NHRA Funny Car World Champion Capps Nominated For 2017 ESPY Best Driver Award

NHRA Funny Car World Champion Capps Nominated For 2017 ESPY Best Driver Award

Ron Capps' 2016 Funny Car world championship season and his hot start to the 2017 season has earned him a nomination for an ESPY award in the Best Driver category.


Ron Capps’ 2016 Funny Car world championship season and his hot start to the 2017 season has earned him a nomination for an ESPY award in the Best Driver category. This is the first time he has been nominated for the prestigious honor in his 23-year NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series career.

Capps is nominated alongside Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, IndyCar driver Simon Pagenaud and NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. The ESPY Awards, for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly, was created by ESPN in 1993. The nominees are selected for their performances over the past 12 months.

“What we did with our NAPA Auto Parts team last year was huge after trying to win the championship for about 20 years,” Capps said. “Just to be nominated with this group is unbelievable.”

The 2016 season was a breakthrough one for veteran Capps and his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team. He clinched the 2016 Funny Car championship crown after winning five national events in ten finals appearances. In pursuit of his first world title Capps finished second in the points a record four times in his Funny Car career before shedding the title of the winningest driver in NHRA history to not win a championship. In 2017, Capps has won five of the first 12 races of the NHRA Mello Yello Series season and has a solid lead in the Funny Car points standings.

“It will be fun to see our NHRA nation and all the NHRA fans try to beat those guys from NASCAR, IndyCar and, Formula One,” Capps said. “It will be a star-studded night and just attending will be something I’ll never forget.”

Fans can vote for Capps and their other sports heroes by logging on to http://es.pn/TupHtl. The 25th edition of the ESPY awards will be hosted by Peyton Manning and will be held at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Voting for the ESPYS ends July 12 at 8 p.m. ET.

Capps joins Erica Enders, John Force, Greg Anderson, Tony Schumacher, Ashley Force Hood, Del Worsham, Melanie Troxel, and Tony Pedregon as NHRA drivers who have been nominated for ESPY awards.

Article courtesy Speedville.

You May Also Like

Sun Auto Acquires Carrollton Complete Automotive

Sun Auto said the acquisition will help with its expansion across Texas.

Sun Auto Tire & Service announced the acquisition of Carrollton Complete Automotive as part of its expansion and growth of quality automotive and tire service across Texas.

“The addition of Carrollton Complete Automotive is another step in our commitment to be the leading automotive service and tire provider in the great state of Texas," said Sun Auto Tire & Service CEO Tony Puckett. "Carrollton Complete Automotive is a fixture within the community, and we are honored to have their resolute team become part of the Sun Auto family.”

NexaMotion Group Opens New Arch Auto Parts Store

The new store in Plainview, New York, is the company’s fourth location in Nassau County.

Bendix Surpasses Worker Safety Goals

Bendix says its Total Case Improvement Rate improved since 2022.

DOJ, FTC Support MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers’ Petition

The petition expands consumer access to vehicle operational, diagnostic and telematics data.

New Rislone ‘DEF Crystal Clean’ Clears P20EE Codes

The product scrubs away crystal contaminants from the selective catalytic reduction systems of diesel cars, trucks and SUVs.

Other Posts

Auto Care Association Launches REPAIR Act Video

The goal is to emphasize the need for federal REPAIR Act legislation, according to the Auto Care Association.

ATP Expands Graywerks Line of Harmonic Balancers

This expansion increases coverage by 25 million vehicles for popular makes and models that are growing in demand.

SMP Announces New Oil Filter Housing Kits

The kits feature multiple design improvements to prevent leaks, according to SMP.

ASE Education Foundation, Goodguys Continue Partnership

Goodguys is one of many industry relationships the foundation has developed to help solve the technician shortage.