Gainesville Pre-Race Report
NHRA Gatornationals
Event 3 of 22
Gainesville Raceway
Gainesville, Fla.
March 11-13, 2022
RON CAPPS: Driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car
NHRA Gatornationals Event Highlights:
Four-time event champion:
2006, 2007, 2015, 2020
Two-time runner-up:
2000, 2016
2021 No. 1 qualifier
2021 Gainesville Recap:
Qualified No. 1; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Jim Campbell in E1; defeated by Bob Tasca in E2)
Last Event (Phoenix):
Qualified sixth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Jim Campbell in E1; defeated by John Force in E2)
Career Statistics:
588 races; 68 event wins (one Top Fuel); 30 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Statistics:
Two races; one runner-up; one No. 1 qualifier
Noteworthy:
Looking to tie former boss Don Prudhomme’s five Gainesville Funny Car wins
Quotable:NHRA Gatornationals Event Highlights:
Four-time event champion:
2006, 2007, 2015, 2020
Two-time runner-up:
2000, 2016
2021 No. 1 qualifier
2021 Gainesville Recap:
Qualified No. 1; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Jim Campbell in E1; defeated by Bob Tasca in E2)
Last Event (Phoenix):
Qualified sixth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Jim Campbell in E1; defeated by John Force in E2)
Career Statistics:
588 races; 68 event wins (one Top Fuel); 30 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Statistics:
Two races; one runner-up; one No. 1 qualifier
Noteworthy:
Looking to tie former boss Don Prudhomme’s five Gainesville Funny Car wins
“Gainesville is a big race for a lot of reasons. First, it’s an incredible place to drive into and see how many fans take vacations and plan trips around the Gatornationals. This race just holds so much history for NHRA drag racing. To win a Wally trophy from the Gatornationals is so huge. As a kid growing up in California, I was only able to read about the Gatornationals, so finally going there showed why it’s such a big event. Our NAPA AutoCare team has had a great start to the ’22 season. Obviously, there’s been a lot of change and I’m so proud that our entire team stayed from the championship winning AutoCare crew from last year. The familiarity with us all began at the Gatornationals last March, which was our first race of that championship season. Now going to Gainesville with the No. 1 on the car, it’s just special. This is the part of the season where you are so happy to have crew chiefs and leadership that can adapt to different conditions and the Gatornationals can see a lot of things thrown at a crew chief. Sometimes humidity, sometimes cooler than expected for Florida, sometimes very hot and demanding, and I’m extremely happy to have that NAPA Know How of Guido (Dean Antonelli) and John Medlen on our team. We’re pumped for the first race on the East Coast and to go after our first Wally of ’22.”
About Ron Capps Motorsports
Established in 2021, Ron Capps Motorsports is a single-car NHRA Funny Car team owned and operated by reigning and two-time world champion Ron Capps. Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., the team made its on-track debut in 2022 and competes on the 22-race NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series circuit thanks to the support of NAPA AUTO PARTS.Capps, who serves as both the owner and driver of his namesake operation, is the second-winningest Funny Car pilot in NHRA history with 67 wins in the category, and 68 overall (1 Top Fuel). The 2022 NHRA season marks Capps’ 28th year competing in the sport’s professional ranks.
