In a rematch of the 2022 Texas NHRA FallNationals Funny Car final round, three-time world champion Ron Capps came up .011 seconds short to four-time world champion Matt Hagan Sunday evening at the Texas Motorplex. It was the second consecutive final round for Capps and his NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra after taking runner-up honors in St. Louis. Capps, who won the 2022 edition of the FallNationals, maintained his fourth-place position in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car points standings with just two races left in the season.
Capps and crew chief Dean ‘Guido’ Antonelli got a solid baseline in the first qualifying session with a 3.947 E.T. at 320.15 mph to sit No. 8. In the primetime, throw-down second session on Friday night, Capps recorded a 3.862-second pass at 331.44 mph. It was the fastest pass of the season for Capps and the Ron Capps Motorsports team, moving him up to the provisional No. 5 spot. The third qualifying session on Saturday was a tricky one for Capps and many of his Funny Car competitors, but he stepped back up in the final session. His 3.899-second blast at 329.62 mph was the quickest pass of the session, earning three bonus points for the No. 5 qualified Capps.
Capps faced Dave Richards in Sunday’s opening round of eliminations. The NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra had to sit on the starting line longer than normal when Richards had trouble backing up from his burnout. Capps maintained his cool and left the starting line first, then charged to a 3.912 E.T. at 328.42 to get the win over a tire-smoking Richards. In the second round, Capps tied Austin Prock for the second-quickest pass of the round when he beat Blake Alexander with a 3.945 E.T., while Alexander smoked the tires. The semifinals saw Capps line up against points leader Prock, but the race was over before it began. Prock had to shut off before staging, giving Capps a free pass to the final round. Capps and Antonelli took advantage of the opportunity, firing off low E.T. of the round and the second-quickest time of race day, a 3.900 E.T. at 328.83 mph.
Capps rolled into the final round with lane choice over Hagan, the reigning world champion. Capps in his NAPA Auto Care hot rod was quicker down-track with a 3.934 E.T. at 328.28 mph, but Hagan left first and posted a 3.943 E.T. to get the win on a holeshot.
“It’s been fun the last few races, climbing our way back up (the points standings),” said Capps, a three-time Dallas winner. “Coming off a final round in St. Louis a couple weeks ago, it’s great to build off that momentum. This race is a big-time momentum race, either good or bad. It’s great in some way with another final-round finish, but it almost hurts worse losing in the final and being that close. But I cannot say enough how happy I am with our NAPA Auto Care team. I’m just happy to go down the track all the runs we did with power. It’s a big-time, important thing.”
Capps will continue chasing his first win of the season in two weeks at the NHRA Nevada Nationals, Nov. 1 – 3, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
This story was originally published on October 14, 2024. 
