Capps grabs No. 10 in Bristol qualifying

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2010 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 12 of 23
10th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway
June 18-20, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

CAPPS GRABS NO. 10 IN BRISTOL QUALIFYING

BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 19, 2010) - Ron Capps qualified the NAPA AUTO PARTS
Dodge Charger Funny Car No. 10 for the 10th annual NHRA Thunder Valley
Nationals at Bristol Dragway, clocking in at 4.244 seconds at 284.45 mph.

He set his quickest pass during the cooler Friday-night session, while track
temperatures hovered near the 140-degree mark during Saturday. By far, these
are the hottest conditions the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
competitors have faced all year.

His initial attempt on Friday produced a 4.923/160.14 (No. 9), and
Saturday's tries resulted in a 4.324/279.32 and finally a 4.299/278.06, the
second quickest of that round in the heat. He earned two bonus points.

"That last pass was great," said Capps, a two-time titlist at Bristol
Dragway. "I've said it before, within the Don Schumacher Racing team we're a
little bit out on an island. We've been experimenting with some in-house DSR
parts with a thought of truly making all three DSR Funny Cars better.

"Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) is bound and determined to make it work. We
could have gone back to our setup prior to Las Vegas and what we ran earlier
last year as well, but he wants to try to make it work. He sees something
that's special about it.

"Yeah, we struggled, but from inside the camp - and I'm just letting the
fans know - we're truly in an experimental mode and that last pass showed
signs of what we were looking for. We think it' better for running in the
heat and we think it will help us in the Countdown.

"Knowing the credentials that Ed McCulloch has had for a long time, you have
to go with his judgment and you have to ride with it.

"And that's what's great for NAPA as well. They know that we're looking down
the road at the big picture and that's to get a championship.

"That was nice," he said of the last pass. "That was what we have been
looking for, believe it or not, for several races. These cars can be very
finicky." 

Capps faces No. 7 qualifier Bob Tasca III in the opening round of Sunday¹s
eliminations.