Ron Capps, Don Schumacher Racing’s reigning NHRA Funny Car world champion, has been nominated to receive an ESPY in the “Best Driver” category at the annual ESPN awards program on July 12.
Capps is being honored for winning the 2016 NHRA Funny Car world championship and five of the first 11 races this season with the NAPA AUTO PARTS 2017 Dodge Charger R/T team led by crew chief Rahn Tobler.
Other nominees in the category this year include: Lewis Hamilton (Formula One), Simon Pagenaud (IndyCar) and NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr.
“What we did with our NAPA AUTO PARTS team last year was huge after trying to win the championship for about 20 years,” Capps said of his Don Schumacher Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team.
“Just to be nominated in that group is unbelievable.”
Nominees were selected for their performances over the past 12 months, during which Capps and the NAPA team won eight titles and the 2016 world championship the first of his 22-year career.
Capps joins DSR teammate Tony Schumacher, a two-time nominee, and former teammate Melanie Troxel as previous ESPY nominees. He is a longtime friend of Southern California neighbor Johnson and a one-time NAPA AUTO PARTS teammate of Truex.
“It will be fun to see our NHRA nation and all the NHRA fans try to beat those guys from NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula One.
“It will be a star-studded night and just to go there will be something I’ll never forget.”
The 25th edition of the ESPY awards will be hosted by Peyton Manning and televised live on ABC from the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The flagship event is the one night where the sports world joins together to celebrate the best moments of the year.
Fans will have the chance to select the winners by voting online or via mobile at ESPN.com/ESPYS until the show begins on July 12.
The ESPYS and related events benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research in memory of the late Jim Valvano. At the first annual ESPYS back in 1993, “Jimmy V” accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage award, and reminded us to live each day to the fullest, and asked for our help in raising money for cancer research. Keep his dream alive by telling fans to #BeInspired.
This story was originally published on June 24, 2017. 
