RON CAPPS GRABS PROVISIONAL TOP FC SPOT AT SONOMA NATS
Ron Capps’ 2021 trend of qualifying well continued Friday night at the Sonoma (Calif.) Nationals.
Capps, who drives the Pennzoil Synthetics/NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat for Don Schumacher Racing, captured the provisional No. 1 spot with a 3.897-second elapsed time at 328.78 mph.
“I can’t say enough about Guido (co-crew chief Dean Antonelli) and John Medlen,” Capps said. “I won here with John Medlen (in 2010) which was probably one of the most emotional wins I ever had given what we do with Eric Medlen and celebrate his life every year with the ice cream social. John being the assistant crew chief and Guido who I have known forever it was almost a little bit of destiny when Don Schumacher put us together when Rahn Tobler retired.”
Capps, who won the 2016 NHRA nitro Funny Car world championship, had to make a transition this season when his longtime crew chief Rahn Tobler retired in the offseason.
John Medlen and Dean Antonelli were named co-chiefs for Capps’ Funny Car.
This season, Capps has put together an impressive qualifying report card, having earned a ‘top five’ qualifying position – including two poles – through the first eight events of 2021, and is looking to break through for his first win of the year. He’s fifth in the season points standings.
“We have qualified in the top five at every race this year and that’s pretty stout,” Capps said. “No, we haven’t got a Wally yet, but it is coming. To drive that race car and know when you go to the starting line, and you step on the gas it is going to be No. 1 or No. 2 qualifier almost every time gives you a lot of confidence.
“It’s so cool to do a burnout and be back at this place after not being here last year. It means a lot to me because I live close to here. You often wonder are the fans going to show up and every single race we’ve had has been a packed house with race fans thanking us for being back at the track. I have to tell you being here at this track is all about the people. It really makes you proud of what we are doing with our sport right now.”
If Capps keeps the No. 1 qualifying spot through Saturday it would be the 28th of his decorated career.
Capps said the adjustment from Tobler to Medlen and Antonelli has taken some time.
“I’m supposed to be a veteran and I’m good at adapting,” Capps said. “You race fuel altereds and do other dirt races and stuff, that helps. I just wanted to make Don Schumacher proud because it was spur of the moment that it happened, and teams got put together. That happened the last time I was put with Rahn Tobler, and you what happened there. The next thing I know I was winning race after race.
“A lot of things set me back to being a rookie driving this car. There were a lot of things I had to change in my routine that Guido does differently. It sounds easy, and it sounds stupid, let me tell it was one of the hardest preseason tests and two or three races into the season I was still not comfortable in the car because I had to change everything. A lot of them I can’t talk about because we think it helps the performance of the car, but it was some of the toughest first couple of months of driving. I really had to re-learn a lot of things.”
Drummer Rick Allen of rock band Def Leppard is a special guest of Capps this weekend and he saw the action unfold Friday.
“(Rick) is a big gearhead and I have seen him play many, many times and I got a high-five and a pat on the back from him leaving the pit area,” Capps said. “He’s having a blast. That was cool to have him show up and do what we did. It almost never happens. I have tons of family here up on the hill staying, it is great to do well when you have family with you, especially with what is going on in the world right now.”