It was Mopar HEMI® power again claiming victory in NHRA Funny Car class racing during the Dodge Nationals in Pennsylvania.

It was the 13th NHRA Funny Car win of 2017 when Ron Capps drove his Napa-sponsored Dodge Charger R/T from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) to the winner’s circle. Capps bested Courtney Force in the final round at the Reading-area track to pick up his seventh victory of the season and the 18th for HEMI power from DSR in both Nitro categories overall.

The win in the Dodge-branded event also put Capps, the defending NHRA Funny Car champion, back in the points lead after the second of six events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

(Ron Capps sped to his 7th win of the season in NHRA’s fuel FC division with a win at Maple Grove Raceway)

Capps bested Courtney Force from the right lane in the final round with a pass of 3.968 seconds at 326.48 mph to Force’s 3.993 at 311.70. Capps left the starting line with a .043-second reaction time, while Force had a reaction time of .067. The cars were side-by-side for the length of the drag strip when Force’s parachutes deployed just before the finish line.

(Chevy Camaro driver Courtney Force had a strong showing – going to the FC final round)

Capps defeated three Mopar Dodge drivers on his march to the final, starting with Jim Campbell in a wild first round. Campbell had a cylinder out while Capps’ car went up in smoke at the finish, but still turned on the win light.

Capps next took on DSR teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. and won on a clean pass as Johnson lost traction near half-track.

Capps then defeated another DSR teammate in the form of Matt Hagan. The cars were close until Hagan’s chutes came out down track, allowing Capps to pull away and reach the final round for the 10th time this season, where he collected the 56th win of his Funny Car career and his first at Maple Grove.

It was also the 17th time at least one Mopar Dodge Funny Car has reached the final round through 20 events this year.

Posted with files by Dan Hodgdon and Bruce Biegler

(Robert Hight sped to both low ET and top MPH – while earning the pole at Maple Grove Raceway)

Event Essentials:   NHRA Dodge Nationals (Sept. 21-24, 2017) 

(Sweden’s Jonnie Lindberg ran a career best 3.894 secs at 331.53 mph – to qualify #4!)

(New England’s Bob Tasca III ran his Mustang to the #9 qualified position with a 3.939 secs ET)

Photos by Bruce Biegler – Steve Embling – Dave DeAngelis

To view more Funny Car racing images from the Dodge Nationals – visit the event photo gallery: HERE