Mopar(R) HEMI(R)-Powered Capps Makes Up Ground in Countdown with Semifinals Finish in Richmond
NAPA Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driver Ron Capps made up ground in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to 1 playoffs point standings with his semifinals finish at the NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park near Richmond, Va., on Sunday, Oct. 11. The Mopar(R)-powered Funny Car veteran moved into fourth place and closed the gap between himself and current leader Robert Hight to just 63 markers.
Capps is within striking distance of his first Funny Car championship with just two events remaining in the season. En route to the semifinals after qualifying No. 2 with a 4.046-second run at 308.71 mph, the Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) pilot dismissed Jerry Toliver with a solid 4.085/309.27 pass, then dismissed Bob Tasca with another stout 4.121/298.07 run.
Despite enjoying lane choice all the way, he exited the event in the semifinal round against eventual event winner Del Worsham, when he struck the tires early, slowing to a 5.145/149.10 pass, while Worsham cruised to the victory with a 4.119/306.95.
"We're going next to Las Vegas. That's a great track for this team; we won there earlier this year," said Capps. "With those two tracks coming up (Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif.) and our being three rounds behind the leaders it's going to be a fun two weekends off."
Mopar HEMI(R)-powered drivers qualified 1-2-3 at Richmond, as Capps' DSR teammates Jack Beckman and Matt Hagan qualified No. 1 and No. 3, respectively. Beckman and Hagan suffered first-round defeats. The Mopar-fueled DSR trio will head next to the ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Oct. 30–Nov. 1. For more information on the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.