Topeka: Ron Capps Saturday notes

CAPPS CLAIMS NO. 7 IN TOPEKA QUALIFYING

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 30, 2009) - Ron Capps and the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Funny Car team endured air temperatures in the 90s and track temperatures in the 120-130-degree range to earn No. 7 in qualifying for the NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

Capps posted his quickest lap of 4.203 seconds at 283.55 mph in the second session Friday night under cooler conditions, despite dropping a cylinder on that run.

His other passes were a 4.243/277.60 (No. 1) in the opening session, followed by today's 4.296/281.48 (No. 7) and 7.331/90.00.

"This is a very tough weekend," said Capps, the class points leader. "When you have just two cars going down the track each session it's not a good thing. Hopefully, things will be a little bit better tomorrow. We know it's going to be just as hot, but we're hoping the track will be good enough that the cars can negotiate it and get down it. Otherwise, it's not going to be a very good show for the fans.

"When conditions are like this you have to do what you can to back these nitro cars down so much to get down the track, and then it creates other problems with the engines, like dropped cylinders, and that tends to get a little ugly.

"As a driver you have to be aware of not only trying to win the race on Sunday and be the first one to the finish line, but on a track with conditions like these, where the car is more than likely going to be spinning the tires at the other end of the track, you have to make a judgment call of whether to stay in the throttle and risk exploding the engine or getting to the finish line first, or both.

"So, on Sunday, everybody is going to have to have their act together."

Capps faces his Don Schumacher Racing teammate and Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner Matt Hagan in the opening round of Sunday's eliminations.

-credit: dsr