Ron Capps didn’t hide the significance of Wednesday’s announcement. Bringing veteran tuner Rob Flynn into Ron Capps Motorsports wasn’t just another hire — it was, in Capps’ words, the moment the team’s first Top Fuel program “started to come together.”

Flynn will serve as crew chief for the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster driven by 21-year-old Maddi Gordon, who will make her professional debut in 2026. The move finalizes the most critical piece of Capps’ expansion from a single-car operation into a two-car NHRA organization.

Capps selected Gordon — a third-generation racer and second-year Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot — in April when he first revealed plans to add a dragster to his roster. Earlier this month at the SEMA Show, Capps and Gordon confirmed Carlyle Tools as the primary partner backing her rookie season, setting the stage for the team to build out its infrastructure.

Now, with Flynn in charge of the tune-up, Capps believes the foundation is in place. “It really feels like everything is starting to come together now,” he said. “We have the driver, we recently announced the sponsor, we’ve started acquiring assets, and now with the addition of Rob, it feels like we’ve got all the major items in place.”

Capps’ history with Flynn dates back to their days under Don Prudhomme, where the two first worked together. He praised Flynn’s professionalism and leadership style, saying those traits made him the clear first choice for the dragster program.

Capps noted that crew chief Dean Antonelli, who oversees the team’s Funny Car, had final approval since both cars will operate closely together. “Rob has always been at the top of our list,” Capps said. “I’ve always admired him and his style of leading a team.”