Capps is runner-up to Bazemore in Seattle, extends points lead

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 EXTENDS POINTS LEAD, IS RUNNER-UP TO TEAMMATE BAZEMORE IN SEATTLE

KENT, Wash. (July 23, 2006) - Ron Capps extended his Funny Car points lead
over John Force today to 88 after reaching his eighth final round of the
2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season at the Schuck's Auto Supply
NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

The driver of the Brut Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car didn't take his sixth
victory of the season, however, as he was defeated by his teammate Whit
Bazemore in the final round.

En route to the final, Capps disposed of Del Worsham with a 4.975/307.86,
his teammate Gary Scelzi with a 5.066/299.80 and Eric Medlen with a
5.077/303.43 (to Medlen's 5.160/255.34).

The all-Don Schumacher Racing final in the 90-degree-plus heat was a
heartbreaker for Capps, as Bazemore took off with a .032 of a second edge
and held it to the finish, taking the win with a 5.036/309.42 over Capps'
5.108/293.15. Margin of victory: .1041 of second.

"It was good to see those Matco Tools guys get a win, especially for Don
Schumacher," said Capps.

"The big picture is looking good. There were some people who were maybe
starting to doubt if we were going to keep our points lead, and sometimes
you want to get up and say 'I don't think so,' but you've got to watch
yourself. You don't want bad karma, and you don't want to be cocky. The good
teams will just get up and let their cars talk, and that's what Ace (crew
chief Ed McCulloch) did today. He did a hell of a job.

"We were without lane choice and knocked off some pretty big guys, (like)
Scelzi, and Medlen, who was hard to beat today, especially without lane
choice.

"I'm going to go broke buying dinners for the Oakley team," added Capps, who
benefited from Scelzi's taking out John Force two races in a row.

"The cool part is that at DSR, we run straight up," he added, dismissing any
comments about "diving" at DSR. "If we win the championship, we'll have
raced for it. I wish Gary and Whit were higher up in the points, so we could
all really battle together."

Next up is the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma,
Calif., July 28-30.

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Ron Capps, 1105
2. John Force, 1017
3. Robert Hight, 855
4. Tony Pedregon, 854
5. Eric Medlen, 811
6. Gary Scelzi, 810
7. Tommy Johnson Jr., 792
8. Whit Bazemore, 737 (winner today)
9. Cruz Pedregon, 609
10. Del Worsham, 599

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