Ron Capps Leads Funny Car Points As RCM Heads To Brainerd

There’s a point in every NHRA season where being fast isn’t enough anymore. Teams need consistency, round wins, and the ability to capitalize when opportunities present themselves. Ron Capps Motorsports is arriving at Brainerd International Raceway with all of that on its mind.

Ron Capps heads to Brainerd as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car points leader, while rookie Maddi Gordon returns to a track that played an important role in her path to becoming a professional Top Fuel driver. With just two races remaining before the NHRA regular-season champions are crowned, there’s plenty on the line for both RCM teams.

Capps has occupied the Funny Car points lead nine times through the first 12 events of the 2026 season. Gordon, meanwhile, continues to build experience during her rookie Top Fuel campaign and arrives at Brainerd fresh off a strong performance at the Night Under Fire.

Capps Has The Funny Car Points Lead And A Consistent Hot Rod

Capps and his NAPA Auto Care Funny Car team have positioned themselves exactly where they want to be heading into the final two races of the NHRA regular season.

The three-time Funny Car world champion has enjoyed the kind of consistency that championship teams need, and that becomes increasingly important as the U.S. Nationals approaches. Indianapolis is a points-and-a-half event, meaning the regular-season battle can change dramatically during one weekend.

“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.”

That’s about as Brainerd as it gets. The facility’s legendary campground, known simply as “The Zoo,” has become part of the event’s identity, and Capps has built a particularly strong connection with its fans. This weekend, though, he’ll need to balance all of those extracurricular activities with the business of protecting his Funny Car points lead.

A King Of Nitro Heads To Brainerd

Capps isn’t arriving at Brainerd cold.

Earlier this month, the 30-year nitro racing veteran was crowned the “King of Nitro” at the annual Night Under Fire match race in Norwalk, Ohio. His NAPA Funny Car repeatedly dipped into the 3.80-second zone during the event, providing another indication that the team has a combination capable of making noise as the championship fight intensifies.

Capps will also receive a significant honor at Brainerd as part of NHRA’s 75th anniversary celebration. The three-time Funny Car world champion will be recognized as one of NHRA’s Top 75 drivers.

For a driver who has spent three decades competing in the nitro ranks, it’s another milestone in a career that is still producing race wins and championship runs.

“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.”

The hardware Capps has already collected in 2026 is nice, but the bigger target is still sitting out there. First comes the regular-season Funny Car championship, followed by the Countdown to the Championship and another shot at an NHRA world title.

Maddi Gordon’s Brainerd Return Brings Her Career Full Circle

For Maddi Gordon, Brainerd International Raceway isn’t simply another stop on the NHRA schedule.

Long before she climbed into the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster for Ron Capps Motorsports, Gordon raced at Brainerd with her family’s Top Alcohol Funny Car operation. The track has been the site of some emotional moments for the Gordon family, including her father’s crash in 2022.

The family returned in 2023 and won the event. Then, on the Monday following that victory, Gordon earned her Top Alcohol Funny Car license at Brainerd. Three years later, she’s coming back as a Top Fuel driver.

There’s another connection that makes the story even better: Capps was part of Gordon’s licensing process in 2023.

“Super stoked to be heading into Brainerd, teamed up with the “mayor of The Zoo,” aka the bossman, Ron Capps. Brainerd has always had such a special place in my and family’s hearts. It’s where we’ve had some of our scariest racing days and also where we’ve had some of our most exciting racing days, including in 2023 when we came back after my dad’s crash in ’22, won the race, and then on that Monday, I achieved my lifelong dream alongside my family when I became a licensed Top Alcohol Funny Car driver. What’s especially cool about that is Ron was a huge part of my licensing day. He signed off on multiple runs and watched every single pass down the racetrack. So, it’s an incredible honor to now be coming back three years later as a Top Fuel driver for Ron Capps Motorsports; truly a full circle moment.

“Our Carlyle Tools team is looking forward to putting on an amazing show for the fans. We’ve got a bunch of fun things on deck before the race weekend even begins, starting with a NAPA fishing outing on Thursday, and then I’ll be signing autographs alongside Brittany Force on Thursday evening and Friday morning with Monster at the local Walmart and Super One Foods. I can’t wait to get up there and see all our amazing Brainerd fans and the incredible staff at Brainerd International Raceway.”

Gordon Brings Night Under Fire Momentum To Top Fuel

Gordon’s return to Brainerd comes during her rookie campaign behind the wheel of the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster.

Gordon made her Night Under Fire debut earlier this month in Norwalk and advanced to the final round, where she found a familiar opponent waiting for her. The Top Fuel rookie faced her team owner in an all-Ron Capps Motorsports final, ultimately finishing runner-up to Capps.

Brainerd now gives Gordon another opportunity to add to a rookie season that’s been about learning the nuances of driving one of the quickest accelerating race cars on the planet. The connection to her Top Alcohol Funny Car past should make this weekend particularly meaningful, but the goal once the engine fires will be the same as every other event: put together competitive runs and turn on win lights.

Ron Capps Motorsports Adds Partner Presence At Brainerd

There will also be a noticeable change in the appearance of both Ron Capps Motorsports race cars at Brainerd.

Capps’ NAPA Auto Care Funny Car and Gordon’s Carlyle Tools Top Fuel dragster will carry increased OKUMA branding as part of a six-race collaboration with the machine tool design and manufacturing company. RCM is also welcoming two new partners at Brainerd, Core Scientific and USA Compression. Combined with approximately 400 NAPA guests expected around the Capps pit area, it should make an already busy Brainerd weekend even busier for the team.

Two Different Missions For RCM At Brainerd

The two sides of the Ron Capps Motorsports operation enter Brainerd with very different objectives.

Gordon wants to use this event as another opportunity to develop as a Top Fuel driver while returning to a track where important pieces of her racing career came together.

For Capps, every round has championship implications. Only two events remain before the NHRA regular-season championship is decided, and Indianapolis’ points-and-a-half format makes building a cushion at Brainerd even more valuable. Capps already has the Funny Car points lead and a NAPA Auto Care Funny Car that’s been consistently quick.