BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 9, 2026) – Ron Capps, the winningest NHRA Funny Car driver in Bristol Dragway history, has been named the 2026 honoree for the prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley, historic Bristol Dragway’s Hall of Fame.
Capps, 60, will be officially inducted into the Legends of Thunder Valley during pre-race ceremonies for the 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 12-14, round No. 9 of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. He becomes only the third driver to be inducted while still an active participant, joining John Force and Tony Schumacher.
Capps is the 24th inductee in the Legends of Thunder Valley and joins the exclusive club that also includes Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, NHRA founder Wally Parks, John Force, Don Schumacher, Shirley Muldowney, Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher, Scotty Cannon, and last year’s inductee Del Worsham, to name a few.
He will be presented with the customary Legends of Thunder Valley plaque by Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway president and general manager Jerry Caldwell during Sunday’s pre-race ceremonies, which begin at 11 a.m. ET. The accompanying signage showcasing his name in brilliant red will be installed upon the grandstand suite fascia as part of the ceremony.
“Ron has put fans on their feet at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals cheering him on for decades and has found a way to Winner’s Circle here on many occasions,” Caldwell said. “Ron has done it all at Bristol, including winning races, earning No. 1 qualifying positions, setting track performance records and he’s done it with a big smile on his face the whole time. Not only is Ron one of the sport’s greatest champions, but he’s also one of its most dynamic ambassadors and we are thrilled to recognize and induct him today as the 2026 Legend of Thunder Valley honoree.”
Capps has earned an incredible eight NHRA Funny Car victories during NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals competition over parts of three decades. The Carlsbad, Calif. driver claimed wins in 2001, 2006, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2025. What’s most impressive, is that he’s won those races with a variety of different team owners and crew chiefs over the years, showing his versatility as a pilot of the challenging 12,000-plus horsepower short-wheel-base machine where the engine sits in front of the driver and the flip-up body closes down and latches before each 330-mph run down the dragstrip.
In addition to recently making the move to become his own team owner, Capps previously drove for a pair of the sport’s legends: Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Don Schumacher. Both Prudhomme and Schumacher are already members of the Legends of Thunder Valley. His roster of all-star crew chiefs over the years have included Ed McCulloch, Rahn Tobler, John Medlen and Dean Antonelli.
In addition to his Bristol victories, Capps has also earned a Bristol runner-up finish to Matt Hagan in 2015 and a No. 1 Qualifying Award at Bristol in 2016. Capps also holds the Bristol Dragway track ET record at 3.884 seconds, set in June of 2016.
In his career, Capps is a three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion and has scored 79 career Funny Car victories. He has career-best performances of 3.821 seconds (2024 Pomona, California) and 339.28 mph (2019 Reading, Pa.). With two victories this season, coming at Phoenix and Charlotte, Capps is the current Funny Car points leader in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Guests are invited to come out and celebrate with Capps, June 12-14 at Thunder Valley. He will be featured in several autograph sessions, including Saturday night’s popular Fan Fest in the Pits.
As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.
In addition to Capps, fans will get to see plenty of NHRA stars during the weekend, like recent Bristol winners Austin Prock, Justin Ashley, Doug Kalitta, a three-time Bristol winner, motorsports icon Tony Stewart, who is making his third Bristol Dragway start, four-time Top Fuel champ Steve Torrence, three-time champ Antron Brown, Virginia cattle rancher and four-time world champ Matt Hagan and recent four-time season Top Fuel winner Shawn Langdon who posted the sport’s first 345 mph speed in competition.
On Friday night, in addition to night qualifying and fireworks, fans will be treated to some bonus racing with the held-over final rounds from last weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals in New Hampshire. Langdon will face Leah Pruett in the Top Fuel final, while Jordan Vandergriff will line up against Jack Beckman in the Funny Car final. This is the second time in history that delayed finals from New England have moved to Bristol.
The high-revving Pro Stock category returns to action at Bristol with some new faces leading the way including points leader Dallas Glenn, the father-son tandem of Greg and Aaron Stanfield and two-time season winner Matt Hartford. Meanwhile, series veterans and multi-time champs Greg Anderson, Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr. are ready to return to their winning ways. All three drivers are three-time Pro Stock winners at Bristol.
The 200-mph Pro Stock Motorcycle class also returns this season and Bristol has produced five winners in five seasons: Richard Gadson, Gaige Herrera, Steve Johnson, Angelle Sampey and Jerry Savoie. Matt Smith and Angie Smith, Chase Van Sant, John Hall, Ryan Oehler and Clayton Howey are all top contenders.
The JBS Equipment Pro Mod Drag Racing Series also will return to Bristol Dragway along with the NHRA Lucas Oil Series and the Factory Stock Showdown.
Fans also will want to visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.
There are three major events that fans definitely won’t want to miss, including Friday’s Nitro at Night qualifying session where the Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars “light their candles” and power down the drag strip at more than 330-mph as flames erupt out of their header pipes. That session is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. A brilliant fireworks show will complete the racing on Friday.
On Saturday, race officials will host the popular Fan Fest in the Pits, where many of the top drivers are available to meet with fans and sign autographs. This event begins 30 minutes after the final nitro qualifying session and is held in the large Guest Welcome Center tent in the pro pit area near the second tunnel.
The other is the Sealmaster TrackWalk on Sunday morning prior to pre-race ceremonies. Join NHRA drivers and NHRA officials as they walk the famed Bristol Dragway quarter-mile strip before racing begins.
Qualifying for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins Friday, June 12 with a pair of pro sessions, the first at 6 p.m. and the second under the lights at 8 p.m. The final two rounds of qualifying are set for Saturday, June 13, at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and will include the popular bonus program Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, June 14.
Friday’s 90-minute qualifying show will air on FS1 at 8 p.m. (ET), and be followed by another hour qualifying show on Sunday at 2 p.m. (ET), also on FS1. Sunday’s three-hour final eliminations show will air at 3 p.m. (ET) on FS1.
Single-day Friday tickets start as low as $35 for adults. Saturday adult tickets start at $60 and Sunday’s tickets start at $50. All grandstand tickets for kids 12 and under are free on Friday and $12 each day on the weekend with a paid adult. Discounted weekend packages and limited premium seating are also available.
To purchase your reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway at (866) 415-4158. Tickets also are available online by visiting the BMS website.
LEGENDS OF THUNDER VALLEY
2026 – Ron Capps, Funny Car
2025 – Del Worsham, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2024 – Shirley Muldowney, Top Fuel
2023 – Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel
2022 – Don Prudhomme, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2021 – Scotty Cannon, Pro Mod / Funny Car
2019 – Ted Jones, promoter / drag racing visionary
2018 – Mark Oswald, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2017 – Doug Herbert, Top Fuel
2016 – John Force, Funny Car
2015 – Carl Moore, Bristol Dragway founder
2015 – Connie Kalitta, NHRA pioneer/Top Fuel/Funny Car
2014 – Don Schumacher, NHRA team owner / Funny Car pioneer
2013 – Warren Johnson, Pro Stock
2012 – Gene Fulton, Engine Builder
2011 – Jeff Byrd, Bristol President and GM / RJ Reynolds marketing
2010 – Shirl Greer, Funny Car
2009 – Dale Pulde, Funny Car
2008 – Ronnie Sox & Buddy Martin, Pro Stock
2007 – Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports / Bristol Dragway owner
2007 – Wally Parks, NHRA founder
2007 – Don Garlits, Top Fuel
2007 – Larry Carrier, Bristol Dragway founder
2007 – Rickie Smith, Pro Stock / Pro Mod
About Bristol Dragway
Affectionately known as “Thunder Valley,” Bristol Dragway is nestled between two mountains in northeast Tennessee near the Virginia state line and sits adjacent to the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. In 2026, the historic dragstrip is celebrating its 61st anniversary and is scheduled to play host to numerous major events including the fan-favorite Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, a marquee event in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Other key events at the Dragway in 2026 include the DER Bracket Series, Summit Racing Equipment Thunder Valley Street Fights series, BTE World Footbrake Challenge races, PDRA Thunder Valley Throwdown, JEG Summer Fling, RAD Fall Fling 500K, and the NHRA Jr. Drags Eastern Conference Finals. Bristol Dragway also transforms into a premier outdoor concert venue for the world’s greatest music performers and becomes The Thunder Valley Amphitheatre presented by Ballad Health. With more than 50 event days each season and serving as the longtime starting point for The Food City Speedway in Lights holiday spectacular, Bristol Dragway continues to be one of the busiest drag racing facilities in the nation. For more information, please visit www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/dragway.
