Ron Capps Topples Funny Car Champion in PRO Superstar Shootout Drag Racing Finale

Yahoo

09-02-2025

Three-time NHRA Funny Car champion Ron Capps was quickest when it counted in winning the class in the second annual SCAC Power Equpment PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton (Fla.) Motorsports Park on Saturday night.
Other class winners in the three-day exhibition event were surprising Shawn Reed in Top Fuel and veteran Troy Coughlin Jr. in Pro Stock.
Capps' win over reigning Funny Car champion and last year's Shootout winner Austin Prock came after Prock shocked the Funny Car field with a pass of 3.791 seconds in qualifying. That ET was quicker than the official NHRA record for a Funny Car held by Robert Hight, who posted a 3.793 in 2017.
The PRO Superstar Shootout is a non-sanctioned event put on by the Professional Racers Owners Organization.
'I'm shocked,' said Capps, who finished third in the 2024 NHRA Funny Car points standings. 'Last year I said I so wish that we had a car to battle those guys. I haven't seen a dominant car, start to finish, like they had, but that's Robert Hight's car. We know what it's capable of. I love Austin in there. It's a different animal. I saw (Prock) out the window and I thought we lost. This is one of those roller coaster moments.'
In the Top Fuel final at Bradenton, Shawn Reed, who is winless in NHRA Top Fuel events since his debut in 2015, beat three-time NHRA event winner.
Coughlin Jr. topped No. 1 qualifier Cory Reed in the Pro Stock final.
'This is flat out incredible right now,' said Shawn Reed after his win. 'It's impossible to think ahead because you haven't done anything. I have to thank Red Line Oil, Matco Tools, All American Automotive. Thanks to all the fans. Man, it's been great with all these people out here. I'm more than blessed right now, and I'm probably happy as I've been in a long, long time.'
'I'm so happy for my crew guys. They put up with a lot last year. I lost a lot of races for them,' said Reed. 'We won a race, and they can't take that back from us. And this is a pretty big race, too, by the way, it's the eight best, guys in the NHRA.'
Coughlin, who finished fifth in the Pro Stock championship in 2024, hopes his Bradenton win means good things are ahead for 2025 with the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing season kicks off with the Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla., March 6-9.
'You know winning this race is so surreal,' said Coughlin Jr. 'I haven't even really let it sink in yet. We're gonna enjoy this. Thank you to the PRO group, and all the sponsors involved especially SCAG. This was a huge win and it's a great way to start the season. Cory is a great guy and a tough competitor, and this class is awesome.'
Top FuelFirst RoundBrittany Force, Yorba Linda, Calif., (.086), 3.736 sec, 33.08 mph (W) Doug Kalitta, Ypsilanti, Mich., (.064), 3.768 sec, 325.37 mphJosh Hart, Ocala, Fla., (.061), 3.726 sec, 319.67 mph (W)Tony Stewart, Brownsburg, Ind., (.074), 4.974 sec, 142.40 mphShawn Reed, Seattle, Wash., (.076), 3.785 sec, 326.24 mph (W)Antron Brown, Brownsburg, Ind., (.073), 4.769 sec, 155.58 mphJustin Ashley, Plainview, NY, (.033), 3.943 sec, 279.679 mph (W)Shawn Langdon, Avon, Ind., (.050), 8.088 sec, 85.70 mphSemifinalsShawn Reed, (.054), 3.768 sec, 320.66 mph (W)Brittany Force, (.096), 3.752 sec, 327.51 mphJosh Hart, (.054), 3.721 sec, 318.77 mph (W)Justin Ashley, (.051), 3.767 sec, 327.59 mphFinalsShawn Reed, (.065), 3.699 sec, 330.39 mph (W)Josh Hart, (.067), 3,724 sec, 321.27 mphFunny Car
First RoundChad Green, Midland Texas., (.057), 3.991 sec, 323.43 mph (W)Bobby Bode, Villa Park, Calif., (.083), 4.074 sec, 269.89 mphRon Capps, Carlsbad, Calif., (.087), 3.863 sec, 333.41 mph (W)Daniel Wilkerson, Springfield, Ill., (.087), 3.892 sec, 315.34Jack Beckman, Yorba Linda, Calif., (.085), 3.875 sec, 331.04 mph (W)Matt Hagan, Christiansburg, Va., (.065), 3.938 sec, 325.14 mphAustin Prock, Brownsburg, Ind., (.056), 3.876 sec, 330.72 mph (W)Bob Tasca III, Hope, R.I., (.069), 3.917 sec, 324.67 mph SemifinalsRon Capps, (.073), 3.860 sec, 336.07 mph (W)Jack Beckman (.085), 3.871 sec, 330.55 mphAustin Prock (.065), 3.883 sec, 332.02 mph (W)Chad Green (.003),, 4.035 sec, 323.04 mph FinalsRon Capps (.066), 3.870 sec, 330.47 mph (W)Austin Prock (.040), 4.003 sec, 316.60 mphPro StockFirst Round David Cuadra, McAllen, Texas, (.043), 10.270 sec, 130.39 mph (W) Matt Latino, Port Perry, Ontario, (.044), 13.528 sec, 73.39 mph Jeg Coughlin Jr., Delaware, Ohio, (.006), 6.578 sec, 209.82 mph (W) Dallas Glenn, Mooresville, N.C., (.009), 9.575 sec, 97.29 mph Greg Anderson, Charlotte, N.C., (.014), 6.533 sec, 210.57 mph (W)Erica Enders, Houston, Texas, (.021), 6.559 sec, 210.18 mph Aaron Stanfield, Bossier City, La., (.039), 6.559 sec, 210.18 mph (W) Chris McGaha, Odessa, Texas, (.037), 6.616 sec, 209.59 mph Cristian Cuadra, Edinburg, Texas, (.014), 6.564 sec, 209.10 mph (W)Fernando Cuadra Jr., Leon, Texas, (-.006), 6.569 sec, 206.26 mph Troy Coughlin Jr., Columbus, Ohio, (.023), 6.555 sec, 209.23 mph (W) Bo Butner, Sanibel Island, Fla., (.054), 6.607 sec, 208.68 mph Cory Reed, Kannapolis, N.C., (.017), 6.545 sec, 209.52 mph (W) Mason McGaha, Odessa, Texas, (.044), 6.597 sec, 206.48 mph Greg Stanfield, Bossier City, La., (.026), 6.595 sec, 209.59 mph (W) Deric Kramer, Sterling, Colo., (.022), 7.325 sec, 158.93 mph Second Round Troy Coughlin Jr., (.041), 6.609 sec, 209.23 mph (W) Greg Anderson, (.034), 6.619 sec, 205.69 mph Cory Reed, (.019), 6.567 sec, 209.23 mph (W) Jeg Coughlin Jr., (.028), 18.705 sec, 38.15 mph Greg Stanfield, (.018), 6.592 sec, 209.01 mph (W) Aaron Stanfield, (.039), 6.588 sec, 208.62 mph David Cuadra, (.036), 6.602 sec, 208.65 mph (W) Cristian Cuadra, (-.003), 6.590 sec, 207.78 mph Semifinals Cory Reed, (.021), 6.563 sec, 209.43 mph (W) Greg Stanfield, (.036), 6.582 sec, 208.68 mph Troy Coughlin Jr., (.064), 6.571 sec, 208.97 mph (W) David Cuadra, (.039), 6.598 sec, 207.50 mph Finals Troy Coughlin Jr., (.034), 11.859 sec, 121.67 mph (W) Cory Reed, (-.017), 12.897 sec, 67.15 mph