Capps upset in Brainerd first round
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2010 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES Round 17 of 23 29th annual NHRA Nationals Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway Aug. 13-15, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net CAPPS UPSET IN BRAINERD FIRST ROUND BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 15, 2010) - From his No. 7 qualifying effort at the 29th annual NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, Ron Capps was upset by Jim Head in the opening round of Funny Car eliminations today. Racing the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger Funny Car, Capps launched a tick behind Head at the starting lights, but quickly moved into the lead and was heading to the finish stripe when the tires struck just past the 660-foot mark (of a 1000-foot race track). That was enough to allow Head to take the victory with a 4.252-second elapsed time at 296.83 mph to Capps' 4.467/222.55. Capps holds on to No. 5 in the point standings as the Countdown to 1 playoffs begin for the top 10 in points at the next event in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend for the final six events of the year. "(Crew chief) John Medlen has been making great calls," said Capps. "We felt really comfortable, especially with the cooler conditions that showed up today. And when we saw our (Don Schumacher Racing) teammates Jack Beckman and Matt Hagan run those two mid-4.0s (4.057 and 4.068, respectively), we felt that we were going to run that good or even a little better. It just came loose out there. "The NAPA Dodge was trucking right along and the more you talk to Ace (team consultant Ed McCulloch) and John it looks like it just wore some clutch. It wore a little bit too much clutch and the track wouldn't hold it when it tried to lock the clutch up. That's just testing the waters to see how quick we could go. "Not that this race isn't important because we'd love to win here again," added Capps, event champion here in 1998 and 2001, "but it's better here than in Indy when the Countdown starts to try some things like that. On this track, as good as it's put together and as good as the track surface is, we felt like we could run a low 4.0. "We had such a great time this weekend with all the local NAPA people here at the track and at the Power Lodge with all the Polaris people. It was a first-class effort by all the NAPA guys. "We'll go test in Indy in a couple of weeks and then we'll return there for the U.S. Nationals and start the Countdown. "I feel like this NAPA car is as potent as any car out here. And obviously last year showed that you can be last getting into the Countdown and still win a championship. We have as much confidence as any team out here that we can win this championship." UNOFFICIAL FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS (Countdown points in parentheses) 1. John Force, 1250 (2110) 2. Robert Hight, 1249 (2080) 3. Jack Beckman, 1155 runner-up today (2070) - Bob Bode won the event 4. Matt Hagan, 1136 (2060) 5. Ron Capps, 1048 (2050) 6. Tim Wilkerson, 1035 (2040) 7. Bob Tasca III, 1016 (2030) 8. Ashley Force Hood, 984 (2020) 9. Del Worsham, 929 (2010) 10. Tony Pedregon, 764 (2000) ***