Jon Capps ended his 2025 season the same way it began — in the winner’s circle at Famoso Dragstrip, the same town where he earned his first-ever oval-track racing victory. The younger brother of NHRA champion Ron Capps, Jon capped his season with a sweep in Bakersfield and became the first Nostalgia Funny Car driver to break into the 5.40-second range.
Capps, driving the Matthews Motorsports entry, delivered the milestone pass in the semifinals with a 5.488-second lap to defeat Todd Miller. He followed with a 5.513 at 263.10 mph in the final to stop Mike Peck’s 5.590, locking down a performance that made history and solidified his spot among the elite in nostalgia Funny Car racing.
“I’m not somebody that can be stumped for words often,” Capps said. “And I’ve had a hard time keeping it together a little bit. It’s an amazing weekend, amazing year with these guys.” The win completed a full-circle season that began with a victory at the March Meet, making Bakersfield a fitting bookend to his breakout year.
Capps’ partnership with the Matthews Motorsports team began just months earlier under unusual circumstances. “I walked into Bakersfield in March on Thursday night and met the crew — first time I’d ever physically met them — and I left with a win,” Capps said. “As we were leaving, I said, ‘Hey, do I get the job?’ and he kind of laughed and didn’t say anything. So I was like, ‘Oh man, do I have the job or not?’”
The team faced growing pains through the middle of the season, including mechanical setbacks and limited resources. “We had some part struggles and at one point we were trying to keep things together to go to Indianapolis for the shootout,” he said. “We went to the final round and lost. We beat ourselves and learned a lot about what not to do.”
Capps said the turnaround was built on teamwork and a balance of old-school and young talent. “We’ve got some great young talent on the team, and a bunch of wise, old talent,” he said. “It’s my job now to go find some money so we can go do this correctly.”
His semifinal run was more than just quick — it was historic. The 5.488-second pass was the first 5.40 in nostalgia Funny Car history, a mark that fans and racers alike have chased for years. Capps carried that momentum into the final, where he backed up the record with a 5.513 at 263.10 mph for the win.
Sitko’s road to the final proved equally impressive. He earned his spot by defeating Bobby Cottrell, Cory Lee, and newly crowned series champion Shane Westerfield, showing how deep the talent pool has become in the class. The final round matchup between Sitko and Capps symbolized the evolution of the nostalgia Funny Car ranks — tight racing, near-perfect execution, and razor-thin margins.
“The parity out here is like Super Comp, you know what I mean? We’re like Super Comp except with nitromethane and Funny Cars,” Capps said. “It’s crazy how our four-lap average was like a 5.51. You don’t do that with nitro.”
Capps credited NHRA’s commitment to nostalgia racing through the Legends of Nitro program for helping the class grow. “There’ve been so many guys out here trying it for a long time, and now that it’s kind of become a real series and people are getting involved and throwing a lot of money at it, people are watching,” he said. “NHRA’s doing great with it. I think they’re going to do some stuff next year that’s going to bring it all together.”
The nostalgia Funny Car division — once dismissed as a novelty — has evolved into one of the most competitive and respected groups in the sport. Consistent mid-5.50 performances, growing fan interest, and increased sponsorship attention have positioned it as a proving ground for innovation and teamwork.
For Capps, validation came not only from the record books but from drag racing royalty. “I just went and talked to Bucky Austin a second ago and he said, ‘You know what, man? That was really cool,’” Capps said. “To hear that from Bucky Austin, who’s kind of the pioneer of what we’re doing here, was really neat.”
Capps’ consistency at Famoso Dragstrip — with multiple 5.50-range runs — signaled the direction nostalgia Funny Car racing is headed. Teams are finding ways to combine period-correct appearances with modern precision, resulting in fierce parity and closer racing than ever before.
He credited team owner Cecil Matthews for keeping the program focused, even when the temptation to push harder loomed large. “Cecil’s put together a great team and it’s hard to keep him calm from wanting to go for the throat every time,” Capps said. “But I think we did a good job, and if I can find some money, we’re going to go hurt some feelings.”
Capps leaves Bakersfield not just as a race winner but as a benchmark for what nostalgia Funny Car racing can become. His season — bookended by wins and defined by progress — sets the stage for a new era in heritage drag racing.
