Force started the event in his blue Camaro body, but it hit the wall in the final qualifying session and Force moved to basic black. (Joel Gelfand photo)

The 16-time NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car champion, John Force, was racing for his ninth Auto Club Finals win but unfortunately the driver of the PEAK Antifreeze Chevrolet Camaro came up .005 seconds short of defeating Tommy Johnson Jr. for the second time in the Countdown. The winningest driver in NHRA history outran some of his toughest competitors, starting with Cruz Pedregon, Ron Capps and Jack Beckman to set up another epic final round.

John Force was racing Cruz Pedregon for the 101st time and it was Force picking up his 68th round win over the two-time champion. Pedregon jumped the start but Force’s 3.964-second run would have been too much for the No. 13 qualifier. (Tim Marshall photo)

Ron Capps had been a runner-up four times before finally breaking through to the championship this year. Leading in the points for most of the season, he locked up the championship during qualifying on Saturday evening.

Out with the old (Del Worsham, far lane) and in with the new 2016 Funny Car champion. (Ron Lewis photo)

Capps, driver of the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T, had a 92-point lead over second-place Matt Hagan when qualifying concluded and needed an 81-point lead to clinch. Before being crowned, Capps was the winningest driver, with 50 victories, to have not won a championship.

“I can’t even tell you how focused [crew chief] Rahn Tobler has been this year,” said Capps, who was the series runner-up in 1998, 2000, 2005 and 2012. “I almost gave up the chance of trying so hard and wishing so hard and just focused on winning races. With all the accolades I got this year – my 50th career win, passing some people I really looked up to in the sport with wins – that’s mind-boggling for me. This was the toughest Funny Car class ever and the 50th anniversary of the Funny Car, which was awesome. What a great, great season.”