Ron Capps Earns Career-High Fourth Straight Funny Car Victory

Photo by Marc Gewertz/NHRA

Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car champion Ron Capps completed the finest run of success in his professional driving career on Sunday at the Menards Heartland Nationals in Topeka, Kansas by earning his career-high fourth straight national event title in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge on a fast and furious weekend of racing.

I’m just the luckiest dude in the world. – Ron Capps

Capps defeated Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan in Sunday’s finale as he was better on both ends of the racetrack, earning a 3.92 to 3.98 victory in what was his fifth final round of the 2017 season and fourth in succession. The final was a repeat of the Arizona Nationals earlier this season, which serves as the only final round blemish on Capps’ record all year after being defeated by Hagan in that contest.

“Unbelievable,” said Capps. ”We couldn’t go toe to toe with those guys in qualifying but no one is better than (crew chief) Rahn Tobler on race day.”

124-RonCapps-Sunday-Topeka

Capps arrived at Heartland Park on Sunday morning to find Tobler and his crew changing the fuel pump on the NAPA car, but it proved to be the right call in the end. “To change a fuel pump on Sunday is incredible,” Capps said. “It took a lot of guts for him to do that and look what happened.”

Tobler again had to make a tough call just prior to the final round when, with lane choice, he opted to change lanes just before the call to fire the cars.

Four-in-a-row – how do you not respect that? They laid the hammer down and they’re getting it done. – Matt Hagan

“I’m just the luckiest dude in the world,” Capps stated. “I had nothing to do with it I just stepped on the gas at the right time and held the car together in the right lane. We’ve won a championship for a reason and we’ve won four in a row together for a reason. Everyone just gels together.”

“Obviously boss man (Don Schumacher) is happy when two of his cars go to the finals,” said Hagan. “Hats off to NAPA and those guys, Ron Capps and Tobler, they’re killing it man. Four-in-a-row – how do you not respect that? They laid the hammer down and they’re getting it done.”

Capps streak began at Houston with a final round defeat of Robert Hight, followed by a win at the Four-Wide Nationals over teammates Hagan and Jack Beckman, along with J.R. Todd, and most recently, a triumph over Tim Wilkerson at Atlanta.

If his championship season a year ago was the dream, then it’s one Ron Capps has yet to wake from.

Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

About the author

Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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