Capps glad to be back at sea level in Seattle
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 14 of 23 SCHUCK'S AUTO SUPPLY NHRA NATIONALS Pacific Raceways Kent, Wash. Race Date: July 21, 23, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net CAPPS GLAD TO BE BACK AT SEA LEVEL KENT, Wash. (July 19, 2006) - Ron Capps left the Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver last weekend as the only NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series professional class points leader to remain atop the points standings - despite losing in the first round. The driver of the Brut Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is now 26 points ahead of 13-time champion John Force and is glad to get off the 5,800-ft. mountain and back down to sea level at this weekend's Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways. "It just shows you how tough this Funny Car category is right now," said Capps, who also receives support from Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels. "We watched the pair in front of us run in Denver, which was (teammate Whit) Bazemore and Force and we really felt like the Matco Tools team was going to take Force out. We felt like both cars were very safe going down the race track and both ended up smoking their tires." As it turned out, eventual event winner and Capps' other teammate Gary Scelzi was the one who finally knocked Force out, in the second round, allowing Capps to maintain the points lead. "Keeping the points lead is a huge deal," added Capps. "We know that we're going to battle the Force team all year and we know we're going to have to go back to going rounds like we were earlier in the year. We just flat out need to get back to the consistency that we had. And I feel like we have it. Every team is going to have those bad weekends. Not every team - for that matter, any team - out there every weekend is going to do well in every single race. "With that being said, that is the very reason that we worked hard and did so well at the beginning of the year. Everything worked out for us and we racked up and banked those POWERade points. "Right now, John Force is showing that that he and his team are human at times. Several years ago you couldn't have said that. And you couldn't hand him a first-round exit when you're battling for the championship, because it would cost you the championship. "At this point we're just going to stay in it and get back to our consistency. We are actually coming to tracks that Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) and I have done very well at in the past, which gives me a lot of confidence and I'm excited about that." Capps' record in Seattle includes a 1995 Top Fuel win - his first professional victory - a 1998 Funny Car victory over Force, a runner-up to Whit Bazemore in 2001, and a No. 1 qualifying start in 1997. RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS: * Leading 2006 Funny Car point standings after 13 events, by 26 over John Force * Has five wins, two runner-up finishes, one semifinal finish in 2006 so far * Qualified No. 9 at 2005 Schuck's Nationals, lost first round to Phil Burkart Jr. * Has won Top Fuel here in 1995 - his first pro win - and Funny Car in 1998 * Had 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 * 2005 Funny Car championship runner-up, eight points short of title * Qualified No. 1 once in 2005, in Dallas; first time since Brainerd 2000 * 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 22 event wins in 44 final rounds to his credit (21 national event wins in Funny Car, one in Top Fuel) * 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 41 (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 (4) * 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 WEEKEND SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, July 21, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS are at 3:30 and 6 p.m. SATURDAY, July 22, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS are at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, July 23, Pre-race ceremonies are at 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, July 22, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET). Sunday, July 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET). Sunday, July 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute magazine show at 11:30 a.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, July 21, 11-11:30 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10R / Transponder 24k (Downlink frequency: 12184 MHz, horizontal) Saturday, July 22, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10R / Transponder 24k (Downlink frequency: 12184 MHz, horizontal) Sunday, July 23, 11:30 p.m.-Midnight (ET) Galaxy 10R / Transponder 24k (Downlink frequency: 12184 MHz, horizontal) ***