Milestone Mark for Capps

Aug 08, 2018 // NHRA Event FC Results // editor

Mopar power was strong during the 31st annual CatSpot NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways near Seattle as Funny Car racer Ron Capps took his Dodge Charger R/T all the way to victory for a milestone 60th career win.

The win in the finale of the three-race Western Swing, set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, was the ninth of the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series for Mopar Dodge//SRT Don Schumacher Racing competitors, and the sixth of the season for a Mopar Dodge Charger Funny Car driver.

Ron Capps now has 60 wins (!) within his great NHRA Pro racing career

Capps squared off in his Mopar-powered NAPA Dodge Funny Car dragster with Jonnie Lindberg in round one eliminations on the track where he won his first race in 1995 (in Top Fuel). He made a 3.989-second pass to take the win with ease. In the second round Capps had to face off against his DSR teammate, Matt Hagan, the No. 1 Funny Car qualifier of the weekend. Another three-second pass gave the 700-plus round winner the victory and lane choice for the semifinals against Tim Wilkerson. Capps powered down the track to a 4.002 pass as Wilkerson’s day came to an early end with a major leak from the valve cover.

The final round, the 117th of Capps’ career, saw him placed against Funny Car points leader Courtney Force. Force ran out front until the 660 lights, but when her engine got unsettled, Capps powered right past her and to his 60th career win, his second this season.

Ron Capps beat Courtney Force in the marquee fuel FC final round.

Matt Hagan collected the first No. 1 qualifier for the new Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car body this weekend, as well as his first at Pacific Raceways and fourth of the season. Hagan fell out of competition in round two however when the 2013 Northwest Nationals event champion lost a close race to Capps between the two Mopar-powered Dodge Funny Cars.

Matt Hagan qualified #1 with his now Hellcat-bodied machine.

Event Essentials: NHRA CatSpot NorthWest Nationals (August 3-5th, 2018)

	NAME	ET	MPH	CAREER WIN

Winner:	Ron Capps	4.033	314.90	60th
R/UP:	Courtney Force	4.115	255.63
Low ET:	Matt Hagan	3.913
Top Speed:	Robert Hight		327.82
Bump Spot:		4.182
Event Entries:	18 Cars

Points leader Courtney Force raced to the final round for the 6th time this season.

Richard Townsend entered his “Nitroholic” Toyota at Seattle – and ran a 4.041 secs to qualify 4th

Posted with files by Darren Jacobs & Bruce Biegler

Photos by Gerry Frechette and Courtesy of Mopar

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