Ron Capps became the first Funny Car driver to clinch a spot in the Countdown to 1 playoffs, which begin for the top 10 in points following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. The final six events of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will decide the 2009 Funny Car champion.

Capps, driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Funny Car, was assured a place in the Countdown after making his first qualifying attempt at the FRAM-Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, Calif., today. That lap of 4.215 seconds at 288.95 mph was good for No. 5 at the time, but a mechanical problem in the second pass caused him to shut down at the starting line, aborting the run. He slipped to 13th place and out of the top 12.

Ron Capps became the first Funny Car driver to clinch a spot in the Countdown to 1 playoffs, which begin for the top 10 in points following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend. The final six events of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will decide the 2009 Funny Car champion.

Capps, driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Funny Car, was assured a place in the Countdown after making his first qualifying attempt at the FRAM-Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, Calif., today. That lap of 4.215 seconds at 288.95 mph was good for No. 5 at the time, but a mechanical problem in the second pass caused him to shut down at the starting line, aborting the run. He slipped to 13th place and out of the top 12.

Two more rounds of qualifying on Saturday will determine the 16-car field for Sunday’s eliminations.

"Obviously, it feels great to have clinched a spot in the Countdown,” said Capps, the Funny Car class points leader with five national-event wins this season. “We have a lot of unfinished business. We want to stay No. 1 going into the Countdown. But to know that you're already going to be involved in the Countdown takes a little bit of pressure off, for sure.

"And now we can sit back and watch everybody else battle."
 

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