RON CAPPS
Driver of the NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
Event Note:
Due to persistent rain, last weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals from Epping, N.H. were postponed following Saturday qualifying. Eliminations will be contested this weekend during qualifying for the Thunder Valley Nationals as follows:
FRIDAY
Bristol Q2/Epping E1
SATURDAY
Bristol Q3/Epping E2
Epping E3 (#2Fast2Tasty E1)
Bristol Q4/Epping finals (#2Fast2Tasty E2)
Capps will start from the No. 4 seed and will face Bob Tasca in E1
NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Event Highlights:
- Six-time event champion (2001, 2006, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2022)
- 2015 event runner-up
- 2016 No. 1 qualifier
2022 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Event Recap:
Qualified ninth; Event champion (defeated Paul Lee in E1, Robert Hight in E2, Alexis DeJoria in E3, Tim Wilkerson in E4)
Last Event (Epping):
Qualified fourth; Eliminations to be contested in Bristol
2023 Statistics:
Six races (does not include Epping); three runner-up finishes, one No. 1 qualifier
Career Statistics:
614 races (does not include Epping); 73 wins, 37 No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- As a six-time Bristol Dragway winner, Capps leads the Funny Car category in number of Thunder Valley Nationals triumphs, and is tied with Tony Schumacher for winningest Camping World Series driver in the facility’s history
- Became the first Toyota Funny Car driver to race to victory while piloting a Toyota GR Supra when he clinched the 2022 Bristol win
- Owns the Bristol Dragway Funny Car E.T. record, achieved during the 2016 race when he clocked a 3.884-second pass
Fan Events:
- Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – noon, Team Toyota autograph session – Toyota midway display
- Saturday, post-qualifying, Bristol Dragway Fanfest – midway
Quotable:
“It’ll be weird not to race in Bristol on Father’s Day, but we’ve got some added excitement to the weekend due to the fact that we’ll be finishing the New England Nationals during qualifying. I couldn’t think of a better group of fans to do that in front of than our Bristol fans. We’ve had a lot of past success at Bristol, and have also had success at winning races that were postponed and completed at another event, so we’re hoping that will carry into this weekend. Unfortunate not to get the New England event finished, but happy we won’t have to wait long to complete the race.”