Thu, 17 Sep 2026, 22:15 PM Ron Capps Motorsports Preview

Courtesy of Allison McCormick, ABM Communications

Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by MOPAR
Event 15 of 20
Countdown event 1 of 6
US 131 Motorsports Park
Martin, Mich.
Sept. 18 - 20, 2026

RON CAPPS Driver of the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car

Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 2nd (-17 points)

Last Event (Indianapolis):
Qualified No. 1; Semifinal finish (defeated John Smith in E1, Daniel Wilkerson in E2; defeated by Matt Hagan in E3)

2026 Statistics:
14 races; three wins, one runner-up finish, three No. 1 qualifiers

Career Statistics:
• 682 races; 80 wins, 40 No. 1 qualifiers
• Career-best E.T.: 3.821 seconds (Pomona 2, 2024)
• Career-best speed: 339.28 mph (Reading 2019)

Noteworthy: • Enters the six-race 2026 NHRA Countdown to the Championship ranked second in the Funny Car standings. A 17-point deficit (less than one competition round) separates Capps from the No. 1 ranked driver • Capps is in pursuit of his fourth NHRA Funny Car world championship and second as a team owner (2016, 2021, 2022) • Both Ron Capps Motorsports drivers will carry increased OKUMA branding at this weekend's inaugural Martin, Mich. event as part of a six-race collaboration with the global leader in machine tool design and manufacturing

Fan Events:
• Friday, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools Outlaw trailer • Saturday, 10:00 - 10:30 a.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools Outlaw trailer

Quotable:
"To bounce back in qualifying at the U.S. Nationals and get ahead in the points where we were in a good position to try and win the regular-season championship, that was not only difficult to do, but not something we've seen many teams be able to pull off. All four of us fighting to win the regular-season championship came into Indy with the same goal in mind - try and get those little points, and to do what we did, in those conditions, is still so impressive to me. Obviously, we're disappointed that we're not starting from first, but I feel it's only motivating us more. I know I've said it a few times before, but I was shocked we had three diamond Wallys and the season we'd had so far, knowing that whole time Guido still didn't feel comfortable with the tune-up yet. So, as he continues to get more and more comfortable, obviously we're just going to keep running better and better, and it's clear he's comfortable now and that couldn't have come at a better time than the start to the Countdown."

MADDI GORDON Driver of the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel Dragster

Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 6th (-79 points)

Last Event (Indianapolis):
Qualified 13th; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Billy Torrence in E1; defeated by Leah Pruett in E2)

2026/Career Statistics:
• 14 races; one win, one runner-up finish
• Career-best E.T.: 3.695 seconds (Brainerd 2026)
• Career-best speed: 340.22 mph (Valdosta 2026)

Noteworthy:
• Making her 2026 Countdown to the Championship playoff debut at this weekend's inaugural event
• The Rookie of the Year contender begins her Top Fuel title campaign from the No. 6 seed in the Mission Foods point standings. She enters the weekend 79 points (or four competition rounds) out of first
• Gordon's Carlyle Tools dragster will carry increased OKUMA branding at this weekend's inaugural Martin, Mich. event as part of a six-race collaboration with the global leader in machine tool design and manufacturing

Fan Events:
• Friday, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools Outlaw trailer
• Saturday, 10:00 - 10:30 a.m., Ron Capps Motorsports driver autograph session, Carlyle Tools Outlaw trailer

Quotable:
"It is officially that time of the season - we are starting the Countdown to the Championship, race one of six. These are the most important races of the year, and we've spent the first 14 preparing for this moment. Collecting data, researching, practicing; all for these six races, and I'm very excited for that.

"It'll be not only my first Countdown to the Championship, but also the first for a couple of our Carlyle Tools guys, and we're all going into this together as a team. I truly believe we have the best group of guys, and there's nobody else I'd rather go into battle with on a Sunday morning than our Carlyle Tools boys. We're going to a brand-new race track for everybody. So, we're going in with the same amount of data as everyone else, and that's zero. It's going to be cool, it's going to be fast, it's going to be exciting. The pressure's on but we're going to keep our heads down, go to work, and focus on taking it one round at a time."

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