Topeka Pre-Race Report
Menards NHRA Nationals
Presented by PetArmor
Event 14 of 22
Heartland Motorsports Park
Topeka, Kan.
Aug. 12-14, 2022
RON CAPPS: Driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
Noteworthy:
Capps began his professional drag racing career in 1995 as a Top Fuel wheelman, and at this weekend’s event in Topeka, he will compete in his 600th race as an NHRA driver
Capps officially clinched a berth in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs during the most recent event in Kent, Wash. near Seattle. The two-time and defending series champion will add his name to the NHRA’s Countdown board on Sunday morning during pre-race ceremonies
Through their partnership with A Soldier’s Child and thanks to support from Ron Capps, the Maynard Family Racing team, along with Ron Capps Motorsports, will be hosting a Gold Star Family at Heartland Motorsports Park during the race weekend. The family will be recognized during NHRA’s pre-race ceremonies on Sunday morning
Quotable:
“We’ve got two more races to go before we get to the U.S. Nationals and lock-in our playoff spots. Heartland Motorsports Park has always been one of those tracks where you can produce record-setting runs, and it’s always been a part of NHRA history, especially in Funny Car when you look back at the first Funny Car to go 300-miles-per-hour. Personally, I’ve done well there and have had some big wins there, and I always look forward to the Topeka race.
“You don’t want to go into the U.S. Nationals and have to worry about positioning, and that’s what is so impressive to me about racing with ‘Guido’ (Dean Antonelli) and (John) Medlen, and our NAPA AutoCare guys. We’re third in the points. We’ve been consistent all year, and we know we can go to Indianapolis, try and score the Call-Out money, win that race, and not have to worry about where we are in the points. Topeka is a great track that can hold fantastic runs. We were able to test some things at the Night Under Fire match race last weekend, and I think that’s going to bode well for us in Topeka and Brainerd as we gear up for Indy at the end of this month.”
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, Toyota, and GearWrench.Capps, who serves as both the owner and driver of his namesake operation, is the second-winningest Funny Car pilot in NHRA history with 69 wins in the category, and 70 overall (1 Top Fuel). The 2022 NHRA season marks Capps’ 28th year competing in the sport’s professional ranks.
