Capps and Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Earn 2021 NHRA Funny Car World Championship

*This press release, photos and videos are also available online at:*

https://media.fcanorthamerica.com/newsrelease.do?id=23271
[image: image.png]


*Capps and Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Earn 2021 NHRA Funny Car World
Championship*


   - Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver Ron Capps and his Don Schumacher
   Racing (DSR) team earned the 2021 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny
   Car World Championship, the second of his 27-year career, at the Auto Club
   Finals
   - Three Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Cars entered the final race day
   of the season with a chance to win the world championship title
   - DSR driver Matt Hagan drove his Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT
   Hellcat to the semifinals at Auto Club Raceway and closed out the 2021 NHRA
   season as runner-up in the Funny Car championship to teammate Capps
   - Cruz Pedregon Racing and the Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
   remained in the hunt for the Funny Car Crown throughout the “Countdown to
   the Championship,�?? finishing fourth in the standings, driver Cruz
   Pedregon’s best season performance since 2013
   - DSR Top Fuel pilot Leah Pruett closed out the season by qualifying the
   Direct Connection Mopar Dodge//SRT dragster No. 3 for eliminations and
   finishing in the Top 10 for a sixth consecutive season



*November 14, 2021, Pomona, California* – Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver
Ron Capps and Don Schumacher Racing earned the 2021 National Hot Rod
Association (NHRA) Funny Car World Championship in an exciting season
finale at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, California. It is the veteran
driver’s second Funny Car title of his 27-year career, following his first
championship win in 2016, and the seventh of the 19-year partnership
between DSR and the Mopar and Dodge//SRT brands.



“On behalf of Dodge//SRT, congratulations to Ron Capps for his
HEMI®-powered world championship performance,�?? said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge
Brand Chief Executive Officer – Stellantis. “We’re thrilled to have Ron and
the Don Schumacher Racing team demonstrate what Dodge//SRT performance
looks like by earning their second NHRA Funny Car World Championship.�??



“Congratulations to Ron Capps from all of us at Mopar on this hard-earned
second career Funny Car world championship,�?? said Mark Bosanac, Head of
Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care for FCA – North America. �??We
appreciate the outstanding efforts during this championship season and
thank them for proudly showcasing Mopar performance on the track."



“What a crazy day and crazy season,�?? said Capps. “The fact that the
Countdown came down to the Pomona Finals and was a real fight between the
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcats of Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan and I was really
neat. And to see that as a manufacturer Dodge had the competition covered,
all three of us were pretty proud of that.�??



Capps claimed his second NHRA World Championship after powering his NAPA
AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to two event wins, three runner-up
finishes and advancing to the semifinals or better on 11 occasions. Capps
and his crew collected a category-best 36 round wins and four No. 1
qualifier awards while taking the points lead five different times over the
course of the 20-event season.



“The Dodge Charger SRT body has been crazy fun to drive this year,�?? added
Capps. “We came out with a new chassis and new body and this year this body
has made me a whole new driver. It’s been fun to have more vision and to be
able to see better and when you are going 330 mph that’s what you need.�??



Three Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Cars entered the final race day of
the season with a chance to take home the championship Wally but once both
No. 2 qualifier Capps and DSR teammate Hagan in the No. 7 position turned
on win lights in the first round of eliminations, Pedregon was no longer in
contention for the crown.



With a pending head-to-head showdown between Capps and Hagan in the
quarterfinals, the 67-point difference, or the equivalent of a three
rounds, between the two contenders added to drama. If Capps beat Hagan, he
would immediately be crowned Funny Car Champion.



Instead, the two Dodge Charger SRT Hellcats put on a show with a
side-by-side battle that saw Hagan emerge the winner following a
0.074-second reaction time and 3.948-second elapsed time run at 322.34 mph
to edge Capps at the stripe despite a solid 0.043-second reaction time and
3.995-second drive at 319.45 mph.



“I knew it was going to come down to the wire but we really had to worry
about Matt (Hagan),�?? said Capps, who watched from the sidelines as the
possibility that Hagan could successfully defend his Funny Car crown hinged
on him taking the Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to the
winner’s circle. “We qualified well but still ended up racing him in the
second round. It was a close race but then I had to stand behind his car
and wait to see how it played out. Really proud of the job (Crew Chiefs)
‘Guido’ (Dean Antonelli) and John Medlen and the whole team has done this
year.�??



Hagan needed to get his Mopar machine past Alexis DeJoria in the semifinals
to have a shot at retaining his crown. The three-time NHRA champ was
quicker on the start but by half-track his opponent slipped past for the
round win, ending Hagan’s drive and reign as Funny Car champion.



“We've got a great team, a great car and at the end of the day there were
three Dodge Charger SRT Hellcats in the running for this championship, with
(Ron) Capps, me and Cruz (Pedregon),�?? said Hagan. “Dodge is just doing an
amazing job out there and I'm glad to be a part of it. Today didn't go the
way we wanted it to but to be in the championship hunt and be able to have
a shot at it year after year is a testament to the performance equipment we
have and the hard work this team has put in.�??



With a category-best four wins this season, Hagan and his Mopar Dodge//SRT
team’s runner-up finish in the championship was their 11th time closing out
a season with a Top-10 result.



The third contender in the Funny Car title chase heading into the final
race day was  Pedregon, who arrived at Auto Club Raceway fresh off his
victory at the Dodge//SRT Nationals in Las Vegas and put his Snap-On Tools
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat No. 6 on the ladder with consistent qualifying
runs. With a 91-point deficit prior to the opening round, any championship
hopes for the Cruz Pedregon Racing team were contingent on Capps exiting in
the first round.



While that didn’t happen, Pedregon lined up for the first round match
against No. 11 seed Tim Wilkerson feeling positive about the consistency
and progress his team made this season. Pedregon’s HEMI-powered machine had
a good launch and was on the move when tire smoke early in the run brought
to a close his team’s best season performance since 2013. The team finishes
fourth in the points standings with two wins, a pair of runner-up finishes
and a No. 1 qualifier award. Their Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat turned on win
lights 30 times in eliminations this season, only the third time in 20
years that Pedregon has won 30 or more rounds.



In Top Fuel action, DSR pilot Leah Pruett’s solid qualifying performance
put the Direct Connection Mopar Dodge//SRT dragster No. 3 on the
eliminations ladder with a 3.706-second pass at 327.59 mph in the final
session. That afforded the HEMI-powered machine lane choice over No. 14
seed Cameron Ferre for the opening round of the final national event of the
season.



After a quick start, Pruett was chasing down her opponent when a loss of
traction prior to half-track hampered her efforts and brought her race day
to an early end. She closes out her season seventh in the Top Fuel
standings, her sixth consecutive top-10 finish since joining Don Schumacher
Racing in 2016, with an event title at the Pomona Winternationals and
runner-up finish at Sonoma.



The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will return to the dragstrip in
February with a 22-event season schedule that will again include five
national events with Mopar Express Lane and Dodge//SRT title sponsorship.



*ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES*



*FUNNY CAR:*

*Matt Hagan, DSR Direct Connection Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye*

(No. 7 Qualifier – 3.956 seconds at 319.75 mph)

*Round 1:* (0.081-second reaction time, 3.935 seconds at 323.04 mph)
defeats No. 10 Tony Jurado (0.091/3.973/322.34)

*Round 2:* (0.074/3.948/322.34) defeats No. 2 Ron Capps (0.043/3.995/319.45)

*Round 3:* (0.054/3.975/317.79) loss to No. 3 Alexis DeJoria
(0.081/3.940/321.04)



“Congratulations to Ron Capps. He’s a true legend of the sport. He’s been
out here probably more than twice as long as I’ve been racing. Those guys
just outworked and outperformed us this year. At the end of the day, we get
to come back out here and fight them again next year. At the end of the day
and a long year, I just want to say I’m proud of (Crew Chief) Dickie
Venables and my entire crew. We battled back after a couple of bad race
days at Bristol and (Las) Vegas. I’m happy for Ron and sad for us. The sun
will rise tomorrow and it’s time for us to work hard this off season and
come back out here and do it again in a few months here at Pomona. Great
job to Capps and the NAPA team.�??



*Ron Capps, DSR NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat*

(No. 2 Qualifier – 3.908 seconds at 329.83 mph)

*Round 1:* (0.093-second reaction time, 3.908 seconds at 325.06 mph)
defeats No. 15 Terry Haddock (0.159/4.708/178.07)

*Round 2:* (0.043/3.995/319.45) loss to No. 7 Matt Hagan
(0.074/3.948/322.34)



“I can’t even believe that just happened. You don’t want to go up there and
wish someone bad luck. That entire Hagan team with (crew chief) Dickie
Venables is incredible. I expected them to go win the race. I don’t know
what to say. I’m just shaking right now. I stood and watched from that same
Pomona Raceway grandstand as a kid and watched guys like (Joe) Amato and
Gary (Ormsby) line up in the final round here years ago and to be doing
this myself and to now have a second championship, I can’t say enough.�??



*Cruz Pedregon, Cruz Pedregon Racing Snap-on® Tools Dodge Charger SRT
Hellcat*

(No. 6 Qualifier – 3.939 seconds at 321.96 mph)

*Round 1:* (0.070-second reaction time, 4.808 seconds at 170.58 mph) loss
to No. 11 seed Tim Wilkerson (0.053/3.922/325.30)



“I hate it for the team more than anything to end such a great year with
tire smoke but Tim (Wilkerson) was a tough opponent. We had a lot at stake
today but we accomplished a lot this year, we were in the championship
conversation until the end with three Hellcat drivers. I respect and admire
both those drivers. Really proud that we had 30 round wins. That’s a stat
that shows how important consistency is. I’m excited about keeping that
consistency through next year with this same group of people. We’ll look at
what we can improve on but I look at this season as a huge success. I’m not
a fan of the points-and-half format for the last race because that doesn’t
reward what we have done over a stretch of time. Where we ended up is not
indicative of the effort we put in and what our Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
accomplished this year. We were a solid third place car. It was a good
season for us. We had good support and for three Mopar Dodge Hellcats to be
there at the finish is indicative of how good these cars are."



*TOP FUEL:*

*Leah Pruett, DSR Direct Connection Mopar Dodge//SRT Dragster  *

(No. 3 Qualifier – 3.706 seconds at 327.59 mph)

*Round 1:* (0.070-second reaction time, 5.053 seconds at 189.71 mph) loss
to No. 14 Cameron Ferre (0.059/3.796/319.75)



“The level of confidence heading into the final race here at Pomona was
extremely high – higher than it’s been in some time. The attitudes were
positive. The takeaway from the first round loss is a straight mechanical
malfunction. The clutch did not move. It wasn’t a tuning or personnel
issue. Therefore, we had no power. It mixed up cylinders immediately. A
couple pedal jobs and a weird sensation in the car when you’re not going
anywhere, but also not smoking the tires. Sometimes it’s just necessary for
a very hard reset. This entire team has a heart of gold. We represent the
‘never lift’ campaign for Dodge and we are a testament for that and
sometimes when you never lift, a part does. We’re looking forward to next
season. We couldn’t be more thankful to DSR, Dodge, Mopar, Pennzoil, all of
our great partners at Don Schumacher Racing, and everyone at DSR for some
amazing seasons.�??



*NHRA Championship Final Points Standings:*
*Following the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Pomona*

*FUNNY CAR (season wins in parentheses)*

*1. Ron Capps (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat) – 2,676 (2)*

*2. Matt Hagan (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat) – 2,639 (3/1-Tommy Johnson Jr.)*

3. Bob Tasca III – 2,586 (3)

*4. Cruz Pedregon (Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat) – 2,555 (2)*

5. John Force – 2,543 (3)

6. Alexis DeJoria – 2,526 (1)

7. J.R. Todd – 2,498 (1)

8. Robert Hight – 2,478 (2)

9. Tim Wilkerson – 2,361 (1)

10. Jim Campbell – 2,238



*TOP FUEL (season wins in parentheses)*

1. Steve Torrance – 2,873 (11)

2. Brittany Force – 2,637 (1)

3. Mike Salinas – 2,614 (1)

4. Justin Ashley – 2,556 (2)

5. Billy Torrence – 2,498 (2)

6. Antron Brown – 2,427 (1)

*7. Leah Pruett (Mopar Dodge//SRT) – 2,401 (1)*

8. Clay Millican – 2,384

9. Shawn Langdon – 2,310

10. Doug Kalitta – 2,290



*DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News*

Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the
one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news. The site
includes daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events,
galleries, available downloads and merchandise. For more information, visit
www.dodgegarage.com.



*@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram*

The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content
capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from
the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and NHRA Sportsman grassroots
racers, competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and
Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.



*Mopar*

Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) offers
exceptional service, parts and customer care. Born in 1937 as the name of a
line of antifreeze products, the Mopar brand has evolved over more than 80
years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for
owners and enthusiasts worldwide.



Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance
parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later,
the brand expanded to include technical service and customer support.
Today, Mopar integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in
order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.



Mopar is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global
automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding
Stellantis , please visit www.stellantis.com.



*Follow Mopar and company news and video on*:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Mopar brand: www.mopar.com

Mopar blog: blog.mopar.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mopar

Instagram: www.instagram.com/officialmopar

Twitter: @OfficialMOPAR <https://twitter.com/OfficialMOPAR>

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/mopar and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA



*Dodge//SRT*

For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of
brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge
shifts into high gear with muscle cars and SUVs that deliver unrivaled
performance in each of the segments where they compete.

Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT versions of
every model across the lineup. For the 2022 model year, Dodge delivers the
drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the
797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest
mass-produced sedan in the world, and the Dodge Durango SRT 392, America’s
fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV. Combined, these
three muscle cars make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering
more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.

In 2020, Dodge was named the "#1 Brand in Initial Quality," making it the
first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality
Study <https://media.fcanorthamerica.com/newsrelease.do?id=21802&mid=784>
(IQS).
In 2021, Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study
<https://media.fcanorthamerica.com/newsrelease.do?id=21881> (mass market) —
making it the only domestic brand ever to do so two years in a row.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global
automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding
Stellantis , please visit www.stellantis.com.



*Follow Dodge and company news and video on:*

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial

Twitter: @Dodge <http://www.twitter.com/dodge> and @StellantisNA
<http://www.twitter.com/StellantisNA>

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA


Pat Caporali

Mopar Dodge//SRT Motorsports Media Relations Manager

Indianapolis – United States

Mobile: +1 248.421.9427

pat.caporali@external.stellantis.com


media.stellantisnorthamerica.com