Ron Capps Pre-Race Report: Brainerd

RON CAPPS
Driver of the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car

NHRA Brainerd Nationals Event Highlights:

• Seven-time event champion (1998, 2001, 2012-2014, 2019, 2023)
• Four-time runner-up (1997, 2009, 2011, 2022)
• Two-time No. 1 qualifier (2000, 2023)

2025 NHRA Brainerd Nationals Event Recap:
Qualified fourth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Bobby Bode in E1; defeated by J.R. Todd in E2)

Last Event (Seattle):
Qualified 10th; First round exit (defeated by Cruz Pedregon in E1)

2026 Statistics:
12 races; three wins, one runner-up finish, two No. 1 qualifiers

Career Statistics:
680 races; 80 wins, 39 No. 1 qualifiers

Noteworthy:

• Capps carries the Funny Car points lead into Brainerd with two races remaining before a regular-season champion is crowned. Capps has occupied the No. 1 spot nine times through the first 12 events
• The three-time Funny Car world champ enters the weekend after having recently been crowned the ‘King of Nitro’ during the annual Night Under Fire match race in Norwalk, Ohio earlier this month
• The 30-year nitro veteran will be honored as one of NHRA’s Top 75 drivers during the Brainerd event as part of NHRA’s year-long 75th anniversary celebration
• Both Capps’ NAPA Auto Care Funny Car and Maddi Gordon’s Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster will feature increased OKUMA branding in Brainerd as part of a six-race collaboration with the global leader in machine tool design and manufacturing
• The Ron Capps Motorsports team is also excited to welcome new partners Core Scientific and USA Compression at the BIR event

Fan Events:

• Friday, 2:00 – 2:30 p.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools midway display
• Saturday, 9:00 – 9:30 a.m., Mission #2Fast2Tasty and Top 75 driver autograph session, Mission Foods midway display
• Saturday, 9:30 – 10 a.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools midway display

Quotable:
“We’ve had a great NAPA Auto Care Funny Car all season. Consistency is something you always hope to have by the time you get to Brainerd, and we feel like we have that. Everyone knows the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis is coming up after that, and with that being points and a half, a lot can happen. For us to be leading in the points at this point in the season is a feather in the cap.

“We’ve done well at Brainerd in the past and we feel good, especially coming off that great weekend at Night Under Fire where pretty much every run we made was in the 3.80s. Guido’s feeling really comfortable, and when he’s comfortable, I’m definitely comfortable.

“We’re fortunate to have so many great partners supporting us. We’ll have OKUMA on our car in Brainerd, and in addition to the 400 NAPA guests that we’ll have in our pit area, the fans in the Zoo and Capps Corner, we have two brand-new partners, USA Compression and Core Scientific, that will be joining us in the Zoo this year. I’ve become somewhat of a Zoo tour guide, and while it is extra pressure and a lot of extra noise going on in the background, I love it. It always bodes well for me, it keeps me busy, and we always seem to have a great event, so I’m looking forward to it.”

On Being Honored as One of NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers:
“Everything that NHRA has done to celebrate the 75th anniversary is above and beyond what I personally expected, starting off with the diamond Wallys, and I’m lucky enough to have three of them so far this season. They’re really special. Then, you add everything going on with all the Legends at every race and bringing out special guests. NHRA’s marketing department has done such a great job.”