Valvoline Funny Car Driver Capps Scores 5th Win of Season
DENVER (July 12, 2009) -- Ron Capps paced the Valvoline NHRA drag racing team Sunday at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals by scoring his fifth Funny Car win of the season with a final-round win over Ashley Force Hood.
The victory, in the first of three Western Swing races, lifted Capps into a first-place tie in the Funny Car standings with Force Hood.
It was the 30th career national-event win for Capps and his first at the Denver dragstrip.
Capps' winning time and speed in the final round was 4.187 seconds at 297.22 miles per hour. Force Hood's losing run was clocked at 4.231 at 296.96.
"I could hear her car," explained Capps, who also qualified No. 1. "Fortunately, our car got through the early part of the track and pulled away. As a competitor in this (Funny Car) class, you have to embrace the fact that Ashley is a big deal. Not only is she a big deal, but she has shouldered that more than anybody I've known. It reminds me of Shirley Muldowney who did it back when there were several barriers to be broken."
The other professional winners were: Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
Team Valvoline NHRA Race Results
NHRA Full Throttle Series
July 12
Mopar Mile-High Nationals
Denver
Top Fuel:
Larry Dixon, Alan Johnson Racing
Lost in Quarterfinal Round
Point Standing: 2nd
Cory McClenathan, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in Semifinal Round
Point Standing: 5th
Tony Schumacher, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in Quarterfinal Round
Point Standing: 3rd
Funny Car
Jack Beckman, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in Semifinal Round
Point Standing: 4th
Ron Capps, Don Schumacher Racing
Won Event
Point Standing: 1st (tied with Ashley Force Hood)
Matt Hagen, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in Quarterfinal Round
Point Standing: 9th
Tim Wilkerson, Team Wilkerson Racing
Lost in First Round
Point Standing: 7th
Del Worsham, Alan Johnson Racing
Lost in First Round
Point Standing: 5th
Pro Stock
Ron Krisher, Krisher Racing
Lost in First Round
Point Standing: 7th
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Matt Smith, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in Quarterfinal Round
Point Standing: 3rd
Next NHRA Event
July 19
Seattle International Raceway
Kent, Wash.
