FC points leader Capps staying on course
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 3 of 23
ACDelco NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE (FLA.) RACEWAY
Race Date: March 17-19, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net
FUNNY CAR POINTS LEADER CAPPS STAYING ON COURSE
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 15, 2006) - Funny Car points leader Ron Capps
entered the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series on a mission: to qualify
well, earn lane choice, be consistent, win rounds. The record isn't perfect
so far, but he and crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch are still on course as the
series comes to Gainesville Raceway this weekend for the NHRA
Gatornationals.
With a runner-up finish in the season-opening event in Pomona, Calif.,
despite qualifying 10th, and a semifinal finish in Phoenix from No. 6, Capps
sits atop the Funny Car point standings for the first time since 2003. The
California native and 2005 Funny Car points runner-up also enjoys a 15-point
edge over John Force coming into the third event of the year.
Driving the Brut Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing,
Capps is still ruing the results of 2005, his first season with DSR, where
he lost the championship by a mere eight points to his teammate Gary Scelzi,
and wants to see this changed in 2006.
He considers Gainesville to be a tricky track which needs to be attacked
with a smart approach.
"This is always the time of the year, especially in the preseason and in the
first couple of races, when people talk about the points lead and about
getting a good start," says Capps. "And it takes a few races to kind of get
the points to shuffle around a little bit.
"It's a strange way to start a season. You race Pomona, you get a little
break, then you go to Phoenix, you get another little break, and then you're
in Gainesville. It seems like forever once you get the season started to
have to wait for the next race.
"Gainesville is a track that gets a lot of hype for a good reason. It's the
first time we're out on the East Coast and it's a track that's held a great
distinction, with Kenny Bernstein being the first to go 300 mph here. One
thing that makes for a tricky track like this one is the fact that the
weather conditions here allow these engines to produce a lot of horsepower.
And I think a lot of teams come in here over-thinking it and wanting to
throw everything at the track.
"That's why I believe in the last few years you've seen a lot of
tire-smoking runs and a lot of aborted runs here because teams are almost
getting after it too much. So, It's a place where you really have to be
careful. And a crew chief could easily go up there and try too hard.
"That's why I always feel comfortable with Ace racing what the track is
going to give him. In the past you didn't always see the quickest car in
qualifying winning the race. In fact, very rarely has that happened in the
last five or six years. It's always been the team that's been smarter on
Sunday."
As for making up for his eight-point loss in 2005 this season: "It was such
a hard-fought championship and you have to take that experience and use it
in your favor in the future," he says. "I think the whole Brut Dodge team
learned that we can't give up any points anywhere. When it comes down to
losing by eight points, you just don't want to give up any qualifying spots,
because those are small but valuable points.
"This year we made a point of concentrating on going rounds on Sunday. We
want to make the other team know that we're going to go down the track. It
may not be the absolute quickest run that session, but you can be sure the
car's going to go down the track. And I think that puts a little extra
pressure on anyone who races us. That's been the mindset with Ace, (team
tuning consultant) Dan Olson and all the Brut Dodge guys. I've felt so
confident going into Sunday morning.
"Gainesville is the place where I haven't had a lot of success at in the
past. I hope to change that this year," adds Capps, whose best result here
was a runner-up finish in 2000.
SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 17, professional qualifying sessions are at 11:30 a.m. and
2:30 p.m. On Saturday, March 18, pro qualifying continues at 11:30 a.m. and
2:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 19, pre-race ceremonies are at 10 a.m., and final
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, March 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 12:30 a.m. (ET). On Sunday, March 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will
telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m.
(ET). On Sunday, March 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of
final eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, March 17, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) SBS 6 / Transponder 17K (downlink
freq: 12117, MHz horizontal)
Saturday, March 18, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) SBS 6 / Transponder 17K (downlink
freq: 12117, MHz horizontal)
Sunday, March 19, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) SBS 6 / Transponder 17K (downlink freq:
12117, MHz horizontal)
RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* Leading 2006 Funny Car point standings after two events, by 15 over John
Force
* Has three 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 and Las Vegas 2
* Qualified No. 1 once in 2005, in Dallas; first time since Brainerd 2000
* Qualified No. 12 at 2005 Gatornationals, lost first round to teammate Gary
Scelzi
* Best finish at Gators was runner-up in 2000; no No. 1 qualifiers here
* 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, 2000
and 2005
* He has 17 event wins in 38 final rounds to his credit
* 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 in mainstream magazines, such as People, Sports
Illustrated, etc.
* New to Don Schumacher Racing in 2005 after eight years with Don Prudhomme.
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt
Late Models and Go-Karts
***
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