Dallas Pre-Race Report

Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 2nd

Texas Motorplex Highlights:

• Two-time event champion (1998, 2021)
• Three-time runner-up (2011, 2016-2017)
• Two-time No. 1 qualifier (1997, 2005)

2021 Dallas Recap:
Qualified second; Event champion (defeated Jack Wyatt in E1, Paul Lee in E2, Cruz Pedregon in E3, Matt Hagan in E4)

Last Event (St. Louis):
Qualified third; Event runner-up (defeated Daniel Wilkerson in E1, Cruz Pedregon in E2, John Force in E3; defeated by Robert Hight in E4)

Career Statistics:
605 races; 72 wins; 34 No. 1 qualifiers

2022 Statistics:
19 races; four wins; three runner-up finishes; five No. 1 qualifiers

Noteworthy:

• Two-time and defending Funny Car world champion Ron Capps enters the weekend ranked second in the standings and 46 points behind No. 1 ranked Robert Hight
• The NAPA AUTO PARTS team has visited the winner’s circle at two of the last four events (Indianapolis, Charlotte), and raced to a runner-up finish versus Hight at the most recent event near St. Louis
• Capps enters the Texas NHRA FallNationals as the defending event champion
  • Capps went 23 years between Dallas wins, but he came through last year to win for the second time at Texas Motorplex. He used that momentum to claim his second world title and is within striking distance of claiming his third Camping World Series championship, and first for Ron Capps Motorsports in its rookie season

Fan Events:

• NAPA Granbury (1501 Plaza Dr., Granbury) will be holding a Customer Appreciation Event on Thurs., 10/13 from noon to 2 p.m. The event will feature a parking lot sale, tool raffle, door prizes, food, beverages, and a Meet & Greet with Ron Capps
  • The event is free and open to the public
• On Saturday, Capps will join his Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates for an autograph session at the Toyota Midway display from 10:30 – 11 a.m.

Quotable:
“The Stampede of Speed and what the Texas Motorplex and Billy Meyer have done, and continue to do, for the sport of drag racing is just incredible. Things seem so eerily familiar to our 2021 season at this point. We had a tough loss last year in St. Louis and bounced back with the unbelievable win at the Motorplex right after. It just showed the championship moxie this team has, and here we are, going to the Motorplex once again after a gutting final-round loss to Robert Hight in St. Louis. Now, we’re headed to the FallNationals where we’re the defending champions, and with three races left and a little over two rounds separating us, we have a chance to make up ground once again.

“Obviously, we’ve got a stacked Top 10 of Funny Cars so you can’t just talk about Robert’s team. There are so many great teams that are capable of stepping up and winning at any given event. Our game plan is to go there, try and steal the $15,000 low-qualifier money on Friday night that Billy Meyer is putting up, and see if we can’t leave there on Sunday with another win. You certainly don’t hope for any misfortune for anyone, but you definitely want to take advantage of any rounds that you can. This will be an important race, just like it was last year.”