Reigning NHRA Champ Capps Drives NAPA Dodge to U.S. Nationals Final Round

Ron Capps, the world championship driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car,  took another big step toward a career first Monday when he advanced to his first final round of the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals near Indianapolis.

The No. 1 seed heading into the six-race Countdown to the Championship that begins in two weeks near Charlotte, Capps came with 26-thousandths of a second from winning the title for the first time in 21 years in the year’s biggest race.

“This race is such a big deal,” Capps said. “Leaving here as the regular season point leaders going into the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship in Charlotte is the silver lining on a cloud.

“We’re just a little disappointed. We had a shot at winning Indy and it only comes once a year. You get so involved in this whole week and weekend of this historic race, over 60 years of coming here, you get up that far and to lose a close race like we did hurts a little more than most races.”

Capps had support at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind., from NAPA AUTO PARTS teammate Alexander Rossi, who won his second career IndyCar race Sunday at Watkins Glen, N.Y., after winning the first pole of his career.

Start / Finish: Qualified No. 8 / Lost in championship round to J.R. Todd
Points Earned: 147
Final Regular Season Points Standing / Total: 1st / 1,530
Countdown to the Championship Points Standing / Total: 1st / 2,100

Next Race: Sept. 13-15, Charlotte
How to Watch or Listen: Fox Sports 1; NHRA All Access

NAPA Racing: @NAPARacing
Ron Capps: @RonCapps28
Don Schumacher Racing: @ShoeRacing