Ron Capps, Ron Capps Motorsports

Ron Capps Motorsports Pre-Race Report: Pomona 2

11
Nov

RON CAPPS
Driver of the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car

Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 6th (-155)

NHRA Finals Event Highlights:

  • Two-time runner-up (2008, 2022)
  • Five-time No. 1 qualifier (1999, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022)

In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip Overall Highlights:

  • Four-time winner
  • Nine-time runner-up
  • Seven-time No. 1 qualifier

2025 NHRA Finals Event Recap:
Canceled due to weather

Last Event (Las Vegas):
Qualified eighth; Runner-up finish (defeated Cruz Pedregon in E1, Jack Beckman in E2, Austin Prock in E3; defeated by Jordan Vandergriff in E4)

2026 Statistics:
19 races: three wins, two runner-up finishes, four No. 1 qualifiers

Career Statistics:

  • 687 races: 80 wins, 41 No. 1 qualifiers
  • Career-best E.T.: 3.821 seconds (Pomona 2, 2024)
  • Career-best speed: 339.37 mph (Martin, Mich. 2026)

Noteworthy:

  • Capps enters the weekend following a runner-up finish at the Las Vegas Nationals. It was the three-time world champ’s second runner-up of the season and fifth final round appearance overall
    • Capps’ other runner-up finish occurred during the Pomona 1 event in April
  • Both Capps’ NAPA Auto Care Funny Car and Maddi Gordon’s Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster will feature increased OKUMA branding in Pomona as the final leg of a six-race collaboration with the global leader in machine tool design and manufacturing
  • As a lifelong Californian and resident of Carlsbad near San Diego, Capps considers In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip to be a home track

Fan Events:

  • Friday, 11:00 – 11:30 a.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools Outlaw trailer
  • Saturday, 9:30 – 10:00 a.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools Outlaw trailer

Quotable:
“It’s hard to believe, but here we are, coming up on another Pomona Finals. When I look back at a lot of the races throughout my career, there are some that just blend in. But I can tell you without a doubt, if not every NHRA Finals event, at least most of them have stood out in one way or another. For me personally, battling for a championship and to come up short a handful of times and then to finally win it in 2016, and then to go on and do it two more times has been pretty spectacular, especially when we’ve come from behind and won it on the very last day of the season. There’s just so many reasons to get excited for Pomona. It’s such a historic track, on top of it being the place where world championships are decided.

“It’s been a great season for our NAPA Auto Care team and the entire Ron Capps Motorsports organization as a whole. We started our Top Fuel program with Maddi and that’s been a tremendous success so far. She’s vying for Rookie of the Year, which is a goal we’ve had since the beginning of the season. Achieving that would be a huge accomplishment. We’re both in good spots heading into this weekend, with both teams having the opportunity to move up in the points. We’re not in the championship chase this year, but as any team will tell you, you still want to end your season on a great note, and there would be nothing better than closing out the year with one last 75th anniversary diamond Wally trophy. Guido’s (Dean Antonelli) got the eye of the tiger headed into Pomona.”