Funny Car’s Ron Capps has Sights on Win at 1,000th Funny Car Race at Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals

POMONA, CA – April 9, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Ron Capps got his hands on his first special diamond Wally for NHRA’s 75th anniversary season at the most recent race in Phoenix. As sweet as that was, there’s a chance for even more at this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Of course, there’s another diamond Wally on the line at one of NHRA’s most legendary races, but the weekend also marks the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history. There’s another special trophy for that, as well as the opportunity to capture a remarkable milestone win during NHRA’s special anniversary season.

Capps’ win in Phoenix gave the three-time Funny Car world champ 78 victories in his spectacular career – the most among active Funny Car drivers – but he never won one of the 100th race milestones. That could change this weekend in his 12,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra and the magnitude of the weekend isn’t lost on Capps.

“We’ve talked about celebrating 75 years of NHRA in 2026 for quite some time now, and I can’t think of a track with more legacy or that better signifies the history of our sport than Pomona, the birthplace of NHRA Drag Racing,” Capps said.

“How cool that it lines up where this weekend is the 1,000th Funny Car race. I’ve been lucky enough to not only be a part of some of the big ones, but also to have had a front row seat to some incredible matchups over the years with some of the biggest names, including my former boss, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme. The Winternationals is one of the most historic events, so you really couldn’t have drawn it up better.”

In 2025, Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Clay Millican (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) claimed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals wins. This year’s race will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage on Sunday, April 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. It is the third of 20 races and the loaded weekend that includes two rounds of qualifying on Friday and Saturday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty bonus race on Saturday and 75th anniversary celebrations like:

• An appearance from NHRA legend and six-time champion Kenny Bernstein, in honor of his historic 310-mph pass at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in 1994.
• Other legends scheduled to appear include milestone Funny Car winners Larson, Gray, Wilkerson and Force, as well as legends like Prudhomme, Richard Tharp, Gary Beck, Jim Dunn and more.
• On Friday, the first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a special NHRA 75th anniversary Winternationals event poster.

If Capps does nab the 1,000th Funny Car race win, he’d prefer to do it with far less drama than it took in Phoenix. Capps’ car suffered a massive explosion during his second-round win and the team had a furious thrash to return in time for the semifinals.

It all ended well, as Capps got past reigning Rookie of the Year Spencer Hyde in the final round, but back-to-back wins won’t be easy in the loaded category. Hyde moved up to second in points – one spot ahead of Capps – with Chad Green still in the points lead after his Gainesville win.

Other standouts include four-time champ Matt Hagan, defending event winner Beckman, J.R. Todd, Cruz Pedregon, Alexis DeJoria and class newcomer Jordan Vandergriff. That level of competition makes the wins that much sweeter, especially during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.

“This is the coveted one right here,” Capps said of the special diamond Wally after winning in Phoenix. “You just think of the legacy and what’s gone into this. It’s unbelievable and thanks to Wally Parks, first of all. NHRA being around 75 years, it’s so awesome and at Ron Capps Motorsports, we’re just having a lot of fun right now.”

Top Fuel’s Clay Millican is after his first win of the year – and a Pomona repeat – against points leader and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta, Phoenix winner Shawn Langdon, Tony Stewart, Leah Pruett, Antron Brown and Gainesville winner Josh Hart.

Reigning world champ Dallas Glenn is coming off a win in Phoenix, taking on the likes of Anderson, Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield and Gainesville winner Matt Hartford.

All weekend, fans also get to see racing action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

The Nitro Alley Stage is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere.

Race fans at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features qualifying at 1:30 and 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 10, and the final two rounds on Saturday, April 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. Television coverage includes eliminations on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

To purchase tickets to the 2026 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association 

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