NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

What’s it like to cover 1,000 feet in less than four seconds in a nitro Funny Car, one of the most powerful vehicles in the world?

“The Funny Car is the most unnerving, evil-handling, unpredictable race car,” said veteran driver Ron Capps. “From somebody watching behind you, they see a pretty steady car, but they don’t know that inside, you’re [wrestling the steering wheel] the whole way down.”

Capps gave fans a taste of what he experiences week in and week out behind the wheel of his NAPA Dodge when he wore special video glasses on one of his runs during the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta. From the burnout to pulling off at the top end, fans get a taste of the sensory overload, vibrations, and how quickly the finish line approaches for the drivers of these 10,000-horsepower beasts.

The nice, clean pass on which Capps took fans along in the video feature was one of six good runs during the three days at Atlanta Dragway, where Capps’ weekend came to an end when he lost a really close match against Don Schumacher Racing teammate Jack Beckman in round two. Capps left Atlanta ranked No. 4 in the points standings. Capps has been in the top four in points all year, thanks in large part to a hot start to the 2016 season. Capps won the season opener in Pomona, was the No. 1 qualifier in Phoenix, and finished as the runner-up in Gainesville. Capps was also part of the final four in Charlotte, registering a semifinal finish after finishing third behind Tim Wilkerson and Cruz Pedregon.