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ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - A year ago, Roland Leong was only six days into his new job as crew chief on Don "The Snake" Prudhomme's Copenhagen Racing Camaro Funny Car and driver Ron Capps had just one round win in seven races as the team arrived for the Mopar Parts Nationals, May 15-17, at Raceway Park. If there were any who doubted Leong's capabilities back then, few do now. In the past 22 NHRA Winston Series races, Capps has won four times and been second twice. He became the category's first to exceed 315 mph, and his two wins and one runner-up last season helped lift him from a dismal 15th into a surprising fifth place finish. This time around, Capps already has notched two victories and been to the finals in three of the first seven races, and he's second in the standings with 499 points, 54 behind pacesetting John Force. The Cope team arrives on a winning note. Capps defeated Force in the Lone Star Nationals finals (May 3) in Ennis, Texas. "We're always excited going to Raceway Park because the track always seems to produce good numbers. (Owner) Vinnie Napp always has a great track," Capps said. "And this is our first anniversary with Roland as crew chief. What a difference he's made." Leong and the crew had been struggling recently, attempting to find a gremlin that was causing the engine to drop cylinders. It looked like they'd succeeded during Saturday qualifying at the Lone Star Nationals. Capps jumped from 13th to fourth with a 4.946-second, 301.20 mph effort. He followed with a 4.924 at 310.88 mph - the quickest run of the first round of eliminations - before more problems set in. Capps, however, still defeated Del Worsham in the second round and Frank Pedregon in the semis before facing Force. "We've been struggling, struggling, struggling for two straight races," Capps noted. "At Dallas, I was in the lowest valleys and highest peaks of my career. I worried about us qualifying. Roland was worried. These (crew) guys pulled it off. When we ran the 4.92 in the first round, I knew we could do it again, then the engine dropped cylinders in the next two rounds. Force had been running 4.90s all day and I thought we might be in trouble." "When I hit the pedal (against Force in the finals), the car took off," Capps continued. "I said if he's going to beat me he's going to have to catch up soon." Force wasn't going to reel in Capps because the tires on Force's car lost traction. Not even an engine malfunction in Capps' car prevented him from winning with a 4.960-second, 292.39 mph clocking. Force finished with a 6.463 at 146.93 mph. "After all the trouble we'd been having, the win in Dallas was very, very satisfying," said Leong. "What's also satisfying is to struggle like we did and then find the problems. We know we're a contender (for the championship), and it's going to be a really good points race the rest of the season." "We've had problems ever since Pomona (Calif., site of the season-opening Winternationals, which Capps won). Little things got to us. Now we're slowly trying different things to improve the performance. Every race you win gives you more confidence." Prudhomme, a six-time winner at Raceway Park during his driving career, was "really happy with the way Roland and the crew turned the Funny Car around. We were struggling the last few races, pulling our hair out, testing and working. We finally found it. It only takes a little to be off a lot. The whole Cope Camaro crew is real dedicated to the cause. No matter what happens, they're right there." And "right there" is where Capps, Leong and crew hope to be in the championship chase as it continues for six more months and 15 races. Mopar Nationals qualifying is scheduled Friday at 3 and 7 p.m., and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Ron Capps won 23 rounds of racing in 15 races with Leong last year. In the first seven '98 races, Capps already has won 13 rounds.
Capps' career bests are: 4.889 seconds (Houston, 1998); 315.45 mph (Houston,
1998)
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