RON CAPPS TO DRIVE AA/FUEL ALTERED AT MARCH MEET

by Tracy Renck    Fri, 2019-03-08 19:36

There’s very little Ron Capps hasn’t done in his decorated drag racing career.

The 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Series nitro Funny Car world champion will check a new box this weekend.

Capps, for the first time, will be racing AA Fuel Altered and he will be competing at the prestigious March Meet at Auto Club Famosa Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.

Capps will be piloting the “Good News” AA Fuel Altered owned by Hertzig Motorsports. Capps main ride is piloting the NAPA nitro Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing in the NHRA Mello Yello Series.
 
“There’s so much excitement flowing through my veins right now because it is something I don’t usually drive,” Capps said. “It’s a Fuel Altered, which says everything in itself right there. They are just the coolest thing on the planet as far as a race car. For me it’s cool because I’m going to get to be side-by-side some of the coolest Fuel Altereds ever.”

Capps took a moment to describe the Altered he’s driving.

“The body is the one Mike Sullivan ran on his AA Fuel Altered,” Capps said. “James Day is driving “The Tramp,” a 23 T Fuel Altered, Bryan Hall won the March Meet in “The Tramp,” in 2017, and I’m driving this new car they put together, which has a Mike Sullivan body. Bryan Hall, after he won the March Meet, sold the car to (the Hertzigs) and he drove it with them as the owners and then they had this car built I’m driving. It has a brand-new chassis and they (the Hertzigs) own both cars.”

Capps is anxious to see what he can do in this different ride.

“James (Day) made a check-out run in my altered (March 6) and I’m hoping to make a test run (March 7),” Capps said. “I’m hoping to go to half-track and get a feel for it. We only get two qualify runs, one Friday and one Saturday, so there is going to be some pressure and it’s going to be crazy. I’m excited to get behind the wheel. I go every year (to the March Meet) and I always take my fire suit to see if something comes up. This is one of my favorite things throughout the year and it is unbelievable. People fly from all over the world to go to this thing. I grew up as a kid going to this race and the fact that Don (Schumacher) lets me go and do this is always cool. He trusts my judgement that I’m getting in a safe car.”

Capps, a California native, likes the format the AA Fuel Altered class at the March Meet.

“They developed a 6.0-index,” Capps said. “When they first came out with the class there were some fuel altered out there, but these things are so squirrelly and out of control most of the time that a lot of don’t even make it down the track under power. Blake Bowser (of Famoso Raceway) and other people got together, and they created this class, AA Fuel Altered class with a 6.0-index, so you can’t run quicker than six seconds. I found out there are over 20 (AA Fuel) Altereds entered for an eight-car show this weekend. The class has blown up the last couple of years. When I was growing up, Altereds were it for me. I just loved them as a kid.”

Capps has yet to win the March Meet and that’s clearly something he wants to scratch off his bucket list.

“I’m telling you what, if I ever do, that’s going to be front and center on my mantel, that’s for sure,” Capps said.

 

 

 

 
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