Driving an NHRA nitro Funny Car is a nerve-wracking experience.

Dealing with that stress, however, is second nature to veteran driver Ron Capps.

Capps acknowledged though his stomach is already turning as he prepares to throw out the first pitch at the Cleveland Indians home game June 22 against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field.

“I was asked to throw out the first pitch out and I’m pretty pumped,” said Capps, who drives the NAPA Dodge for Don Schumacher Racing. “To be asked to throw out a first pitch at an Indians game is a big deal.”

This actually will not be Capps’ first time throwing out a first pitch at a Major League Baseball game. He also did the honors May 8, 2012 at an Atlanta Braves home game.

“To be honest with you, I threw up before I went out there because I was so nervous,” Capps said. “I had to go find a trash can and I’m already starting to get nervous for this (throwing out the first pitch at the Indians game). It sounds easy and I’ve been playing catch with my son Caden when I’m at home. We will play catch for about a half hour so I can catch up on everything he’s doing. It’s funny what we do for a living, you think I would be more nervous about going 330 mph in a Funny Car than I would throwing a first pitch out. The last time I did, I realized real fast that there are a lot of people watching. All of a sudden that 60 feet, 6 inches becomes a long way. All these celebrities and other athletes don’t seem to get it right and I have to tell you the last time I did it, it was surreal. I made it to the plate, but I was a nervous wreck.”

Because of media obligations, Capps will not have time to go home back to California and play catch with his son before the Indians game, which will not make things any easier for him.

“Now, I’m getting more nervous the more I think about,” said Capps, who also will be making his inaugural appearance at Progressive Field. “It’s just going to be a case where I show up and make sure I get it to the plate and throw a strike if I can. I don’t want to embarrass anybody, especially NHRA. I’m sure being the Wednesday night before our Norwalk (Ohio) race (June 23-26) there are going to be a lot of NHRA fans at the game.”

This weekend, Capps will try and win his third race in a row at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn., and he was hoping maybe he could find some spare time to throw a baseball around in the pits.

“I thought about hitting my crew guys up to see if anyone has a baseball so I can practice a couple of times, but I don’t think anyone has one in the trailer,” Capps said. “Plus the days are very short between now and then (June 22). I’m just going to have to buck it up and do it.”

Prior to throwing out the first pitch, Capps will be part of NHRA media tour earlier June 22, which will include a stop at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

“As big a rock and roll fan as I am, I’ve never been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Capps said. “I’ve always wanted to go. I know it is going to be overwhelming. I know I’m going to see stuff that I could never have imagined that’s going to be in there.”

Not surprisingly, Capps would love nothing more than to win at Bristol to kick start his busy weekend in Cleveland.

“If we could just keep up what we’re doing, it’s so much fun right now,” said Capps, who also will celebrate his birthday June 20. “It’s a great race car and it’s the kind of race car you dream about driving.”

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