NHRA Funny Car driver Ron Capps earned an emotional win on Sunday.. (File [hoto courtesy of the NHRA)

Brett Hewson, who operates a small garage in Phoenix with a NAPA Auto Care Dealer sign, told Capps to win Sunday’s Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway for his son Balin, who had been confined to a wheelchair his entire life with a debilitating disease.

Capps, who may be listed on betting sites such as tridewa, raced with a heavy heart, but he came through, defeating fellow Toyota driver Alexis DeJoria in the final round with an elapsed time of 3.967 seconds despite engine problems shortly before he completed his run. It was Capps’ third victory in the last four races, the fourth of the season, the 72nd of his career and moved him to within 27 points of standings leader Robert Hight. However, this trophy will go to Balin’s parents. 

“The first year I met him we made him an honorary crew member,” Capps said about the young man who wasn’t expected to survive past his teenage years. “He was always the first to text me, win or lose. Just a great kid. 

“We flew him and his family out to Indy. Just a great, hard-working family and (he) lived for everything drag racing. He watched NHRA TV, and he would have TV on. I’ve got pictures from his parents … he lived and breathed it. You’d love to win for somebody like that, but it just doesn’t happen that easy. Maybe, that final round I had some help from him.”  

Balin’s 21st birthday was next week, and Capps had planned to fly to Phoenix when enroute to the next race and surprise him. Balin had seen the doctors last week and had received a thumbs up. Then on Friday night he started breathing “weird.” Even though Brett thought his son was having a panic attack, he called paramedics.

“So, it was just very sudden,” Capps said. “It was a shock. They’re not sure why (he died). It was just an emotional day.” 

Enroute to Sunday’s victory, Capps defeated Blake Alexander in the first round with a 3.882-second E.T. Next up was Bob Tasca III and Capps took him down with a 3.885 E.T. In the semifinals, Capps faced 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force. It was the 119th time the two men had faced each other in eliminations and this time Capps emerged victorious with a 3.899 E.T. to reach his 137th final round. This time his foe was DeJoria. 

“We left (the starting line) and I didn’t see her car,” Capps recounted. “Then mine bowed up and lifted the front end. I’m sure the G meter is probably half a G or more higher than any run we’ve made. It just started grunting and taking off and I went, ‘Oh, hang on to this thing.’ And then it just quit. Then I’m listening. I didn’t wanna hit the button on parachutes or touch anything and I was like Fred Flintstone. I just wanted to push my feet through the bottom and do anything I can because you don’t know where they’re at. I couldn’t hear her, so, obviously, something happened. I was just staying away from everything, and it coasted through, my light came on, and she went whizzing by me coasting.”

Capps wasn’t the only owner/driver to emerge victorious Sunday. Antron Brown captured his third victory in the last five races and 55th career Top Fuel win by defeating Countdown to the Championship standings leader Justin Ashley. Brown won the race on a hole-shot, posting a reaction time of .035 to Ashley’s .055. He’s now 43 points behind standings leader Ashley. 

In Pro Stock, Aaron Stanfield defeated Matt Hartfield for his third win this season with a 6.567 E.T. Hartford upset standings leader Erica Enders, who had dominated the weekend, in the semifinals. Heading into the third race of the Countdown to the Championship Enders leads Stanfield by 64 points.

###

CONCORD, N.C. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the 18th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Antron Brown; 2. Justin Ashley; 3. Clay Millican; 4. Doug Kalitta; 5. Mike Salinas; 6. Steve Torrence; 7. Brittany Force; 8. Josh Hart; 9. Shawn Langdon; 10. Tony Schumacher; 11. Spencer Massey; 12. Austin Prock; 13. Doug Foley; 14. Leah Pruett; 15. Alex Laughlin; 16. Billy Torrence.

FUNNY CAR:

1. Ron Capps; 2. Alexis DeJoria; 3. Matt Hagan; 4. John Force; 5. Robert Hight; 6. Bob Tasca III; 7. Chad Green; 8. Cruz Pedregon; 9. J.R. Todd; 10. John Smith; 11. Blake Alexander; 12. Jim Campbell; 13. Tim Wilkerson.

PRO STOCK:

1. Aaron Stanfield; 2. Matt Hartford; 3. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 4. Erica Enders; 5. Dallas Glenn; 6. Greg Anderson; 7. Kyle Koretsky; 8. Cristian Cuadra; 9. Bo Butner; 10. Deric Kramer; 11. Mason McGaha; 12. Chris McGaha; 13. Fernando Cuadra; 14. Larry Morgan; 15. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 16. Camrie Caruso.

CONCORD, N.C. — Sunday’s final results from the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the 18th of 22 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel — Antron Brown, 3.672 seconds, 335.73 mph def. Justin Ashley, 3.671 seconds, 333.99 mph.

Funny Car — Ron Capps, Toyota Supra, 3.967, 267.32 def. Alexis DeJoria, Supra, 3.985, 266.85.

Pro Stock — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.567, 210.21 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.569, 209.82.

Top Alcohol Dragster — Earl Nichols Jr., 5.289, 273.61 def. Jasmine Salinas, 5.291, 275.96.

Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 8.302, 109.29 def. Shane Westerfield, Camaro, Foul – Red Light.

Competition Eliminator — Joe Carnasciale, Chevy Cavalier, 8.946, 152.16 def. David Eaton, Roadster, 6.743, 169.08.

Super Stock — Troy Huntzberry, Chevy Cobalt, 10.040, 131.77 def. Peter D’Agnolo, Chevy Camaro, 9.508, 134.69.

Stock Eliminator — Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 11.449, 105.03 def. Mitch Kight, Plymouth Barracuda, Foul – Red Light.

Super Comp — Robert Houston, Dragster, 9.736, 122.40 def. Dan Foley, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.

Super Gas — Billy Upton, Chevy Corvette, 9.899, 162.90 def. Ernie Knight, Chevy Nova, 9.895, 138.83.

Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers — Jeremy Hancock, Dragster, 8.956, 99.02 def. Clint Riley, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.

Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers — Jerry Albert, Chevy Camaro, 6.611, 208.52 def. Larry Willard, Chevy Bel Air, 7.328, 182.23.

Pro Modified — Steve Jackson, Chevy Camaro, 5.715, 254.62 def. Justin Bond, Camaro, 5.745, 249.90.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock — JR Carr, Chevy Camaro, 6.277, 224.06 def. John DeFlorian Jr, Camaro, 6.291, 223.58.

CONCORD, N.C. — Final round-by-round results from the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 18th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE — Josh Hart, 3.708, 322.19 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.736, 296.76; Brittany Force, 3.670, 335.57 def. Spencer Massey, 3.754, 326.87; Clay Millican, 3.739, 326.48 def. Doug Foley, 3.787, 313.73; Justin Ashley, 3.688, 330.80 def. Alex Laughlin, 3.814, 303.43; Mike Salinas, 3.696, 331.20 def. Leah Pruett, 3.796, 314.39; Doug Kalitta, 3.710, 327.19 def. Shawn Langdon, 3.731, 327.19; Antron Brown, 3.691, 331.20 def. Austin Prock, 3.778, 328.14; Steve Torrence, 3.690, 331.61 def. Billy Torrence, Broke – No Show;

QUARTERFINALS — Millican, 3.681, 332.59 def. Hart, 7.510, 94.70; Brown, 3.733, 287.23 def. Force, 5.252, 161.48; Ashley, 3.697, 332.43 def. S. Torrence, 3.725, 316.08; Kalitta, 3.696, 327.59 def. Salinas, 3.720, 333.08;

SEMIFINALS — Ashley, 3.691, 333.91 def. Kalitta, 7.778, 119.78; Brown, 3.687, 325.14 def. Millican, 3.699, 331.20;

FINAL — Brown, 3.672, 335.73 def. Ashley, 3.671, 333.99.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE — Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Supra, 3.878, 334.73 def. J.R. Todd, Supra, 4.192, 239.70; Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.869, 331.53 def. Jim Campbell, Dodge Charger, 5.910, 116.76; John Force, Camaro, 7.621, 80.92 was unopposed; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.929, 315.71 def. John Smith, Charger, 4.369, 217.70; Ron Capps, Supra, 3.889, 326.79 def. Blake Alexander, Ford Mustang, 4.535, 203.25; Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.882, 330.80 def. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.945, 320.05; Chad Green, Mustang, 3.909, 323.43 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, Foul – Centerline;

QUARTERFINALS — Hagan, 10.423, 77.63 was unopposed; DeJoria, 3.918, 324.59 def. Hight, 3.924, 320.36; Capps, 3.885, 335.07 def. Tasca III, 8.251, 101.66; Force, 3.918, 330.39 def. Green, Broke;

SEMIFINALS — DeJoria, 3.887, 332.02 def. Hagan, 3.893, 334.07; Capps, 3.899, 328.22 def. Force, 3.915, 331.53;

FINAL — Capps, 3.967, 267.32 def. DeJoria, 3.985, 266.85.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.579, 208.10 def. Camrie Caruso, Chevy Camaro, 15.292, 57.70; Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.563, 209.52 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.581, 209.14; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.566, 209.82 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.580, 209.01; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.574, 209.04 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.967, 159.91; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.562, 209.62 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.553, 209.23; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.558, 209.04 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.594, 207.62; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.579, 208.68 def. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 6.605, 207.98; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.550, 210.28 def. Larry Morgan, Camaro, 6.635, 208.23;

QUARTERFINALS — Coughlin Jr., 6.570, 209.17 def. Koretsky, 6.572, 209.88; Hartford, 6.552, 209.65 def. Glenn, 6.562, 208.39; Stanfield, 6.572, 210.05 def. Anderson, 6.562, 209.04; Enders, 6.545, 210.31 def. C. Cuadra, 6.598, 208.07;

SEMIFINALS — Stanfield, 6.571, 209.46 def. Coughlin Jr., 6.578, 209.17; Hartford, 6.568, 209.01 def. Enders, 9.312, 107.39;

FINAL — Stanfield, 6.567, 210.21 def. Hartford, 6.569, 209.82.

CONCORD, N.C. — Point standings (top 10) following the 14th annual Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, the 18th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel

1. Justin Ashley, 2,272; 2. Antron Brown, 2,229; 3. Brittany Force, 2,220; 4. Mike Salinas,

2,218; 5. Steve Torrence, 2,167; 6. Doug Kalitta, 2,140; 7. Josh Hart, 2,139; 8. Austin Prock, 2,129; 9. Clay Millican, 2,125; 10. Leah Pruett, 2,094; 11. Shawm Langdon, 2084; 12. Tony Schumacher, 2064.

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight, 2,283; 2. Ron Capps, 2,256; 3. Matt Hagan, 2,223; 4. John Force, 2,209; 5. Bob Tasca III, 2,179; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 2,154; 7. J.R. Todd, 2,133; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 2,121; 9. Cruz Pedregon, 2,105; 10. Jim Campbell, 2,054; 11. Blake Alexander, 2032.

Pro Stock

1. Erica Enders, 2,312; 2. Aaron Stanfield, 2,248; 3. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,215; 4. Greg Anderson, 2,203; 5. Kyle Koretsky, 2,190; 6. Dallas Glenn, 2,162; 7. Matt Hartford, 2,160; 8. Mason McGaha, 2,093; 9. Camrie Caruso, 2,085; 10. Bo Butner, 2,084; Fernando Jr. 2064; 12. Cristian Cuadra, 2054; 13. Deric Kramer, 2043; 14. Chris McGaha, 2023; 15. Fernando Cuadra, 2012.