There’s a positioning going on during the first phase of the two-part NHRA Countdown to the Championship and no one wants to take the lead, especially last season’s early leaders Rod Fuller and Ron Capps. Both racers led the points championships in their respective divisions before losing the titles in the final contracting elements.

Fuller led the Top Fuel division points up until the final round of the season. Under the former format, Fuller would have won the title.

“The experience changed my approach a tremendous amount,” Fuller pointed out. “Last year left a big chip on my shoulder and there’s two ways to look at it. I know we should never hold a chip on our shoulder but the experience has worked as a positive for me. I drive with an extra fire burning inside because of it. There’s a positioning going on during the first phase of the two-part NHRA Countdown to the Championship and no one wants to take the lead, especially last season’s early leaders Rod Fuller and Ron Capps. Both racers led the points championships in their respective divisions before losing the titles in the final contracting elements.

Fuller led the Top Fuel division points up until the final round of the season. Under the former format, Fuller would have won the title.

“The experience changed my approach a tremendous amount,” Fuller pointed out. “Last year left a big chip on my shoulder and there’s two ways to look at it. I know we should never hold a chip on our shoulder but the experience has worked as a positive for me. I drive with an extra fire burning inside because of it.

“Getting that close and not being able to seal the deal leaves a big hole. I know I can do it. I have a lot of confidence that we can pull it off. There are a lot of others out here that feel the same way. We would have won a championship in years past and one the way it was 53 years ago, we just wouldn’t have won it the way it was last year.”

Capps led the championship contenders for the Funny Car division up until the points reset for the first time. He never regained the early season momentum. Just like Fuller, he’s altered his approach for chasing the title.

“I think the real issue is just peaking at the right time now,” Capps explained.  “The playoff system last year -- I'm glad they got it out of their system and I'm glad they changed it.  Our approach now is just the way truly a playoff system should be and it's about peaking at the right time. You're going to have to peak two times.” 

Capps believes he’s figured out the right time to peak.

“You don't win Daytona by leading the 15th or 16th lap, you lead the last lap and that's how you're going to win,” Capps continued. “You need to peak at Indy and you need to peak again prior to Vegas and Pomona at the end of the year.  That's , I think, the approach that you've got to have.”

Both Fuller and Capps won like gangbusters in the early part of the season and tested later in the first portion of the championship battle. They’ve been testing already in order to gain the momentum later.

 “We’ll start getting after it soon,” Fuller remarked. “But, it doesn’t matter how many points Tony Schumacher gets up on us headed into the final phase when that kicks in – he’ll lose his points just like I did last year.”

Capps added the reality of not knowing when you’re last win is going to come squelches the conservative mentality. He battles in his mind with the proper peak time.

“You never know when you have success in one of these things if it's the last win you'll ever have,” Capps admitted. “It's so competitive out here, you just wonder if it'll ever happen again.  The success that I've had ever since I've been here with Don Schumacher and we'd battle and one of the guys every year we've came to Pomona to come up a little bit short every time. 

“You get out there and you realize there's no reason to have this points lead other than just to be leading the points to go into Indy.  This year you've got an extra 20 points.”

Fuller says “thanks, but no thanks” when the topic of the top spot comes up. 

“I really don’t want the top spot,” Fuller confided. “If you ask me, I think it’s a big letdown anyway. There’s no advantage to it anyway. Once the points reset, this car is 100-percent dialed in and ready.”

For Capps, he's  just playing the game by the rules provided him.

“I think now you're going to hear most guys and I used to knock the NASCAR guy for saying, 'Yeah we're open for a top 5 finish today,” Capps said. “That used to irritate the heck out of me because you think how could somebody go into a race and be happy with a top 5 or a top 10?  I show up and we're in it to win it. 

“Now the approach is a little different, you just need to be one of those top 10.  Is it life or death to lead the points going in?  No.  Twenty points, it's just a taste, that's all it is.  It's just a little taste, it's nothing more and I don't think it's going to decide the championship this year.  I think most guys will tell you it doesn't matter.  You could roll in as the number 10 guy in the points and have just as good a shot at winning in Pomona.  That may happen; you might see that this year.”