Ron Capps, one of NHRA’s most accomplished Funny Car drivers, will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America as part of the Class of 2027. The announcement was made Friday during a press conference at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Capps joins a class that includes Gary Bettenhausen, Rob Dyson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Herb Fischel, Harry Hartz, Steve Hinton, Angelle Sampey, Lyn St. James and Robert Yates. The induction ceremony is scheduled for next March in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The honor adds another milestone to a career that has spanned more than three decades in NHRA competition. Capps owns 78 career victories, including one in Top Fuel, and ranks second all-time in Funny Car wins.
He is also a three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion and was named earlier this year to NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers list. Capps remains the winningest professional driver in Bristol Dragway history.
“This is truly one of the greatest honors of my career,” said Capps, who drives the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. “When you look at all the people who have been inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, it’s hard to put into words what it means to be included among them.
“And the coolest part about it is, both my former team owners, Don ‘the Snake’ Prudhomme (class of 1991), and Don Schumacher (class of 2019), have both been inducted. This feels like a full circle moment for me, now as an NHRA team owner, to join them on the list.”
Capps broke through in Top Fuel in 1995 before Prudhomme moved him into a full-time Funny Car ride. He won 13 races driving for Prudhomme before joining Don Schumacher Racing in 2005.
That move elevated him into one of the sport’s cornerstone drivers. He won two championships during his tenure with Schumacher and built one of drag racing’s most durable sponsor relationships.
In 2008, NAPA Auto Parts joined Capps in a partnership now approaching two decades. The 2026 season marks his 19th year representing the brand.
After winning the 2021 title, Capps launched Ron Capps Motorsports and immediately succeeded as an owner-driver. His team won five races in its debut season, including the U.S. Nationals, and delivered another championship in 2022.
The operation expanded to two cars in 2026 with rookie Top Fuel driver Maddi Gordon joining the organization. It signaled Capps’ push to grow beyond his own driving career.
“I’ve had the chance to work with legends, race against the best in the world, and be part of some incredible moments in this sport,” Capps added. “To now be recognized in this way is something I’ll never take for granted.
“I know when I get up there on the stage in Daytona Beach next March, it’ll all just feel so surreal; a pinch-me moment for sure. A huge thank you to my family and everyone who supported me along the way and of course, NAPA Auto Parts. It’s because of them that I have the coolest job in the world, driving 330 mph for a living.”
NHRA President Glen Cromwell said Capps’ impact reaches beyond trophies and championships. He cited Capps’ connection with fans and his role as a modern ambassador for the sport.
“Ron’s induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is truly a well-deserved honor for one of the most accomplished and respected competitors in NHRA history,” Cromwell said. “Ron’s success on the track certainly speaks for itself, but his contributions to the sport run much deeper.
“He has been a remarkable ambassador for NHRA Drag Racing his entire career, representing our sport with enthusiasm, integrity and as the ultimate professional, exemplified by his longtime partnership with NAPA and desire to push the sport forward by bringing in a rookie like Maddi Gordon to his team. We’re thrilled to see him get his recognition among the greats in motorsports and celebrate this special moment with him.”
