MADISON, Ill. — Needing a big weekend to get back in the thick of the world championship hunt, Funny Car standout Ron Capps likely couldn’t have picked a better destination than World Wide Technology Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals.
For one, it’s a sponsor race for Capps and his NAPA Auto Care team, which automatically makes it a highlight for the three-time champ.
But it’s always a place where Capps has performed well over the years, winning a Funny Car-best four times. Entering the weekend fourth in points and 112 behind leader Matt Hagan, the past success in St. Louis gives Capps added confidence he can have a big weekend as the first half of the Countdown to the Championship comes to a close.
Ending on a positive – and perhaps winning – note would bode well for the final three races and Capps is hopeful his talented team can deliver this weekend in St. Louis, where he will also be honored as one of “Gateway’s Greatest” on Friday at the track.
“We’ve got some good events coming up, especially this weekend in St. Louis with the event being sponsored by NAPA,” said Capps, who has three Funny Car victories in 2026. “St. Louis has been a good track for me with a lot of wins, and a lot of great results. Of course, when you have so many NAPA people come out like they are, you want to show off.”
Last season, Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) each claimed wins.
The race is the 17th of 20 races during the 2026 season and marks the halfway point of the six-race Countdown to the Championship. It’s also a big one for Ron Capps Motorsports as Capps’ teammate, star rookie Maddi Gordon, will be sporting a NAPA Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster for the event.
That adds even more incentive for Capps, who will also try to leap past the likes of J.R. Todd, who sits in third, and Jordan Vandergriff, who is second in points and 84 back of Hagan. The three-time champ advanced to the quarterfinals at the first two Countdown races, but Capps knows he needs to advance further on raceday to have a chance to track down Hagan down the stretch.
“It’s a tight battle and we know who we’re going to have to fight for the championship,” Capps said. “But that being said, looking back at Rockingham and Michigan, you can’t count anybody out on race day. You don’t even want to not mention them, because you look at the top 12 cars in our class, and any of them are capable of winning on Sunday.”
