Here's a Q&A session following our Ron Capps articles last week.

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - RON CAPPS Q&A

Good read, Bobby. You gotta love 'ol Capps.

Late............Mitch

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"We'll just put another engine in it. That's the way this game is played if you have to." Big Daddy Indy '86/ONFIRE '03

thanks Helen of Troy for your involvment with
NHRA, DSR and Ron Capps.
I truely hope your brand 're-introduction' was as expected.
will we ever know for sure?

PROVISIONALS are you kiddin' me. If you can't run the number, then you shouldn't be rewarded for having bigger sponsor $$$ than some other teams. This sport has always provided DSR & JFR the same opportunity to watch from the stands on Sunday as any other team. Next we're going to here that the race sponsor has the right to protect a car in every class from a first round loss. PROVISIONAL.....Ron you been turnin' left to much. Or is this the guarantee that you get racing at Eldora

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KS

http://www.hotrodsbystith.com

Hey Kevin, why don't you tell us how you really feel!

Wasn't it John Force who, after missing the cut, said "You have to earn the right to compete on Sunday, and we didn't." He took his medicine like a man.

That's what makes drag racing a better sport. No "Wild Cards." No "Provisionals" which ends up hurting another racer(s) who had their stuff together that weekend... and no "Crybabies."

If my race car sucked one weekend I'd have a hard time bumping someone else out because I absolutely don't deserve to be there on race day. And how do I face the poor slob I just "Provisioned" out of a spot on Sunday. Heck, that other racer might have been entertaining a potential sponsor that weekend. What if he threw every credit card he had plus the kitchen sink at his tune-up to make the big show...only to get bumped by someone who didn't crack the top 16.

A long time ago when I used to race bracket one at OCIR I tried explaining to my Dad how I lost because I went too fast. "WHAT???" I told him I broke out by going to fast and even though I crossed the finish line first the other guy won. He never could figure out how a guy who races a race car could lose for going to fast. Now try explaining to someone like my Dad how one guy who ran very well and made the top 16 gets bumped out by another guy who sucked that weekend.

I wonder what would make someone think that after shaking and smoking the tires all 4 qualifying runs that anything would be different if they were given a chance at a fifth run (first round). Besides the racer that was bumped (that deserved to be in the show), the other losers would be the fans who didn't get to see the best 16 cars on the property that weekend come race day.

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www.randygoodwinracing.com

bought in 16 cars, 4 passes to set the ladder, draw straws on Sunday morning to see who wins... post whatever times ya want on the score board, the rubes in the seats can't tell the difference...

after all, it's a show...


d'kid
sarcasm, just another of our many services

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Not So Comfortably Numb- Fly Navy, Build SEABEES
A friend helps you move, A Real Friend helps you Move Bodies

It blows me away how any sponsor (Napa, any of the Beer distributors, you name it) will pull out of Drag racing because of lack of ROI! Than all of a sudden 5-10 years later find NHRA marketable again?

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Shift for Brains!!!!

Different managers have different ideas, and when a new one shows up, they sometimes like to makes changes "to shake things up" and put their own stamp on things. They then move on, someone else takes over, and says "Hmmm, that worked 10 years ago, maybe it's worth another shot!"

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AKA DrRocket

Karl,
Don't forget our top secret meeting in Canada at that truck stop on RT66 between the lakes and around the corner from the bait shop, down the street from Mayberry @ midnight (your turn to bring the firewood) on the 32nd of December. We'll draw those straws for the up coming year. While we're there we can also use that 8 ball with the answers on the bottom to decide who gets to come out and play with the racecars A N D when the sun rises from the west, just like the Witch Doctor ordered, You & I can decide which teams to concider as top notch so they don't have to race next year........just show up and look pretty.

RG,
Your right, Force took it like a MAN. After the streak he had why didn't RC or anyone else step aside and let him have their qualifing (whoops provisional) position? There is no way JF would have suited up. He understands that if your not good enough that weekend you don't race. It's not about who does or doesn't have the money or the sponsor. It's about racing and not about someones own personal agenda.

Karl,
BTY, Remember "TOP SECRET" don't tell anyone.

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KS

http://www.hotrodsbystith.com

On the button as usual, Randy. I agree with every word. Provisionals are a crock!

RC can't be serious about Provisionals? How in the hell can you do that without destroying the whole concept of qualifying? I like Ron but this is Nutz!

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Shift for Brains!!!!

When I first heard the word "Provisional" mentioned it was by a well respected team owner on TV who's funny car didn't make the grade that weekend for one reason or another. He felt that having a big "sponsored" car should take precedence over non-sponsored cars on race day. The question I would have asked was "How do non-sponsored cars find a sponsor if NHRA keeps bumping them out?"

My intitial response was "This guy thinks he deserves to be there no matter who gets kicked out, as if he is some how better than the rest of them."

BS. Your car didn't run and that's what makes drag racing exciting. Gone would be the sweaty brows of the crew chiefs and drivers under the gun to make the last session count if they weren't in the show. Suddenly a team that was considered done in the points gets new life when a team with more points screws up and misses the cut. But with "Provisionals" any chance of that kind of drama comes to an end.

The reality is, if Paul Smith's car shows up and kicks everyone's butt in qualifying then Paul Smith's car deserves a spot on the ladder. If a multi-car team can't compete with Paul Smith then they have a problem. And their problem shouldn't become Paul Smith's problem.

If they ever implemented "Provisionals" then every championship from that date forward will have to have an asteric*...meaning it was tainted.

RG

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www.randygoodwinracing.com

This is a "PS" to my two previous posts on the "Provisional" issue.

It should be noted that Ron only casually mentioned it. I don't want Ron to think we are taking him to task and blowing this out of proportion based on his casual comments.

All my posts on the subject are actually in reference to the TV interview I mentioned where the team owner was frustrated by the points implications and the fact that his sponsor won't be seen on race day. My car has sponsors and we missed the cut more than once last year. And we look no further than the mirror when considering our options. We surely don't look at the ladder to decide who we think we are better than.

RG

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www.randygoodwinracing.com

i think i can see how ron made these comments???
in the pursuit for new sponsors - you ask for a certain budget and
tell the potential sponsor that your car has a track record of making
85% of sunday eliminations (tv time) over the last "5" years.
the sponsor says, "you mean you mite not race on sunday?, racing
series "abc" guarantees my car will be racing on sunday."

i think it all boils down to how much the sponsorship is worth vs.
what racing series is being considered.

I would think, what with Micheal Waltrip's season from hell this previous year, NAPA, of all sponsors, would entertain no illusions that not qualifying is a possibility.

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AKA DrRocket