BIG NEWS: Ron Capps plans to expand the NHRA team in 2026 with woman dragster driver
The owner of the Funny Car squad and three-time champion has announced an affiliation with an NTT IndyCar Series partner.
- Capps has chosen not to reveal the name of his driver-to-be, but he drops plenty of hints.
- An alliance with an NTT IndyCar Series entity is in the works, too, he says.
- Capps, a former crew hand, says he’s not ready just yet for an expansion, but definitely wants to give a chance to a deserving young racer.
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
Capps’ IndyCar connection stems from an introduction to Mario and Michael Andretti via former boss and drag-racing star Don Prudhomme many years ago. Then, former teammate Alexander Rossi carried the NAPA banner on his Andretti race vehicle.
Michael Andretti, who clearly meets the definition of “having a lot going on,” indicated interest in an NHRA property during the Formula E weekend in June in Portland, Oregon.
“Michael has always been real excited and intrigued with drag racing,” Capps told reporters. “He’s always enjoyed coming out. He’s always shown a strong desire to be a part of it, but he obviously has a lot going on. They opened a new shop in Indianapolis [at Fishers, Ind.], and every fan in the United States is eager for them to enter Formula One, which would be wonderful.
“So there’s a lot going on, but it’s been wonderful to check in with Michael from time to time and keep him updated. They keep an eye on what we’re up to. We root for them and watch what they do. So we’ll just see how it all works out.”
Capps confirmed that his strategy will evolve over the next few seasons.
“I can assure you it isn’t next year. “It will definitely be 2026,” Capps remarked. “I am not ready, for sure. It will take another year, not only because I need it, but also because our staff and prospective partners do. That gives [the driver] another year to continue doing what she’s doing. And then we’ll put them in a nitro car. It’s definitely going to be a dragster. We don’t want to put out another Funny Car. And it will be fantastic to put them in a car before 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 began his career working on race vehicles and “was discovered” by Prudhomme. Capps explained, “I came up in a unique way. I worked on these autos until I got a shot. I didn’t have a lot of money; my parents had sponsors. I did not have any of that. I knew I needed to obtain a shot. I only wanted a chance to get my license and get into a car. Fortunately, being among the right people helped my career take off.
“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.”
