CAPPS UPSET IN OPENING ROUND IN PHOENIX

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 24, 2008) - Driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, Ron Capps was upset in the opening round of eliminations today at the NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway, the second event of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

The popular Californian fell to Cruz Pedregon by .1025 of a second at the finish line, losing that stanza despite posting a solid though not perfect pass of 4.867 seconds at 317.57 mph to Pedregon's winning 4.859/319.67. Pedregon nearly red-lighted in that contest when he clocked a .011 reaction time (.000) is perfect.

"It did have a cylinder out downtrack," explained Capps, who had qualified No. 12. "We expected to run better. Obviously, everyone was in the same boat this weekend, having only two qualifying runs to gather data. The conditions today were great. For the first round, when the sun didn't peak out by then, we knew it was going to be fast. And that's what it was.

"You go up and do the best you can, and we knew how Cruz is on the starting line and he took a risk with his reaction time. That's the way it is. We'll just have to regroup and go to Gainesville.

"Yesterday, all we really wanted to do was get into the show. That was our main priority. So we felt everything else was like icing on the cake. We felt comfortable even without lane choice first round. I tell you, when Cruz's team picked the right lane I really felt like the left lane was actually a better lane, because guys were winning out of both sides. That's a tribute to the track. NHRA's Safety Safari did a good job.

Next up is the 39th annual NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 13-16.

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Robert Hight, 189 (runner-up today)
2. Jack Beckman, 162 (winner today)
3. Cruz Pedregon, 147
4. John Force, 110
5. Gary Scelzi, 104
6. Scott Kalitta, 86
7. Tommy Johnson Jr., 85
8. Gary Densham, 84
Ashley Force, 84
10. Bob Bode, 83