Ron Capps Motorsports
CAPPS READY TO WIN IN POMONA!
Pomona, CA – Capps enters the weekend fresh off of a runner-up finish from Phoenix last weekend. By advancing beyond the second round 
at the NHRA Arizona Nationals, Capps clinched a spot in the next Mission #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge, contested this Saturday in Pomona. Ron will square off against Alexis DeJoria, whom he defeated in the semifinals at the previous event.
Capps talks about Pomona, In-N-Out Burger and racing, “Always a lot of excitement when you’re gearing up for a race at Pomona. Historically, we’re used to starting the season with the Winternationals and we end the season with the World Finals, but this year, the Pomona Winternationals is the third race of the season. So many things to be excited about this weekend. First of all, looking at the weather forecast, it’s going to be fast. And with In-N-Out Burger coming on board, that’s a great, historic name in it of itself.
In-N-Out and Pomona both kind of ooze hot rodding with Pomona being the birthplace of NHRA, and In-N-Out has always been a staple of Southern California and everything around the raceway. So, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragway sounds so good. On top of that, our NAPA Racing team is coming off of a great race last weekend, which put us into third in points heading into Pomona. We had such a great race when we won the world championship at the end of the season last November in Pomona, and I know Guido (Dean Antonelli) and our NAPA AutoCare team are chomping at the bit to get back there. With the forecast this weekend, it looks like it’s going to be as fast as ever.”
Defending World Champion Ron Capps Charges to Funny Car Final at Last NHRA Arizona Nationals
CHANDLER, AZ – Two-time defending NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps’ bid for one last NHRA Arizona Nationals victory 
ended in the final round Sunday afternoon at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The three-time event champion, who made his professional debut at the Phoenix area track in 1995, fell in the final round to championship challenger Robert Hight.
Capps and his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra struggled to get down the track in qualifying, ending up with a best of 4.028 E.T. to qualify No. 6.
Crew chief Dean “Guido” Antonelli found what he was looking for in the first round of eliminations on Sunday, though, as he led Capps and the Ron Capps Motorsports team to a 3.912-second victory over Funny Car rookie Alex Laughlin. Capps then recorded a 3.982 E.T. to knock out No. 3 qualifier Blake Alexander in the second round. The second-year team owner dipped further into the 3.90s in the semifinals, leaving first and posting a 3.930-second pass at 322.73 to defeat Alexis DeJoria and her 3.935-second effort. The semifinal triumph was Capps’ 50th round win since forming his own team going into the 2022 season.
NHRA World Champ Ron Capps Joins 2023 Drag Racing Sponsorship Summit as Featured Panelist
BROWNSBURG, IN – Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion and team owner Ron Capps is proud to join the upcoming 2023 Drag 
Racing Sponsorship Summit as a featured guest. Hosted by motorsports marketing guru Alex Striler, the virtual event will be held on Tuesday, March 28, from 4 – 7 p.m. PT via Zoom.
The purpose of the summit is to provide attendees with the tools and lesser-known tips and tricks for attracting and retaining potential partners. Summit guests will learn how to network and close deals, create value for their partners, and learn the ins and outs of a successful activation.
In addition to Striler, summit attendees will have the opportunity to learn from a 17-person guest panel comprised of racers, leading motorsports industry experts, and decision-makers from various endemic brands, providing attendees the rare opportunity to hear directly from the source as to what potential sponsors look for when deciding how and where to allocate their marketing dollars.
Capps Heads to Phoenix Looking for Victory!
Chandler, AZ – Capps made his professional debut at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park while competing in the Top Fuel category (1995). 
He could achieve his 50th round win for Ron Capps Motorsports in Phoenix. He enters the weekend with 47 round wins since branching out on his own. Capps’ next final round appearance will be his 10th since forming RCM.
With so much personal history at Wild Horse, Ron waxes nostalgic, “It’s bittersweet knowing that this is likely to be our last Arizona Nationals event. I used to go to that track growing up as a crew member, working on several different alcohol dragsters, Blaine and Alan Johnson’s car. Throughout my career, it was the first race I entered when I was a rookie in Top Fuel, driving for Roger Primm. We actually qualified and ran Joe Amato first round, and I won my first round of competition against the legendary Joe Amato at that event. I remember we had just barely gotten the car together and got it to the race. It was my rookie year and I hadn’t even driven a car to the finish line under power prior to that.
“When I got hired by Don Prudhomme to drive his Funny Car, Phoenix was where we tested and I made my first runs in a nitro Funny Car. It’s pretty incredible to fast forward and look at where we are now. I’ve been fortunate enough to get a couple of wins there and race for legendary sponsors and team owners, so it’s been pretty special. Phoenix has always been one of those events where we would take our family, and make a whole trip out of it, so it’s more than just a race for me, and we would love nothing more than to win the last Arizona Nationals this weekend.”
Defending NHRA Funny Car World Champion Ron Capps Leaves Gatornationals with One Quick NAPA Toyota GR Supra
GAINESVILLE, FL – Defending NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps is leaving Gainesville Raceway with the confidence that he 
has one of the quickest cars in the class yet again after a second-round exit at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals. The driver of the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra laid down the second-quickest pass of the event in the first round of Sunday eliminations before going up in smoke in the quarterfinals.
Capps and tuner Dean “Guido” Antonelli made a statement in Saturday qualifying, where Capps recorded the third-quickest pass of Q3 before laying down a 3.874 E.T. at 333.25-mph in the final session to claim the first No. 1 qualifier award of his sophomore season as a team owner. It was Capps’ seventh pole position since forming Ron Capps Motorsports.
“(In the) last session, Q4, to go to the top and get the yellow hat is something we take very seriously,” Capps said. “It’s important to us to be able to fend off such great competition to steal the pole.”
Reigning Funny Car World Champ Ron Capps Earns First No. 1 Qualifier of the 2023 NHRA Season
GAINESVILLE, FL – Reigning NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps clinched the category’s first No. 1 qualifier award of the year 
on Saturday at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla. Capps launched to the top of the timing sheets when he powered his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra to a blistering 3.874 second at 333.25-mph pass during the final qualifying session at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals.
Capps, who became the first Funny Car driver in 20 years to win back-to-back championships when he was crowned the 2022 champ, is going for the ‘Capps Trick’ this year as he attempts to pick up his third consecutive Funny Car title and fourth overall (2016, 2021, 2022).
After making his debut as an NHRA team owner by securing the pole and advancing to a runner-up finish at the 2022 season-opener in Pomona, Calif., Capps and his Ron Capps Motorsports team went on to win five races en route to securing the championship hardware, and it’s clear that Capps and his Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli-led team are carrying that momentum into 2023.
Ron Capps Motorsports Sparks Partnership with DRiV’s Champion® Brand
BROWNSBURG, IN – Two-time defending NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps and his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny 
Car team have solidified a partnership with DRiV’s Champion® brand, it was announced today.
For over 115 years, the iconic Champion brand has been a world leader in the manufacturing of spark plugs for every kind of combustion engine. Champion offers a full line of spark plugs for all types of machines including cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs, boats, lawn equipment and more to keep engines running their best. Champion has also been a long-time preferred spark plug vender of NAPA Auto Parts, with DRiV having been a supplier to the NAPA system for many years.
Ron Capps Motorsports (RCM) crew chief Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli has utilized Champion spark plugs throughout much of his tuning career and knows that the difference between running a high-quality spark plug from Champion versus a lesser-quality brand could cost a team a round-win at best, and engine damage at worst.
“Spark plugs can really be a make-or-break for a team,” said Antonelli, the driving force behind the RCM/Champion partnership. “The spark plug is one of the most important parts in keeping all eight cylinders in the engine lit. Engines have 16 spark plugs – two in each cylinder – so if you have a spark plug failure and drop a cylinder, you lose more than a thousand horsepower in a split second. That can not only cost you your race oftentimes, but even worse, it could also lead to costly engine damage, so it’s important for us to run the best parts and pieces in our car, and Champion plugs are the best, no question.”
Ron Capps and Team Head to the Gators to start the 2023 Season
Gainesville, FL – 2023 marks Capps’ sophomore season as an NHRA team owner. As the reigning world champ, the owner/driver is seeking 
his third consecutive Camping World Series Funny Car title – and fourth overall – after winning the 2022 championship during Ron Capps Motorsports rookie season.
Capps could achieve his 50th round win for Ron Capps Motorsports in Gainesville. He enters the weekend with 46 round wins since branching out on his own. Capps’ next final round appearance will be his 10th since forming RCM.
Looking to tie former boss Don Prudhomme’s five Gainesville Funny Car wins, which would make him the second-winningest Funny Car driver in the track’s history.
Reset the Gainesville Raceway Funny Car speed record in 2022 by clocking a 336.23 mph pass.
Ron Capps Motorsports Names New Assistant Crew Chief
RCM Car Chief Tom Buckingham Promoted to Assistant Crew Chief on NAPA Funny Car
BROWNSBURG, IN – When longtime crew chief John Medlen announced his retirement toward the end of the 2022 NHRA Camping World 
Series season, the Ron Capps Motorsports team knew they were left with big shoes to fill. For the past six years, Medlen had worked side-by-side with lead tuner Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli. The co-crew chiefs enjoyed tremendous success together, including most recently, having tuned team owner/driver Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car to two consecutive world championships, seven wins, 14 final rounds, and 10 poles over the past two NHRA seasons.
Rather than go the traditional route and tap into the pool of nitro crew chiefs with long resumes and proven track records, Capps and Antonelli decided to hire from within to fill the vacancy left by Medlen’s departure, and are pleased to announce that they have promoted car chief Tom Buckingham to the role of assistant crew chief. In his new position, Buckingham will continue to oversee the crew, but will also take on the added responsibility of many of the team’s day-to-day operations such as ordering parts, and coordinating work and travel schedules. He will also learn more about the tuning aspects of the car.
“I’ve been a car chief for the past five years – two years with Ron and for three years before that with Jack Beckman’s team,” said Buckingham, who has three world championships under his belt, including one from working on John Force’s team as a crew member in 2010 in addition to the two he earned with Capps in 2021 and 2022.
Ron Capps Clinches Third NHRA Funny Car Championship, First for Ron Capps Motorsports in its Rookie Season
POMONA, CA – In a dramatic final round to close out the 2022 season, defending NHRA Funny Car world champion Ron Capps clinched 
his third series title, and the first for Ron Capps Motorsports, on Sunday at the NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Capps drove the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra to a runner-up finish to win his second consecutive championship crown, becoming the first Funny Car driver to win back-to-back championships in 20 years.
Starting the weekend ranked second in the point standings behind Robert Hight, Capps overcame a 61-point deficit to lock up the 2022 NHRA Camping World Series Funny Car title. The Southern California native qualified No. 1 with a 3.837-second blast at 337.33-mph, collecting six bonus points along the way in qualifying. Those bonus points moved Capps to just under two rounds behind Hight going into eliminations.
Capps defeated Jeff Arend and Tim Wilkerson in the first two rounds of eliminations. When Hight lost to Bob Tasca III in the second round, the door was open for Capps to take the title. Capps then won his semifinal match with Tasca, passing Hight for the points lead. Capps secured the championship when he made a clean pass in the final, losing with a 3.85-second pass at 333.16 mph to Cruz Pedregon’s 3.839-second effort.
