Capps pumped up for Sonoma

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Round 15 of 23
2010 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals
Infineon Raceway
Sonoma, Calif.
July 16-18, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

CAPPS PUMPED UP FOR SONOMA

CARLSBAD, Calif. (July 14, 2010) - Following his runner-up finish in Seattle
last Sunday, the first race of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
"Western Swing," Ron Capps is pumped up to return to the Bay Area and
compete in the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals this weekend in Sonoma, Calif.

Born and raised on the Central Coast of California, Capps has enjoyed his
time at the drag strip surrounded by wine country. He was the 1997 Funny Car
champion in Sonoma, runner-up in 2002 and 2005, and No. 1 qualifier in 1998.

"It's amazing, when I think about the success that I've had at certain
tracks, Seattle and Sonoma come to mind. Seattle was where I had my first
win in 1995, in Top fuel, and again later in Funny Car. And I've been coming
to Sonoma since I was a little kid and have been to three final rounds
there, winning once. This part of the NHRA season has always been at tracks
where I've done well in my career."

John Medlen came on board to tune the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Funny Car for
Capps two races ago, with former crew chief Ed McCulloch still working
alongside as he also consults with the two other Funny Cars under the Don
Schumacher Racing umbrella.

"A bunch of NAPA crew guys said after Norwalk that our Countdown, and our
season, were going to start in Seattle. And, sure enough, it looks like they
may be right," said Capps, who moved from eighth to seventh in the standings
after Seattle. "John Medlen's been so much fun to work with. It is so neat
to watch the changes that he makes on the car and why he makes them.

"I've been so lucky to have been able to work with some legendary men as
crew chief and mentors in the past, like Ed "Ace" McCulloch and now John
Medlen. The best part is the performance of the car right now, with both
John and Ace working together.

"Sonoma is kind of a home track for me. I had lived in the Bay Area for
quite a while. I have a lot of family, a lot of friends who come to that
race. It's even more special this year because of the involvement we have
with the Eric Medlen Nitro Night Charity Dinner on Thursday night. This
track is somewhat of a home track for John Medlen as well. He's also going
to have a lot of family and friends coming to the race.

"It's going to be an emotional weekend, but I can't think of a better place
to win at right now than Sonoma. It would be storybook.

"I left Seattle and hopped on the airplane with such a bounce in my step
after the great weekend we had there."

RON CAPPS QUICK FACTS:
* No. 7 in 2010 Funny Car points, after 14 events (two runner-up, three
quarterfinal, four semifinal, five first rounds)
* Won Sonoma in 1997; runner-up in 2002 and 2005
* No. 1 qualifier in Sonoma in 1998
* Qualified No. 14 at 2009 Sonoma event; lost second round to Robert Hight
* Was No. 1 qualifier in Sonoma in 1998
* Ended 2009 season No. 3 in the point standings
* Won class-best five events in 2009 - Pomona 1, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Topeka,
Denver - in seven final rounds
* Entered 2009 Countdown to 1 No. 2 in Funny Car "regular season" after
leading standings in 12 of the first 14 events
* Qualified No. 1 three times in 2009 (Phoenix, St. Louis, Denver); none in
2010 so far
* Has nine career No. 1 qualifiers
* No. 8 in 2008 Funny Car points; two runner-up, five semifinal, four
quarterfinal finishes, 13 first-rounds
* Is tied with Tony Pedregon with longest qualifying streak among active
Funny Car drivers: 77
* No. 4 in 2007 Funny Car point standings
* Led 2007 Funny Car point standings by as much as 154 points through 14 of
the first 17 races of the season
* NAPA AUTO PARTS is primary sponsor for third straight season
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2005
* Has three U.S. Smokeless Showdown titles: 1998, 1999 and 2002
* Third in 2006 final point standings, with class-best five wins
* Had three wins, four runner-up finishes in 2005 (St. Louis was his first
win for DSR in '05)
* 2005 Funny Car championship runner-up, eight points short of title
* 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 30 event wins in 63 final rounds to his credit (29 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 (racing to 1320 feet)
* His career-best speed is 331.61 mph (Pomona 1, '07) - racing to 1320 feet
* Capps' career round win-loss record is 389-288
* His career quickest ET at 1000 feet is 4.023 seconds (Phoenix 2009)
* Capps' career-best speed racing to 1000 feet is 314.09 mph (Houston 2010)
* (THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FOUR-WIDE RACE IN CONCORD) Capps' career record
against 14-time champion John Force is 22-42 in round wins. He's won 14 of
the last 20 meetings against Force, and has won five of the last seven
first-round match-ups over Force. His final-round record against Force is
3-1
* Age 45 (June 20, 1965); born and raised in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
* Lives in Carlsbad, Calif., with wife Shelley and daughter Taylor (7/25/96)
and son Caden (7/1/01)
* Has tested for IROC Series and competed in Skip Barber Formula Ford, Dirt
Late Models, Mini-Sprints and Go-Karts

SCHEDULE:      
FRIDAY, July 16 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 17 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11:45 a.m. and 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 18 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FULL THROTTLE SERIES
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
 
TELEVISION:     
Saturday, July 17, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 11 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 18, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 1 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 18, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage
starting at 6 p.m. (ET).
                   
SATELLITE:       
Friday, July 16, 11:30 p.m. - Midnight (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 5K
(Digital SD feed)  
Saturday, July 17, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 5K
Sunday, July 18, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 5K
(11800 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms;
FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’
interviews on Sunday.

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