Reading: Ron Capps Saturday report

CAPPS COLLECTS NO. 5 IN MAPLE GROVE QUALIFYING

MOHNTON, Pa. (Oct. 9, 2010) - Ron Capps raced the NAPA Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Dodge Charger Funny Car to No. 5 during qualifying for the 26th annual NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, located just outside of Reading, Pa.

He recorded his quickest pass of 4.068 seconds at 307.02 mph in Friday night's session under nearly-ideal conditions. He matched his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Jack Beckman's elapsed time, but relinquished it because of Beckman's higher speed.

His other laps were a 6.305/103.01 (No. 13), a 4.096/305.91 (No. 5) and finally a tire-smoking 10.467/77.08 in his last try.

"Everybody is trying to figure out what's going to happen tomorrow weather-wise, and in the last qualifying session we pushed it to see what the track would take," said Capps. No. 7 in the point standings with three races remaining in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, including Sunday's here in Pennsylvania. "The NAPA Susan G. Komen for the Cure Dodge has had some solid 60-foot increments for most of the weekend, so it's been real good early, and I think we just got a little too aggressive in the last round.

"We feel good about where we qualified. It doesn't matter who you race, it's going to be tough. Conditions are going to be good on Sunday, the sun will be out, but, man, if you're not here this weekend or watching it on TV, you'll be missing a fantastic day of racing on an incredible track tomorrow. We're going to see some very fast times. I feel comfortable about our chances."

Capps faces Jim Head in the opening round of Sunday's eliminations.

-source: dsr