Capps, Johnson Jr Indy IRP test notes 2004-08-25

Capps and Johnson Jr. Continue Indy Test on Wednesday

CLERMONT, Ind. (Aug. 25, 2004) - Skoal Racing Funny Car drivers Ron Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr. resumed their preparation for the upcoming Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Wednesday at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Capps, a three-time winner (1998-'99, 2002) of the lucrative Skoal Showdown bonus race contested annually during the U.S. Nationals, made four test runs behind the wheel of his Don Prudhomme-owned green Skoal Racing Chevy Monte Carlo flopper. Capps opened Wednesday's test session with a blast of 4.942 seconds at 297.94 mph and finished under the lights at I.R.P. with a pass of 4.960 at 263.41.

Johnson, who has qualified No. 1 at the U.S. Nationals twice in his career (1999-'00), piloted his blue Skoal Racing Chevy Funny Car to five passes down the I.R.P. quarter mile to gather data and information that should benefit the car's performance for the final six events on the 2004 NHRA schedule. Johnson used a tune-up from crew chief Mike Green to clock a pass of 4.923 seconds at 313.88 mph on his second effort of the day, while experimenting with the clutch system during the two-day test.

"The Funny Cars had some of the quickest early numbers that we've seen from them," team owner Don Prudhomme said. "They were impressive numbers that can win races. On most runs the drivers shut off early, but the incremental numbers are what we came to the test session to work on. I think the test was a positive for the two Funny Cars."

The Skoal Racing crews will make the short jaunt back to the Don Prudhomme Racing shop in nearby Brownsburg, Ind. to continue prepping for next week's 50th running of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Sept. 1-6. Capps and Johnson will open qualifying at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3 with the first of five scheduled qualifying attempts at the Nationals.

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