The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season opened in memorable fashion for three-time Funny Car world champion Ron Capps and his Ron Capps Motorsports organization Friday at the NHRA Gatornationals. Just hours after announcing a new partnership with Monster Energy and debuting as a two-car team with Maddi Gordon and Carlyle Tools, Capps powered his NAPA Auto Care Funny Car to the provisional pole, putting him on track to pick up the 38th No. 1 qualifier of his career Saturday at Gainesville Raceway.
As the only Funny Car driver to dip into the 3.8-second range, Capps’ Q2 run of 3.890 seconds at 334.07 mph launched him to the top of the Funny Car pack. The performance marked an early-season statement from Capps and his Dean “Guido” Antonelli-led NAPA Auto Care team as they begin their pursuit of a fourth world championship.
“Today has been unbelievable,” Capps said. “Big week for our Ron Capps Motorsports team. First race of the year, Maddi is doing such a tremendous job. We announced the addition of Monster Energy earlier today and to now finish the night here, it’s just incredible. This is crazy to be No. 1; I didn’t expect it being the second pair out. Guido looked at the numbers, and we probably would’ve run in the low 80s had we been later in the session. That first run, we had some issues. We have a brand-new body, and it was on a great run and the left parachute kind of wiggled out. Being up so early in that second session, we thought for sure cars behind us would outrun us, but to run in the 80s like we did when the conditions were still warmer was awesome.”
While delivering his post-qualifying remarks from the Gainesville Raceway media center, Capps watched Gordon make her first-ever night run, a solid 3.861 E.T. at 319.29 mph that placed her in the provisional No. 15 spot out of 18 cars vying for a place in Sunday’s elimination rounds. As he looked on, Capps reflected on the unique perspective that comes with balancing his role as both driver and team owner.
“Being a team owner these past few years, it really made me have a whole new level of respect for the Cruz Pedregons, the Tim Wilkersons, the John Forces of our industry. And now with Maddi, I have no idea how Force did it all those years lining up next to his daughters. I’m a mess watching Maddi, and she’s not even a relative, but I’m a nervous wreck. I don’t know how these owner-drivers did it all these years, but I’ve certainly got a lot more respect now.”
The fifth-year team owner will look to maintain his position atop the Funny Car timing sheets when qualifying resumes on Saturday with Top Fuel kicking off at 12:15 p.m. ET. Capps, who finished as the event runner-up in 2025, is seeking his third Gainesville Raceway No. 1 qualifier award. He is a four-time winner at the facility.
This story was originally published on March 7, 2026. 
