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Ron Capps Motorsports Pre-Race Report: Phoenix

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FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals presented by NGK Spark Plugs
Event 2 of 20
Firebird Motorsports Park
Chandler, Ariz.
March 20–22, 2026

By: ABM Communications

Driver Information:

RON CAPPS
Driver of the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car

NHRA Arizona Nationals Event Highlights:

  • Three-time event winner (2003, 2009, 2013)  
  • Five-time runner-up (1998, 2000, 2005, 2017, 2023)  
  • Three-time No. 1 qualifier (2000, 2009, 2016)

2025 NHRA Arizona Nationals Recap:
Qualified fourth; First round exit (defeated by Blake Alexander in E1)

Last Event (Gainesville):
Qualified No. 1; First round exit (defeated by John Smith in E1)

2026 Statistics:
One race; one No. 1 qualifier

Career Statistics:
669 races; 77 wins, 38 No. 1 qualifiers

Noteworthy:

  • Made his professional debut at Firebird Motorsports Park while competing in the Top Fuel category (1995)

Fan Events:

  • Friday and Saturday at 8 a.m., RCM Driver Autograph session, Carlyle Tools midway display

Quotable:
“I think we all kind of had an idea of what the start of NHRA’s 75th anniversary season was going to be like but I’m not sure that the racers or fans anticipated what we saw in Gainesville. It was a huge turnout and just an incredible three days of legendary racers from the past. The Gatornationals brought a lot of excitement leading into the season and that carries right into this weekend at Firebird Motorsports Park. Obviously, it was a monumental start to the year for our Ron Capps Motorsports team. Having (Top Fuel crew chiefs) Rob Flynn and Troy Fasching come on board has been such a strong addition to our program and it was great that Maddi finally got her chance at driving a Top Fuel dragster. It felt like that was such a long time coming, at least for me, personally. It’s been a lot of fun so far, and it was a blast to watch the team get off to such a great start in Florida. They raced within themselves and got to the semifinals. As for our NAPA team, we had a great NAPA Auto Parts Funny Car. We showed throughout testing that we have a car that’s going to contend for a championship once again, and then we went out and qualified No. 1 during the race weekend. So, very excited as a driver heading into Firebird Motorsports Park for the Arizona Nationals, and very excited as the team owner of the Carlyle Tools dragster to see them continue what they started. A lot of media leading into this weekend. We’ll visit with our friends from the High Limit Series this afternoon and do some stuff at the dragstrip, and then we’re going to attend their opening night. Should be a fun weekend for the team.”

Ron Capps (Photo Courtesy ABM Communications)

MADDI GORDON
Driver of the Carlyle Tools Top Fuel Dragster

Last Event (Gainesville):
Qualified 15th; Semifinal finish (defeated Shawn Langdon in E1, Tony Schumacher in E2; defeated by Doug Kalitta in E3)

Noteworthy:

  • By advancing to the semifinals at the season opener in Gainesville, Gordon qualified for the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year where she will square off against Doug Kalitta
  • Has previously competed at Firebird, driving her family’s Top Alcohol Funny Car
  • Visited the final round at Phoenix in her previous four outings in TAFC:
    • 2025 – winner of the spring regional event; runner-up at the fall regional
    • 2024 – runner-up at the spring regional event; winner of the fall regional

Fan Events:

  • Friday and Saturday at 8 a.m., RCM Driver Autograph session, Carlyle Tools midway display

Quotable:
“I’m always super excited to go racing, and I’m especially stoked coming off that Gainesville weekend. It was just huge for my confidence, huge for our team’s confidence, for Rob (Flynn) and Troy (Fasching) and Chuck (Grospitch) and everybody. What a great start, we really couldn’t have asked for more. We didn’t have much time off since then so hoping we can keep that momentum rolling into Phoenix, but it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be challenging conditions all weekend long; a very hot, greasy track, and that’s going to be tough for everybody. We all have the same fight, but there’s no other team I’d rather go into battle with than our Carlyle Tools guys. Rob and Troy have done a great job of getting down a hot race track early in the season so I’ve got all the confidence in them. We get to race in the first #2Fast2Tasty Challenge of the year, and that’s really exciting. That gives us a chance to start our race day mojo a little earlier in the weekend on Saturday, as opposed to Sunday morning. So, it’s looking like it’ll be a great weekend; a hot one that’s for sure, so we’ve got our Monsters all stocked!”

Maddi Gordon (Photo Courtesy ABM Communications)