FUNNY CAR

Ron Capps and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund/NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team won for the third time in the past four races on Sunday in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and extended their championship points lead to 130 after the 12th of 24 events of the season.

The fourth win of the season and 49th win of Capps' career ties him with legendary Don Prudhomme for 11th on the NHRA all-time nitro wins list and also extends NAPA's championship points lead to 130 at the midway point of the 24-race Mello Yello season.

For Capps, his third win in the past four weeks and fourth of the season, shows continued dominance by his Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund/NAPA team led by crew chief Rahn Tobler and assistant Eric Lane. The win helped overcome mild disappointment of qualifying second at Norwalk that ended the team's run of three straight poles.

"It feels awesome." Capps said. "This is one of the only two tracks where I hadn't won. It's just a great place to race and now I have a trophy from Norwalk."

Capps wants to be sure his crew gets their due credit. "I want Tobler to get the recognition for another race when all eight runs down the track were in the 3-second range. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to be driving this NAPA Dodge. Four runs in 3 seconds on a hot day like this ... that's a big deal.

"What Rahn Tobler and this NAPA team is doing right now is just old-fashioned hard work and using their NAPA Know How. It's not bolting on one piece or bolting on headers, it's these guy working their tails off. Eric, his assistant, is going to get this trophy.

"Rahn is all about the big picture. He's not just a good crew chief, he's a good racer. I love when he points at me in the windshield before a run. It gives me all the confidence in the world. I've been around this long enough to know this won't last forever.

"Our NAPA guys have been giving me a perfect racecar."

Courtney Force advanced to the Funny Car final round for the second time this season in the Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS and 16th time in her career, while John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight reached the semifinal round.

Hight, who registered a personal-best 3.886-second pass in the second round of qualifications in the new Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS, defeated John Force Racing teammate John Force in the second round. Force, driving the PEAK Antifreeze Chevrolet Camaro SS, ran 3.998 seconds to Hight’s 3.982 pass. Force recorded his 13th round win of the season and 1,243rd of his career in eliminating Matt Hagan in Round 1.