There are tough ways to start a racing season and TOUGH ways to start a racing season. This would be more the latter than the former. Ron Capps, Rahn Tobler, and the entire NAPA nitro funny car team are in the middle of a thrash for their season and it has not even begun yet. The team experienced a bad trailer fire when transporting their race cars to pre-season testing in Las Vegas this week. As we can see from the photos below, it appears a brake fire engulfed part of the trailer. The charred funny car chassis and damaged equipment are resultant of that happening.
The good news for this team is that they are among the most experienced and battle hardened on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour. If anyone can actually overcome this disaster and arrive at Pomona with the ability to still be competitive, it is these guys. The lost runs in testing will hurt, though. How? Testing is not about making revolutionary changes in your program anymore, it is designed to figure out a clutch disc package, to work on some ideas about getting the car down the track, and to knock the rust off the driver. Ron Capps doesn’t have rust. He will not look like he has rust. The crew guys do not have rust, they’ll be jamming. Rahn Tobler will not have rust, he’s awesome.
We’re guessing that the first couple of qualifying runs will be interesting because after all, they’ll be the first passes that the car makes for the entire season in an absolute fashion. This is going to be one of the most compelling situations to follow at the NHRA Winternationals next weekend, stay tuned.
We wish the NAPA team the best in their 2020 season and hopefully this incident will do nothing more than reveal the strength and experience of the team and organization!
The photos of the aftermath of the fire are below – tough stuff and the thrash is on!
Hey, if nobody got hurt they will over come just fine. First class teams always do.
Watch em win the 2020 funny car championship there gonna come out swinging like Mohamed Ali and kick butt
They were @ their normal hotel a bit early for the Winternationals on 1/31/20 in Chino Hills. CA. (Ayres Suites), & on Sat., 2/1, they had the new trailer & all of inventory, the 2 cars, & were working in the parking lot (plenty on room) getting ready for the Winternationals!
Glad nobody got hurt that\’s all that matters.
I bet Don will crack heads on trailer maintenance from now on.
Sure looks ugly! Hope at least the chassis are salvageable.
Ya…you have to wonder about heat damage to the tubing. Probably throw aways
MAN, hate to see that for Ron and the team. GOOD LUCK!
Godspeed getting ready for the season..may it only get better from here!
Sorry to see that Ron you will come back an somke everyone u the man
Totally uncalled for they should be torn down at the end every season and checked not saving money it’s only about five thousand to replace everything and labor brakes, drums ,seals ,cam bushing and chambers you lost lot more that in two cars citing corner never save money
DSR has the depth to overcome this. Definitely a setback though. Luckily no one was hurt and this will just be a blip in the rearview before long.
Nice pictures! Your welcome.