It's been a tough 2008 NHRA season so far for Ron Capps, the driver of the NAPA
AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T, who has battled for the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series Funny Car championship right down to the final event the last three
years. After three races, he finds himself in 14th place in the standings
following three first-round losses. It's still early in the 24-event schedule,
and a third consecutive win at the NHRA Spring Nationals this weekend at Houston
Raceway Park would propel him right back in the running.
Capps, who had
entered this event the last two years in either first or second place, and left
both times as the points leader after claiming victories in both, reflects on
this season, the challenges it has presented, and what it will take to get back
on top in his quest to garner his first Funny Car championship.
"We got
spoiled a little bit with the success we've had the last three years," he said.
"At this point of the season the last two years we were leading the points. It's
been a strange beginning to the 2008 season. In particular, the rainouts we had
in the last two events, where we only had two sessions of qualifying in Phoenix
and Gainesville, really changed the weekend for all the teams. So, hopefully
we'll get more than just two runs of qualifying in at Houston.