It was a big weekend for two of NHRA drag racing’s “good guys” as Antron Brown got his 50th career top fuel win and Ron Capps won for the 60th time in his nitro soaked drag racing career. The neat thing about the Capps victory is that it is his 59th in funny car. His first win came in 1995 at Seattle driving Roger Primm’s privately funded top fuel dragster. Capps claims it was that win that caused Don Prudhomme to pay attention to him and ultimately hire him. Capps took down Courtney Force in the final round, thwarting the John Force Racing team’s effort to sweep the western swing on the NHRA tour.
For Antron Brown, this win was a long time coming. The multiple-time NHRA top fuel champion, driving the MATCO Tools, US Army, Toyota top fuel dragster garnered his first victory of the season and the first since Brian Corradi left Don Schumcher Racing and went to the John Force camp. Mark Oswald and Brad Mason did an awesome job tuning the car and Antron did a great job driving as the team marched through the rounds and beat Leah Pritchett in the finals.
Brown’s 66th career victory overall (16 in pro stock bike) was also his 50th top fuel win and very few men have made that landmark number in NHRA history. Brown is now three national event wins (combined) behind Kenny Bernstein on the all-time list. The timing of the victory is fortuitous for Brown because the NHRA is one race away rom the US Nationals and the start of the season’s “Countdown” to determine championships. Gelling at this time of the year is really the right way to make a great championship run. Can they do it?
I think Capps is one of the really good guys, not just as a driver, but as a person. I’m elated for him and this 60th victory. It’s a bit of a shame the end of run interview was so corperate, when I’ve seen real passion from Ron. I guess that’s how they are told it has to be. Pouring Mellow Yellow (yuck) on the Wally? Isn’t that waterboarding? 🙂 I’d also like to thank my sponsers….