Ron Capps lost a close match-up, under overcast and cool conditions, in the opening round of Funny Car eliminations for the 25th annual NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex, bowing out to Del Worsham.
Capps had the edge at the starting lights, but Worsham overtook him to claim the win by four feet (nine thousandths of a second) over the driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger Funny Car, using a 4.131-second elapsed time at 302.48 mph to beat Capps' solid but losing 4.145/301.07.
Points-wise, Capps remained seventh in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs standings, and is 182 markers behind leader John Force, who was runner-up today to Capps’ Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan.
"What can you say?" he said. "It put a damper on our championship title hopes, that’s for sure. We worked so hard to get lane choice (qualified fifth), ran really good last night. The cool conditions came in and the track was great in both lanes.
"We knew that Worsham's team could step up and run with anybody. They definitely have the talent and, to be honest, John (Medlen, crew chief) went up there to run a 4.08 or 4.09, but there was a lot of vibration in the car. We'll have to figure out what that was, because the car definitely should have run better than it did. John and the NAPA guys are looking the car over to find out what it was.
"That's part of the deal. The competition is so tough right now that you can't overlook anybody, Countdown or not. Unfortunately, we lost a close race. It doesn't matter if it's nine thousandths or nine feet."
Next up is the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, in Reading, Pa., Oct. 8-10.
UNOFFICIAL FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS, after three of six events in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs:
1. John Force, 2339 (runner-up today)
2. Matt Hagan, 2314 (winner today)
3. Jack Beckman, 2294
4. Ashley Force Hood, 2271
5. Bob Tasca III, 2215
6. Robert Hight, 2189
7. Ron Capps, 2157
8. Del Worsham, 2149
9. Tim Wilkerson, 2147
10. Tony Pedregon, 2116
Capps had the edge at the starting lights, but Worsham overtook him to claim the win by four feet (nine thousandths of a second) over the driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger Funny Car, using a 4.131-second elapsed time at 302.48 mph to beat Capps' solid but losing 4.145/301.07.
Points-wise, Capps remained seventh in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs standings, and is 182 markers behind leader John Force, who was runner-up today to Capps’ Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan.
"What can you say?" he said. "It put a damper on our championship title hopes, that’s for sure. We worked so hard to get lane choice (qualified fifth), ran really good last night. The cool conditions came in and the track was great in both lanes.
"We knew that Worsham's team could step up and run with anybody. They definitely have the talent and, to be honest, John (Medlen, crew chief) went up there to run a 4.08 or 4.09, but there was a lot of vibration in the car. We'll have to figure out what that was, because the car definitely should have run better than it did. John and the NAPA guys are looking the car over to find out what it was.
"That's part of the deal. The competition is so tough right now that you can't overlook anybody, Countdown or not. Unfortunately, we lost a close race. It doesn't matter if it's nine thousandths or nine feet."
Next up is the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, in Reading, Pa., Oct. 8-10.
UNOFFICIAL FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS, after three of six events in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs:
1. John Force, 2339 (runner-up today)
2. Matt Hagan, 2314 (winner today)
3. Jack Beckman, 2294
4. Ashley Force Hood, 2271
5. Bob Tasca III, 2215
6. Robert Hight, 2189
7. Ron Capps, 2157
8. Del Worsham, 2149
9. Tim Wilkerson, 2147
10. Tony Pedregon, 2116
