CAPPS COUNTING ON STRONG RESULTS IN SONOMA
Wed, 2008-07-23 09:00
Ron Capps is fresh off a runner-up finish in Seattle last Sunday, his
first of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, and hopes this new
wave of momentum will help him sail into the winner's circle at this
weekend's 21st Annual NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway.
Driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, Capps moved into sixth place in the class rankings, a position he expects to solidly improve upon in the last four events before the Countdown to the Championship kicks in for the top 10 following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
"Believe me, we don't want to go to Reading (Pa., Aug. 15-17), let alone Brainerd (Minn., Aug. 8-10) and start thinking, Man, we need to do this or that to get in. We don't want to be in that position," said Capps. Ron Capps is fresh off a runner-up finish in Seattle last Sunday, his first of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, and hopes this new wave of momentum will help him sail into the winner's circle at this weekend's 21st Annual NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway.
Driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, Capps moved into sixth place in the class rankings, a position he expects to solidly improve upon in the last four events before the Countdown to the Championship kicks in for the top 10 following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
"Believe me, we don't want to go to Reading (Pa., Aug. 15-17), let alone Brainerd (Minn., Aug. 8-10) and start thinking, Man, we need to do this or that to get in. We don't want to be in that position," said Capps.
"Seattle was a great points weekend. Unfortunately, (14-time champion) John Force didn't qualify and we went around him in points, which was huge. We know he'll be one of the contenders at the end. So, anything you can gain on John at any time is a bonus, but it's going to be tight.
"We were definitely counting the points in Seattle as the day went on," added Capps, who hasn't won at Infineon Raceway since 1997 in his 25 career victories, but is always a favorite. "Now we are going to a place that warms my heart, in the area where I grew up. We've just been to Seattle, where I had won my first race, and I felt a lot of good mojo coming into that event, so it feels good to roll into Sonoma with this kind of momentum.
"Sonoma for me is a special place. It's where I lived for a long while, I met my wife up there, and I see a lot of friends and family when we race there. I have to get a lot of tickets for them. And it's so worth it.
"Track owner Bruton Smith obviously built a great track and it is always a terrific place to go to. From where we park our Monaco motor coach up on the hill, we have an awesome view of the track and the whole valley.
"I have my family with me on the road (wife Shelley, daughter Taylor, son Caden). We know the racing is going to be good, but it's also the things we can do with the family in the area which makes it a great race track.
"And I've been able to win there in the past," added Capps, who also has scored two runner-up finishes at Infineon, in 2002 and 2005, and qualified No. 1 in 1998. "We came close to winning our first race for NAPA AUTO PARTS in Seattle, so we're hoping to do it this weekend."
Driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, Capps moved into sixth place in the class rankings, a position he expects to solidly improve upon in the last four events before the Countdown to the Championship kicks in for the top 10 following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
"Believe me, we don't want to go to Reading (Pa., Aug. 15-17), let alone Brainerd (Minn., Aug. 8-10) and start thinking, Man, we need to do this or that to get in. We don't want to be in that position," said Capps. Ron Capps is fresh off a runner-up finish in Seattle last Sunday, his first of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, and hopes this new wave of momentum will help him sail into the winner's circle at this weekend's 21st Annual NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway.
Driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, Capps moved into sixth place in the class rankings, a position he expects to solidly improve upon in the last four events before the Countdown to the Championship kicks in for the top 10 following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
"Believe me, we don't want to go to Reading (Pa., Aug. 15-17), let alone Brainerd (Minn., Aug. 8-10) and start thinking, Man, we need to do this or that to get in. We don't want to be in that position," said Capps.
"Seattle was a great points weekend. Unfortunately, (14-time champion) John Force didn't qualify and we went around him in points, which was huge. We know he'll be one of the contenders at the end. So, anything you can gain on John at any time is a bonus, but it's going to be tight.
"We were definitely counting the points in Seattle as the day went on," added Capps, who hasn't won at Infineon Raceway since 1997 in his 25 career victories, but is always a favorite. "Now we are going to a place that warms my heart, in the area where I grew up. We've just been to Seattle, where I had won my first race, and I felt a lot of good mojo coming into that event, so it feels good to roll into Sonoma with this kind of momentum.
"Sonoma for me is a special place. It's where I lived for a long while, I met my wife up there, and I see a lot of friends and family when we race there. I have to get a lot of tickets for them. And it's so worth it.
"Track owner Bruton Smith obviously built a great track and it is always a terrific place to go to. From where we park our Monaco motor coach up on the hill, we have an awesome view of the track and the whole valley.
"I have my family with me on the road (wife Shelley, daughter Taylor, son Caden). We know the racing is going to be good, but it's also the things we can do with the family in the area which makes it a great race track.
"And I've been able to win there in the past," added Capps, who also has scored two runner-up finishes at Infineon, in 2002 and 2005, and qualified No. 1 in 1998. "We came close to winning our first race for NAPA AUTO PARTS in Seattle, so we're hoping to do it this weekend."
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