Capps qualifies NAPA Batteries Dodge in No. 6 in Chicago

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2010 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 10 of 23
13th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Route 66 Raceway
Joliet, Ill.
June 4-6, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

CAPPS QUALIFIES NAPA BATTERIES DODGE IN NO. 6 IN CHICAGO

JOLIET, Ill. (June 5, 2010) - Ron Capps qualified the NAPA Batteries Dodge
Charger Funny Car in No. 6 for the 13th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals with
only three of four sessions run this weekend because of a Friday rain delay.

By the time his turn came up in the final session today, a day expected to
be washed out by rain, he'd been bumped out of the field and in No. 17. A
straight and quick run produced his quickest lap of the weekend of 4.172
seconds at 297.75 mph, the third quickest of the round, moving him up to
sixth. In earlier passes, Capps expertly pedaled the car to No. 4 in the
single evening session on Friday (4.456/294.37), then slowed to a
5.241/140.05 in today's earlier round (No. 9).

"Last night we had to pedal it because it did get in trouble and we knew
rain was coming," said Capps. "We weren't sure we were going to get runs
today on Saturday. The last thing we wanted to do was bring out the NAPA
Batteries car and struggle to get into the show.

"Everybody said it was going to rain all day and no runs were going to be
made, and, lo an behold, we got two qualifying runs in.

"It's been a strange day. You ask any of the drivers out here and they'll
tell you that there's always a lot of drama here in Joliet and it's always
in the last session, it seems. You look at my teammate Antron (Brown, Matco
Tools Top Fuel dragster) getting in at the last second, guys getting bumped
out, and us having to get back into the show on one run.

"It's a very stressful situation. On top of that, anything you feel in the
car makes you think the car is going to be in trouble. But, once again,
that's when it's really nice to have a veteran crew chief like Ace (Ed
McCulloch), a good group of NAPA crew guys who put the car together and
nothing falls off and nothing does anything funny.

"It's such high drama, but it's a little bit of a calming effect to know
that I've got a good car under me and we've got a shot.

"To be honest with you, we shouldn't have been worried about whether or not
we were going to run better to get in the show. We're a better team than
that, but this is drag racing, and you just never know what could happen.
Something freakish could happen and you don't get into the show. We have a
great qualifying streak going and we don't want to lose that (73 straight).

"It's just that kind of drama that builds character, and it brings the team
together."

Capps faces Jeff Arend in the opening round of Sunday's eliminations.

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