Last Updated on November 12, 2016 by CCAR Staff
I sat near the top of the grandstands at the Fairplex late Thursday afternoon watching Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying for the NHRA Finals on a perfect Southern California day.
I just needed a little time to be a fan and not thinking about what lies ahead before my Napa Auto Parts team and Rahn Tobler, who has become a great friend over the past five years along with being a hall-of-fame crew chief, and my Don Schumacher Racing team continue to work at maybe finishing today as the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world champion.
If not today, then maybe Sunday during elimination.
Am I tired of being asked about winning my first Funny Car world championship after finishing as the runner-up four times? Yes. The only time I want “bridesmaid” tied to my name again is when my beautiful daughter, Taylor, gets married and that better not be for a long time.
This isn’t to upset my friends, fans and even family but I might resort to some of my amateur wrestling moves on the next person who asks if I’m OK.
They mean well, I know. They’re just concerned about how I feel about this last race of the season with an 89-point lead over my DSR teammate Matt Hagan and for the first time getting to start the season’s final event with the points lead.
Well, hell yeah I’m OK. But it’s not just because we’re leading the points with Tobler, (assistant) Eric Lane and our Napa Know How crew that has already given me the greatest season of my career.
I’m more than OK. I just have to look at my beautiful, supportive wife, Shelley, who convinced me to go on the road as a full-time drag racer more than 20 years ago.
Taylor, who’s 20 and in junior college, earned her Super Comp competition license a few weeks ago in Doug Foley’s Pure Speed drag racing school at Fontana. When we lost the championship by two points in 2012, she hugged me and cried. You never want to see your little girl cry. This year I want my angel to hug me at the end of the day with happy tears.
And then there’s my wonderfully wacky son Caden who’s 15 and makes me laugh all the time. Thanks to my great friend and reigning Funny Car world champion Del Worsham, Caden started to race in the NHRA Jr. Dragster youth program earlier this year to become the third generation of Capps to become a drag racer.
None of this would have happened were it not for my parents, John and Betty. They were drag racers before I was born. People think I’m joking when I say I was conceived at one of their races; they insist it isn’t a joke.
We’ll be a world champion today, tomorrow or next year. And if it doesn’t happen … heck yeah I’m OK. Just look at my life with or without the big trophy.
We were able to pick up three more points on Matt when we were the quickest in Friday’s first session and are lead is now 89, but I’m not counting on anything until it’s over.
