Ron Capps and the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team, led by crew chief Rahn Tobler, delivered Capps his first NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championship after being runner-up a record four times.

Don Schumacher Racing also collected the $500,000 bonus for the championship at the end of qualifying Saturday evening in the NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif.

Capps starts Sunday’s eliminations with a lead of 92 points over Mopar teammate Matt Hagan and the most a driver can earn during Sunday eliminations is 80.

“I really haven’t slept well since the Countdown started after Labor Day,” said Capps, who, under NHRA rules lost a lead of 202 points when he won the regular season title after 18 races. Points were reset to start the six-race Countdown for the 10 championship contenders.

“It really came together, but man, what a fight. My stomach has been in a knot since Indy. I’m not sure I’ll sleep tonight. It hasn’t sunk in. I have to tell you that the trophy should be broken into a trillion pieces and given to all our fans. We have the best fans.

“I’ve been afraid to do anything all week. I was like bubble wrapped – I didn’t want to hurt myself. I didn’t want to start a speech. I was afraid to jinx anything.”  Capps and Tobler started the quest for the world championship with a win at the season-opening Winternationals event here in Pomona when he defeated 2015 world champ Del Worsham.

For Crew Chief Tobler, it is his fourth world championship as crew chief and first with DSR; he won two with Shirley Muldowney in Top Fuel and one with Cruz Pedregon in Funny Car.

“I can’t even tell you how focused Rahn Tobler has been this year,” said Capps, who was the series runner-up in 1998, 2000, 2005 and 2012. “I almost gave up trying so hard and wishing so hard, and just focused on winning races. With everything we got this year – my 50th career win, passing some people I really looked up to in the sport with wins – that’s mind-boggling for me.

“This was the toughest Funny Car class ever and the 50th anniversary of the Funny Car, which was awesome. What a great, great season.”

This is the fourth time since 2005 that DSR has won both nitro world championships: Antron Brown in Top Fuel and Capps this year, Tony Schumacher and Matt Hagan in 2014, Brown and Jack Beckman in 2012 and Schumacher and Gary Scelzi in 2005.

“This is epic,” Capps said after receiving the Mello Yello champion’s jacket and dinner-plate sized gold medal that he called “My Mr. T starter kit.”