CAPPS REACHES MIDWEST NATIONALS FINALS FOR SEVENTH TIME, JUST FALLING SHORT
Toyota leads Top Fuel points standings halfway through the Countdown
MADISON, Ill. (October 1, 2023) – Reaching the finals of the Midwest Nationals seemed far-fetched for Ron Capps after a difficult two days of qualifying. But with the determination of he and his team, Capps reached his second consecutive finals appearance, and third overall, at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway where he came up just short to Matt Hagan. Capps’ valiant effort helped Toyota reach its 20th consecutive NHRA event finals in Funny Car or Top Fuel.
Capps heads into the second half of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship fourth in the Funny Car points standings, with J.R Todd in sixth and Alexis DeJoria in eighth.
In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence led the Toyota charge with a semifinal appearance, where he was defeated by Leah Pruett. Even with its category win streak snapped at seven, Toyota drivers still hold strong in the Top Fuel points standings. Doug Kalitta leads the points after his two wins to start the Countdown, followed by Torrence in third, Justin Ashley in fourth and Antron Brown in fifth.
The Countdown to the Championship continues in two weeks at Texas Motorplex and the Texas Fall Nationals Oct. 12-15.
Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
Race 18 of 21
TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Final Result | Round-by-Round |
| Steve Torrence | Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Semi-finals | W 3.741 vs. J. Hart (No Run) W 3.738 vs. J Ashley (3.815) L 3.825 vs. L. Pruett (3.772) |
| Justin Ashley | Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Second Round | W 3.769 vs. T. Zizzo (5.507) L 3.815 vs. S. Torrence (3.783) |
| Antron Brown | Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Second Round | W 3.718 vs. K. Wurtzel (3.848) L 3.896 vs. T. Schumacher (3.808) |
| Doug Kalitta | Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Second Round | W 7.737 vs. L. Joon (7.590) L 4.833 vs. L. Pruett (3.803) |
| Shawn Langdon | Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | First Round | L 3.765 vs. L Pruett (3.737) |
TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Final Result | Round-by-Round |
| Ron Capps | NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | Finalist | Holeshot W 3.998 vs. T Wilkerson (3.977) W 4.066 vs. A. Laughlin (4.263) W 4.014 vs. B. Alexander (4.803) L 4.025 vs. M. Hagan (3.991) |
| J.R. Todd | DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | Second Round | W 4.048 vs. B. Bode (4.302) L 9.245 vs. B. Alexander (6.689) |
| Alexis DeJoria | Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | First Round | L 5.104 vs. M. Hagan (3.961) |
TOYOTA QUOTES
RON CAPPS, NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Ron Capps Motorsports
FC Final Result: Finals
Can you take us through your weekend at the Midwest Nationals?
“A result like this always happens in the Countdown, whether you win the championship or not. I lost on a holeshot here last year to Robert and I was miserable, I was not fun to live with at home for that weekend. We talked about it Friday after qualifying that it was going to be a topsy turvy eliminations ladder because of the way some guys didn’t get down the track Friday night. We fought in the heat to qualify and really had a bizarre eliminations ladder. A lot of teams that qualify top five or so were scattered, and some didn’t have lane choice. It created a lot of crazy first and second round matchups with teams high in the Countdown. I knew going into today we were either going to lose a lot of ground or make some of the ground up. I bragged a lot about our guys winning the regular season and those points that came with it. We went out first round in Charlotte, and that is the reason we earned those points to not feel it. And today, I bragged on my guys to have the ‘Get Up and Go’ all day. The heat was incredible today, making the track very demanding. We knew Dickie (Venables) and Matt (Hagan) could run those types of numbers, and we were right there with them. He threw a pretty good light on me, and I saw his car out of my window and I was just hoping he would smoke the tires. It is going to be a battle and it is going to be like this from here on out. I’m really excited now going to Dallas.”
STEVE TORRENCE, Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing
TF Final Result: Semi-finals
How would you describe your day and weekend?
“Ultimately, not the outcome we’d like to have as we wanted to win the race, but so did everyone else. We had a really good Capco Contractors Toyota Supra all weekend. Consistency is going to be key in winning this championship. We need to try to maintain going to the semifinals or so every race and see what we can do. We have this three-race swing over with, so now it’s time to back and regroup and get ready for Texas here in a few weeks.”
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