FUNNY CAR

When Ron Capps beat Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan in the championship round, it marked his 24th win with DSR and the 39th of his NHRA pro career.

Capps with crew chief Rahn Tobler and assistant John Collins produced four runs Sunday between 4.037 seconds and the 4.064 he ran in the final against Hagan, who slowed to a 4.158.

"This new car really likes to be planted early, and so Tobler has been working on a new clutch package," said Capps, who won for the third time at Firebird.

"In (the final qualifying session Saturday), we finally found out what it really liked. And when you give Tobler a new combination that works, he's going to 'bracket car' it to death," he said of Tobler's penchant for consistency.

The combination of being runner-up at Pomona and Capps' win Sunday moved the NAPA team to first in the Mello Yello standings after two of 24 events.

"We're starting to feel like we're getting into the same rhythm that we were in last year when we went to six finals in a row," Capps said. "I think that both Rahn and I built up some confidence in each other at Pomona, and now here."

For Matt Hagan, Sunday's eliminations at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway were like a preview of a blockbuster movie.