Ron Capps and rookie Top Fuel driver Maddi Gordon head into the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway with a unique opportunity to compete on unfamiliar ground alongside the rest of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series field.
For Capps, the weekend represents another chance to reclaim sole possession of the Funny Car points lead. Gordon will have another opportunity to compete in an event where every Top Fuel team enters with the same amount of data, none.
Ron Capps Chasing Funny Car Points Lead At Maryland International Raceway
After six races in the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, Ron Capps has once again established himself as a championship threat. The NAPA Auto Care Funny Car driver enters the Potomac Nationals tied with J.R. Todd for the Funny Car points lead following a strong start that includes two victories, a runner-up finish, and two No. 1 qualifiers.
Capps most recently qualified second at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago before advancing to the quarterfinals. Although his weekend ended against Chad Green in the second round, the veteran Funny Car driver remains in a prime championship position heading into Maryland.
The inaugural event at Maryland International Raceway brings plenty of unknowns for the entire nitro field, something Capps believes will define the weekend.
“Leading into the inaugural Potomac Nationals, it seems the topic of the weekend will be ‘firsts,’” Capps said. “There are a lot of firsts surrounding this race. For the most part, it’s everyone’s first time racing at MIR. They’ve done a lot of work on the track, so I think even for the people who have been there previously, it’ll be new. It’ll be the first time, for sure, that the nitro cars will have ran on that track. The conditions will be a first, and a lot of fans in that area will probably be coming out for their first NHRA Mission Foods Series race.”
Capps believes his NAPA Auto Care team’s ability to adapt to changing conditions could become a major advantage at a brand-new venue.
“For us, our NAPA Auto Care team is leading the points, tied for first, which is right where you want to be heading into June,” Capps said. “I’ve long bragged about my team and how good they are at adapting to different conditions, and we’re definitely going to see that this weekend.”
The veteran driver is also excited about NHRA continuing to expand into new markets during the sanctioning body’s 75th anniversary season.
“I’m pumped about seeing the new fans and visiting a new race track,” Capps added. “It’s also the second of four races where we’re going somewhere new, and that’s great for Maddi because it puts her on an even keel with a lot of other drivers in Top Fuel.”
Maddi Gordon Embracing Another Fresh Start In Top Fuel
For Top Fuel rookie Maddi Gordon, the Potomac Nationals creates another opportunity to level the playing field against more experienced competitors. Like the recent event at South Georgia Motorsports Park, Maryland International Raceway will be a first-time experience for nearly every nitro team in the pits.
That scenario could benefit Gordon and the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel team as they continue to make impressive progress during her rookie campaign.
“I’m so ready to go back racing with my Carlyle Tools team, but this weekend, I’m extra excited because it’s the first time in quite a while that I get to race with my family again,” Gordon said. “My dad will be running in Top Alcohol Funny Car this weekend at MIR, so my whole family will be out there. My mom, my dad, my grandma, my grandpa, my sister, and Jake. It’ll be really nice to have them there.”
The rookie has steadily improved with every race and continues to impress both fans and competitors with her rapid development behind the wheel of a 340-plus mph Top Fuel dragster.
“We’re all racing at MIR for the first time, and it’s cool that we get to introduce a whole new fanbase to NHRA Drag Racing,” Gordon said. “Drag racing has been an absolute blessing in my life, and to share that with new fans is something I’m very passionate about.”
Carlyle Tools Team Building Momentum
Gordon has quickly become one of the standout rookie stories of the 2026 NHRA season. The Carlyle Tools and Monster Energy-backed team continues to gain momentum as Gordon absorbs more knowledge about every aspect of Top Fuel racing.
“I’m so proud of our team. We’ve made so much progress,” Gordon said. “Every time we go up and down the race track, I learn more as a driver. I’m so grateful to work with Rob (Flynn) and Troy (Fasching) and Chuck (Grospitch) and our whole group.”
Gordon’s commitment to understanding the mechanical side of Top Fuel racing has also become a major focus during her rookie season.
“I’ve spent the past few days in Indy, and everyone’s taken a lot of time with me to help me understand more and more about our race car because they know I want to learn as much as possible,” Gordon explained. “They actually let me machine some parts for our car, so that was exciting, and it was really cool to be part of the team.”
Ron Capps Motorsports Looking To Make History At MIR
As the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues its historic 75th anniversary season, the inaugural Potomac Nationals represents another major step in expanding the sport’s footprint.
With Ron Capps battling for another Funny Car championship and Maddi Gordon continuing her impressive rookie development, Ron Capps Motorsports enters Maryland International Raceway positioned to be one of the headline teams of the weekend.
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