Ron Capps accomplished a miraculous last-race comeback to win his third NHRA Tenting World Drag Racing Collection Humorous Automotive world championship, changing into the primary driver in 20 years to win the title again to again. As laborious as it’s to consider, Capps — who famously misplaced the 2012 season championship by two factors to Jack Beckman — by no means led the factors till the ultimate day of the season, and he completed forward of Robert Hight by simply three factors, 2,682 to 2,679.
Capps entered the ultimate race of the season trialing Hight by greater than 60 factors however, because of a shocking last-pass sprint in qualifying that earned him the No. 1 spot, his destiny was introduced again into his personal arms with an anticipated conflict with Hight within the semifinals.
That titanic battle by no means befell as Bob Tasca III upset Hight within the second spherical and, after beating Tim Wilkerson in spherical two, Capps took the factors lead – extremely for the primary time this season -– by defeating Tasca within the semifinals.
That win put him mathematically within the lead by three factors over Hight, however with the specter to a attainable five-point penalty for crossing the centerline or hitting the guardwall within the closing spherical a small however distinct risk, Capps’ coronation needed to wait till he safely saved it between the strains in his final-round race with Cruz Pedregon, which he misplaced to set the ultimate margin.
“We talked about that run and the way I ought to most likely shut it off and never danger shedding the factors and shedding the championship,” he mentioned. “While you step on the gasoline in considered one of these vehicles it might go wherever. I imply, it is scary. In order that fed into ‘What are you gonna do? Are you gonna shut it off? Are you gonna run it down there?’ In the long run, I made my longest burnout ever for the followers and simply saved it near the wall.’
The season was an enormous success for Capps, who took over possession of the workforce himself this yr, and crew chiefs Dean Antonelli and John Medlen. Along with his heroics on the Finals, Capps additionally collected wins in Las Vegas, Bristol, Indy, Charlotte, and Dallas. His win at Indy was his first ever on the Dodge Energy Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, the most important and most prestigious occasion within the sport.
“The Countdown was loopy,” he added. “If you consider the Humorous Vehicles that had an opportunity. I really feel so unhealthy for Robert Hight. He is such an excellent champion, For that entire workforce to win eight races and never win a championship is loopy. So it simply tells you the quantity of competitors
“This hasn’t even sunk in but. It simply blows my thoughts, No one knew if I used to be gonna go half the yr and neglect the best way to do issues and for my sponsors to stay on board with us and simply the yr, it has been phenomenal. I saved leaning on ‘Guido’ [Antonelli] and to win 5 races was loopy as a brand new workforce proprietor. I informed ‘Guido ‘earlier than the ultimate spherical, ‘It is loopy. We each grew up crew guys and had been going to win a world championship collectively our first yr.”
Along with his 5 wins, Capps additionally collected three runner-ups and 6 No. 1 qualifying berths.