Busy Vegas week takes mind off tense title chase for Capps

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
No. 21 of 23
ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, Nev.
Race Dates: Oct. 21-23, 2005

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 18, 2005) - With just two races left in the tightest 2005
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship chase in NHRA
history, Ron Capps is glad to have a busy week of Las Vegas appearances to
take his mind off the battle for his first Funny Car crown.

Just 57 points (or three rounds) behind points leader John Force and 21
markers back of his teammate Gary Scelzi in second, Brut Dodge Stratus Funny
Car driver Capps will spend the days preceding this weekend's ACDelco Las
Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway playing golf,
attending a crew member's wedding after organizing a bachelor party, signing
autographs at the Treasure Island Hotel, and appearing at a Brut sponsor
function. And when qualifying is over on Friday and Saturday, he'll scoot
over to the LVMS oval for World of Outlaws action.

"Vegas is going to be a busy week for me prior to the race," he said. "It's
one of those races where you always seem to have a lot of things going on.

"One of my crew members is getting married so I'm throwing him a bachelor
party on Wednesday night. His wedding is on Thursday night, so I'll be doing
the Treasure Island autograph session in my tuxedo and then running across
the street to the wedding.

"On top of that, on Tuesday Oakley is having a celebrity golf tournament
where Gary Scelzi, Scelzi's crew chief Mike Neff and I will play with some
other celebrities from TV and sports.

"There's also a World of Outlaws race on Friday and Saturday night, which I
will definitely be going to  both nights to watch our good friend Danny
Lasoski race.

"I'm kind of glad it's that busy. At this point everything is so weighted on
what's going to happen in the championship that it's probably better not to
have too much free time and too much time to think.

"To say that we're not nervous would be lying, but it's more a nervous
excitement. When you have a guy like Scelzi, who's a three-time world
champion, who gets his nerves up a little bit and red-lights (in Dallas two
weeks ago), it just tells you how tough it is, because he's probably as cool
as they come."

Getting sick to his stomach on race day has been par for the course the last
few races. "I had a long talk with Force and I found out I'm not the only
guy (who does that) and it's good," he said. "You have to go up there with
that feeling. It's what you really live for. I'm getting to like it. I'm
getting to like that feeling like I'm going to throw up before I stage the
car. I'm getting to feel like I can up myself another level and you always
look for that next level to take yourself to, whether it's mentally or
physically, to make yourself better.

"At this point we're at the highest level in the sport. So to find another
level is tough to do, and guys like (13-time Funny Car champion) Force and
(three-time Top Fuel titlist) Scelzi know how to do it. I still feel like
I'm learning. 

"So far, I've been able to go up there and do my job, as nervous as I've
been. So, as long as I can keep doing that and (crew chief) Ed 'Ace'
McCulloch and the Brut guys keep doing what they're doing, we're good.

"Like Ace said, we're enjoying the moment and we're going to take it right
to Sunday night at Pomona."

Capps is the 2001 (2) winner here in Las Vegas.

SCHEDULE: 
Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for noon and 3:30 on Friday, Oct. 21
and Saturday, Oct. 22. Budweiser Shootout rounds are scheduled for 1:30,
3:15 and 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
on Sunday, Oct. 23.

TELEVISION:
ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise 30 minutes of Budweiser Shootout coverage at
10:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Oct. 22. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD also will televise
three hours of qualifying of the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at 11 p.m.
(ET) on Oct. 22. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of final
eliminations coverage beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Oct. 23.

RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* Third in 2005 Funny Car point standings, after 21 of 23 events, 57 points
out of the lead (three rounds)
* Has two wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first win
for DSR in '05), won at Chicago 2 at Route 66 Raceway
* Qualified No. 1 once in 2005, in Dallas; first time since Brainerd 2000
* Winner in Las Vegas in 2001 (2)
* Qualified No. 10 at 2004 (2) Vegas event, lost first round to John Force
* Qualified No. 15 at first event of 2005 here, lost semis to Tony Bartone
* A perennial fan favorite, Capps has driven and won in both Top Fuel and
Funny Cars since he began his pro NHRA career in 1995
* His best season points finishes were seconds in Funny Car in 1998 and 2000
* He has 16 event wins in 36 final rounds to his credit
* In 2003 he finished in the top 10 in the Funny Car class for the seventh
consecutive season.
* His career best elapsed time (established during an event) is 4.694
seconds, set in 2005 in Dallas
* His career best speed is 329.02 mph (Chicago 2, '05)
* Age 40 (June 20, 1965); born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
* Lives in Carlsbad, Calif., with wife Shelley and daughter Taylor (9) and
son Caden (3)
* Is the subject, along with son Caden and the Brut racing crew, of a number
of Brut ads appearing this year in mainstream magazines, such as People,
Sports Illustrated, etc.
* New to Don Schumacher Racing this year after eight years with Don
Prudhomme.
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt
Late Models and Go-Karts