Ron Capps is experiencing the challenges of team ownership in his third year running his NHRA Funny Car operation, despite earlier success including championship wins.

The struggles didn't surface during his first two years as owner-driver, when he won the 2022 NHRA Funny Car championship and secured three wins in 2023. However, year three has brought new challenges that have kept him up at night, even with strong partner support from NAPA.

The transition to ownership in 2022 came with guidance from racing legends like Don Schumacher, John Force, Rick Hendrick, Don Prudhomme, and Jeff Gordon, who all offered their support and advice.

This season has become a rebuilding year for Capps and crew chief Dean 'Guido' Antonelli. After analyzing their previous success, the team decided to implement new technical changes to stay ahead of competition, including modifications to the clutch and fuel pump systems. These changes took time to optimize, with the team only finding their rhythm by late July in Sonoma.

Currently third in championship standings, Capps faces two main challenges in Pomona:

• Outqualifying Jack Beckman for second place in points
• Securing his first win of the season to maintain his streak of at least one victory per year since 2008

Despite reaching six final rounds in 19 races this season, victory has remained elusive. The team's recent performance improvements suggest they're finding their stride, though late in the season to challenge class leader Austin Prock.

Capps remains optimistic, acknowledging that while the season hasn't met expectations, these challenges are part of the learning curve of team ownership. His experience demonstrates the complex balance between maintaining competitive performance and managing the business aspects of racing.

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