Capps holds fourth in points, is out in first round in Seattle

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 14 of 23
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
Pacific Raceways
Kent, Wash.
Race Dates: July 22-24, 2005

CAPPS HOLDS ON TO FOURTH IN POINTS, IS OUSTED IN FIRST ROUND IN SEATTLE

KENT, Wash. (July 24, 2005) - Ron Capps, driver of the Brut Dodge Stratus
Funny Car, was ousted in the first round of eliminations today at the
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, yet held on to fourth place in the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car standings.

Three of the four top contenders for the Funny Car championship were
eliminated in the opening round today, including John Force and Capps'
teammate Gary Scelzi, which left the door open for Robert Hight, who took
over the top spot last week in Denver, to extend his margin by reaching the
final round again. Hight lost to his teammate Eric Medlen in that contest.

No. 9 qualifier Capps faced No. 8 qualifier Phil Burkart Jr. in the opener.
Both cars registered respectable reaction times: .090 for Capps, .071 for
Wilkerson. But it was Wilkerson leading the way to the finish line, winning
with a 4.873/311.13 to Capps' 4.907/315.12 and a margin of victory of .0535
of a second.

"We didn't have lane choice," said Capps, "but we didn't feel like it made a
big difference. We had a good look at every car that went down the
quarter-mile in front of us, since we were in the last pair. We watched my
teammate Scelzi go out and we watched Force go out, the two guys in front of
us in the championship points.

"We felt like this was a good time to focus on making up some POWERade
points and we just failed to do that. We're highly disappointed. Ace (crew
chief Ed McCulloch) is kicking himself right now. We just gave it what we
thought the track would hold, and hindsight being 20-20, it would have held
more. We should have won that round. This one probably has hurt and left a
mark worse than the other ones all year, as far as first round losses go.

"We'll just have to see how this points chase plays out," added Capps, who
is now 50 points behind Scelzi in third, 61 short of Force in second, and
145 out of first place, held by Hight.

"This time of year is exciting right now. When you're thinking about points
this much and you're in the hunt, it's an invigorating feeling, but you have
to take advantage of every opportunity."

Next up is the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma,
Calif., July 29-31.

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Robert Hight, 989
2. John Force, 905
3. Gary Scelzi, 894
4. Ron Capps, 844
5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 806
6. Eric Medlen, 774 (winner today)
7. Whit Bazemore, 760
8. Cruz Pedregon, 747
9. Del Worsham, 667
10. Tony Pedregon, 649