NHRA Funny Car legend Ron Capps became the 24th member of the prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley Sunday as he was inducted into Bristol Dragway's hall of fame. He is only the third driver to be inducted while still a full-time driver.
Capps, 60, joins the exclusive club that also includes Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, NHRA founder Wally Parks, John Force, Don Schumacher, Shirley Muldowney, Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher, Scotty Cannon, and last year’s inductee Del Worsham, to name a few.
During pre-race ceremonies, Capps was presented with the customary Legends of Thunder Valley plaque by Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway president and general manager Jerry Caldwell. The accompanying signage showcasing his name in brilliant red was installed upon the grandstand suite fascia as part of the ceremony.
“It’s very rare that we induct an active driver, but you’re in rare company when you’re with Ron Capps,” Caldwell said. “The other two that have been inducted as active (full-time) drivers are John Force and Tony Schumacher.
“So we are thrilled to be able to induct someone who it’s kind of long overdue, but you’re also trying to see how much he’s going to accomplish and how many things he’s going to do. And eventually you have to say, ‘He’s going to keep going, but we need to induct him.'”
Capps has earned an incredible eight NHRA Funny Car victories during NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals competition over parts of three decades. The Carlsbad, Calif. driver claimed wins in 2001, 2006, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2025. What’s most impressive, is that he’s won those races with a variety of different team owners and crew chiefs over the years, showing his versatility as a pilot of the challenging 12,000-plus horsepower short-wheel-base machine where the engine sits in front of the driver and the flip-up body closes down and latches before each 330-mph run down the dragstrip.
In addition to recently making the move to become his own team owner, Capps previously drove for a pair of the sport’s legends: Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Don Schumacher. Both Prudhomme and Schumacher are already members of the Legends of Thunder Valley. His roster of all-star crew chiefs over the years have included Ed McCulloch, Rahn Tobler, John Medlen and Dean Antonelli.
In addition to his Bristol victories, Capps has also earned a Bristol runner-up finish to Matt Hagan in 2015 and a No. 1 Qualifying Award at Bristol in 2016. Capps also holds the Bristol Dragway track ET record at 3.884 seconds, set in June of 2016.
In his career, Capps is a three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion and has scored 79 career Funny Car victories. He has career-best performances of 3.821 seconds (2024 Pomona, California) and 339.28 mph (2019 Reading, Pa.). With two victories this season, coming at Phoenix and Charlotte, Capps is the current Funny Car points leader in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
“I read about Larry Carrier, all the history,” Capps said. “For me as a kid, I read more about the Pro Modified, Modified Production and Pro Stock history because back in that day that was big out here. It was all I read about as a kid.”
“When I got the call (from Bristol Dragway) I had to sit down,” Capps said. “I was like, ‘God, I can’t even believe I’m going to be up on that grandstand. I will retire and be old in a rocking chair someday watching NHRA and have grandkids running around and be as proud as ever to say, ‘I’m the second-winningest to a guy named John Force at everything, right? But I did win more than John at a certain place.’ And that place is Bristol. That’s probably the coolest feather in my cap for sure.”
LEGENDS OF THUNDER VALLEY
2026 – Ron Capps, Funny Car
2025 – Del Worsham, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2024 – Shirley Muldowney, Top Fuel
2023 – Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel
2022 – Don Prudhomme, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2021 – Scotty Cannon, Pro Mod / Funny Car
2019 – Ted Jones, promoter / drag racing visionary
2018 – Mark Oswald, Funny Car / Top Fuel
2017 – Doug Herbert, Top Fuel
2016 – John Force, Funny Car
2015 – Carl Moore, Bristol Dragway founder
2015 – Connie Kalitta, NHRA pioneer/Top Fuel/Funny Car
2014 – Don Schumacher, NHRA team owner / Funny Car pioneer
2013 – Warren Johnson, Pro Stock
2012 – Gene Fulton, Engine Builder
2011 – Jeff Byrd, Bristol President and GM / RJ Reynolds marketing
2010 – Shirl Greer, Funny Car
2009 – Dale Pulde, Funny Car
2008 – Ronnie Sox & Buddy Martin, Pro Stock
2007 – Bruton Smith, Speedway Motorsports / Bristol Dragway owner
2007 - Wally Parks, NHRA founder
2007 - Don Garlits, Top Fuel
2007 - Larry Carrier, Bristol Dragway founder
2007 - Rickie Smith, Pro Stock / Pro Mod
