Ron Capps maintained his points lead in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag
Racing Series Funny Car class following his first-round exit at the
NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway Sunday.
Del Worsham, who entered the event second in the standings, also was
ousted in the first round, moving Ashley Force Hood into that spot, but
with Force Hood’s runner-up finish today, winner Tony Pedregon has
jumped into second place and Capps is now (unofficially) 58 markers
ahead of him.
After a morning rain shower, track conditions cooled, clouds covered
the raceway and competition began. Without lane choice as the No. 16
qualifier, Capps faced off against the 2007 Funny Car world champion
and No. 1 qualifier Tony Pedregon in the opening stanza. Capps launched
a tick ahead of Pedregon, and, despite posting his quickest lap of the
weekend, 4.184 seconds at 296.37 mph, he lost to Pedregon, who took the
win by .0818 of a second with a 4.093/303.57 pass.