BREAKING: Ron Capps is reportedly set to bring NHRA history back to the track for……
Ron Capps is reportedly set to bring NHRA history back to the track for ‘The BIG GO!’
3-time Ron Capps, world champion driver and team owner, joins Dane Neal on WGN Radio from the 70th NHRA U.S. Nationals. Hear Ron discuss the significance of The Big Go and the enthusiasm around the debut of the NAPA Toyota GR Supra he will bring to the races. Listen as Ron discusses the tribute to Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and his renowned Army car, which won numerous races and World Championships. Ron is ready for the races, crowds, and special activities that make the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway a must-see for racing enthusiasts. For additional information on times and tickets, visit www.nhra.com.
This racing weekend, celebrate Tequila at the Track with El Bandido Yankee, the Official Tequila of racing Day! Visit www.elbandidoyankee.com for information on events, cocktails, recipes, and where to purchase.
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Ron Capps plans to expand the NHRA team in 2026 with a female dragster driver.
The owner of the Funny Car squad and three-time champion has announced an affiliation with an NTT IndyCar Series partner.
NHRA Funny Car NAPA Toyota Supra team owner/driver Ron Capps is getting closer to achieving his promise to develop the next generation of professional drag racers.
As he prepares for this weekend’s Toyota U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Capps told Autoweek that he intends to add a woman to his Ron Capps Motorsports squad in 2026, where she will drive a Top Fuel dragster.
Then, hinting at a potentially even more significant move, he stated that he is forming a partnership with an NTT IndyCar Series partner.
“We have an exciting wonderful partner from another series, the IndyCar Series, who has been yearning to get into the sport for quite some time. And they have a lot on their plate. “We just had another meeting this week,” he remarked, keeping his open-wheel-series contact information confidential.
What Capps did say offered some hints.
He stated unequivocally that he has not chosen reigning Top Alcohol Dragster champion Julie Nataas, although his choice, like Nataas, competes in the sportsman division.
“I don’t want to say anything yet. I do not want her to be more distracted. She is going to try to win her first Indy, and she is doing an excellent job. “And I don’t want to put anything else on that plate at this point,” Capps said. “It’s someone I grew up with and their family. It’s going to be incredibly interesting to witness that change.”
Madison Payne, a third-generation racer from California, does not appear to be the mystery driver, as she earned the Top Alcohol Dragster trophy at the U.S. Nationals last September.
Maddi Gordon, 20, of Paso Robles, Calif., is an option. Gordon, the daughter of recently retired three-time Top Alcohol Funny Car champion Doug Gordon, who took his seat, became the 100th woman to win an NHRA national event when she defeated Brian Hough in the Seattle final in July.
Furthermore, when Maddi Gordon completed her Top Alcohol Funny Car licensing passes in August 2021, Capps, a native of San Luis Obispo, California, was present to see and sign one of her official paperwork. At the time, NHRA.com stated that “three-time NHRA Funny Car champion Ron Capps, another California Central Coast native… is a longtime friend of the Gordon family.”
IndyCar Connection
As for Capps’ IndyCar connection, he has formed a friendship with Andretti Global/Andretti Autosport because of an introduction years ago to Mario and Michael Andretti from former boss and drag-racing legend Don Prudhomme. Then it deepened when former team associate Alexander Rossi carried the NAPA banner on his Andretti race car.
Michael Andretti, who certainly fits the description of “having a lot going on,” expressed interest in an NHRA property during the Formula E weekend in June at Portland, Ore.
“Michael has always been real excited and intrigued with drag racing,” Capps said. “Every time he’s come out, he loves it. He’s always really talked about wanting to be a part of it, but obviously [he has] a lot going on. They got the new shop here in Indy [at Fishers, Ind.], and every fan in the United States is on pins and needles, waiting for them to get into Formula 1, which would be exciting.
“So there’s a lot going on, but it’s been fun to revisit that with Michael from time to time and just keep him updated. And they watch what we’re doing. We cheer for them and watch what they’re doing. So we’ll just see how it all plays out.”
Capps confirmed that his plan will evolve in the next couple of seasons.
“I can tell you it’s not next year. It’ll be 2026, for sure,” Capps said. ” I’m not ready, for sure. It’s a whole another year, both because I need it and our team [does], and so do our future partners. That gives that [driver] another year under [her] belt to continue on at what [she’s] doing. And then we’ll get ’em in a nitro car. It’s going to be a dragster, for sure. We don’t want to put another Funny Car out. And it’s going to be exciting that we can put ’em in a car at the end of next year and focus on Rookie of the Year 2026.
“I’ve said it over and again: our team is Guido’s [crew chief Dean Antonelli’s] team, and it is his responsibility to run. “And when we decide to bring this other car on, Guido will choose the crew chief,” Capps stated. “I’ve been in a lot of multi-car teams, including Don Prudhomme and Don Schumacher.” I’ve seen both the positive and negative aspects of multicar teams. We want to ensure that we grow internally. I’m not prepared at this stage. I am definitely not ready to add a car for ’25. So that will buy us some time.”
Giving Another Driver a Shot
Capps started his career working on race cars and “was discovered” by Prudhomme. Capps said, “I came up in a unique way. I worked on these cars until I had a shot. I didn’t have big money, parents with sponsors. I didn’t have any of that. I knew I had to get a shot. I just needed a shot to get my license or get in a car. Luckily, [being] around the right people, my career took off, being in the right spots.
“I wanted to do what Don Prudhomme did: put someone in the car who deserves a chance, rather than someone who will pay a lot of money for a seat. Not to take anything away from anyone who brings money, because many of them are talented, but I want to give someone an opportunity who I believe has potential, both on and off the track. “That is what Don Prudhomme saw in me.”
