrison, Colo. near Denver.
Surprisingly, the second-winningest Funny Car driver in NHRA history only had one prior Bandimere triumph to start the weekend. His sole Denver victory came from the 2009 event, but the three-time and twice-defending world champion knew he and his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car team would have the combination to make a solid run for the last Mile-High Nationals Funny Car trophy.
Capps started race day from the No. 5 position after recording the quickest E.T. in two out of four qualifying sessions to collect six bonus points. The four-time finalist in 2023 drew Terry Haddock as his first opponent on race day and used his starting line advantage coupled with a solid E.T. to outpace Haddock. Round two featured a match-up between the 2022 No. 1 and 2 ranked drivers with Capps lining up opposite Robert Hight. After defeating a tire-smoking Hight and securing a spot in the upcoming NHRA Northwest Nationals Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, Capps faced another heavy-hitter in the semifinals in Matt Hagan. The former teammates pulled up to the starting line ready to battle for their spot in the final round and while Capps posted a solid and quicker 4.057 E.T., Hagan’s near-psychic .008 reaction time allowed him to propel through the finish line beams first to claim the holeshot victory.
