The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to Route 66 Raceway this weekend for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals, and Ron Capps Motorsports arrives in Chicago with momentum, milestones, and championship aspirations firmly in sight.
Ron Capps enters the weekend looking to reclaim the NHRA Funny Car points lead after slipping to second place following the event in Valdosta. Meanwhile, rising Top Fuel standout Maddi Gordon continues building one of the sport’s most impressive rookie campaigns after recently becoming just the second woman in NHRA history to eclipse the 340 mph barrier in Top Fuel competition.
Ron Capps Closing In On 950 Career Round Wins
Few drivers in NHRA history have assembled the kind of consistent success Ron Capps continues to produce. Through the first five races of the 2026 season, Capps has already collected two Funny Car victories, one runner-up finish, and two No. 1 qualifying positions. Despite falling to second in points after South Georgia Motorsports Park, Capps trails the championship lead by only three points heading into Joliet.
The Route 66 Nationals could also mark another major milestone in Capps’ Hall of Fame-caliber career. Entering the weekend, the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car driver sits at 949 career round wins. Beyond the statistics, Route 66 Raceway remains one of Capps’ favorite venues on the NHRA tour.
“This is a track that we thought we lost on the tour, but thankfully NHRA was able to come together and revive the event,” Capps said. “We’ve got such great fans in that part of the country, so it was a big deal when we added this event back to the schedule. I’ve said for years, this is sort of a home race for the Brownsburg teams because Joliet is not too far from Indy. With it only being a few hours away, a lot of family and friends of our team members come out to show their support, and that’s always important.”
Capps’ history with Route 66 Raceway dates back to the facility’s earliest days.
“I have quite a few fond memories from Route 66 Raceway. I remember being on the track for the very first time right after it was built back when I was driving for Don ‘the Snake’ Prudhomme. I’ve got a couple of wins there and it’s always been a special place. And now, I’m looking forward to going there as a team owner and getting to see Maddi run her first race there in Top Fuel.”
In addition to chasing the points lead, Capps will also represent a special one-race partnership featuring Dorman OE Fix branding through NAPA’s supplier program.
“We’ve got our sights set on reclaiming the points lead this weekend, and of course, we always want to put on a great show for all of our NAPA supporters. We’re running a special Dorman OE Fix decal on our car in Joliet as part of a one-weekend NAPA supplier program partnership, and I’m looking forward to meeting all the Dorman guests who will be hanging out with us in our Ron Capps Motorsports hospitality tent.”
Maddi Gordon Continues Historic Rookie Season
While Capps pursues another championship run, Maddi Gordon continues turning heads in Top Fuel competition. The 22-year-old driver recently became just the second woman, and fourth Top Fuel driver overall, to surpass 340 mph during competition at South Georgia Motorsports Park. That milestone further validated the rapid progress the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel team has made during Gordon’s rookie season.
“I’m always really excited to get back to the racetrack. It was nice to have that weekend off and spend time with my family. We celebrated my 22nd birthday at the lake, and it was a blast, but I’m always eager to get back to the track; that’s where my heart is,” Gordon said.
What has impressed many within the NHRA pit area is Gordon’s commitment to learning every aspect of Top Fuel racing, not just driving the car.
“I’m just so proud of our Carlyle Tools team and what we’ve been able to accomplish in a short amount of time. Everyone on the team – (crew chiefs) Rob (Flynn), Troy (Fasching), Chuck (Grospitch), everyone understands how much I really want to learn about these cars. I don’t want to just be a driver, I want to be a part of the team, and they always include me so I can learn all aspects.”
That hands-on approach has accelerated her understanding of one of motorsports’ most technically demanding categories.
“Everything from the tuning combination, the clutch, RPM, blowers, whatever it might be, they always take the time to explain it to me. And the more and more I learn about these cars, the more I appreciate just how much the team has accomplished already. It truly is spectacular. What people don’t get to see behind the scenes is how many things have to go absolutely perfect to get a Top Fuel car up and down that racetrack. So, the fact that we’ve been able to do that, and go 340 mph two times in a row, is just pretty amazing. I’m just along for the ride, enjoying the heck out of it.”
Chicago Fans Ready For NHRA Return
Route 66 Raceway has long been one of NHRA’s premier facilities, and both Capps and Gordon are eager to reconnect with the Chicago-area fanbase. Gordon, in particular, is looking forward to experiencing her first Route 66 Nationals as a Top Fuel driver.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting all of the Chicago fans. We have amazing diehard fans in the NHRA and I love it, because I’m a diehard drag racing fan myself, so I’m excited to sign autographs, meet fans at the ropes and hopefully put on a good show for them.”
She also highlighted one of NHRA’s biggest strengths, fan accessibility.
“It’s so cool in our sport how fans can come right up to the pits and see what the teams are doing, and it’s especially cool that they get to see our Carlyle Tools in action; they get to see the tools that make our dragster go down the track. This is quite the dream I get to live, and that’s all thanks to Carlyle Tools, NAPA Auto Parts, and Monster Energy for supporting us. We’d love nothing more than to have another good outing this weekend, and hopefully keep that momentum rolling heading into these next five straight weeks of racing.”
As the NHRA season continues its demanding stretch of races, Ron Capps Motorsports appears positioned to remain a serious contender in both nitro categories. Capps is within striking distance of the Funny Car points lead and another major career milestone, while Gordon continues proving she belongs among the sport’s future stars.
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