10/2/06

This is awesome……………….

With only three races left in the season—Richmond, Las Vegas, and Pomona—only one single point separates John and Ron Capps. That means that after 20 national events and 80 rounds of drag racing, John and Ron are essentially tied for the points lead. This kind of scenario is unprecedented. Sure, we’ve had close battles for the championship in the past that went right down to the wire, but in my memory, there has never been a one-point difference between the No. 1 and No.2 drivers this late in the year.

Robert is less than two rounds out of the lead and his late season run has been something to see. He has won two of the last three races, advanced to three straight final rounds, and has gone from a triple-digit deficit to 35 points out of the lead. Not bad for a second-year driver.

All of the drama between John and Ron brings to mind the incredible 1998 season in which Ron held the points lead for much of the year and as it was winding down, he had a great chance of winning the Funny Car championship in his sophomore year in Don Prudhomme U.S. Tobacco Camaro. But John made a big move on Ron with only a few races remaining and won his eighth title by a nose. Capps may be finding himself in that same situation as we head down the stretch in ’06.

John advanced two rounds further than Ron this time out in Maple Grove, breaking the string of races in which both drivers failed to gain much ground after the other lost. Still, John would have liked to tally up another 40 points or so by winning the race and really put pressure on Ron and his team.

The Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle races are extremely tight while Jason Line has given himself a 56-point lead over his teammate Greg Anderson and is closing in on his first professional championship. Remember, Jason won the 1993 NHRA Stock Eliminator World Championship in his totally cool Buick Skylark and spent several years with Joe Gibbs Racing as one of the engine technicians on Bobby Labonte’s Interstate Batteries-sponsored Pontiacs. Jason is a real talent and the likelihood exists that he and Greg could rule the Pro Stock class for years to come.

Back here in my world, it seems that I’m suddenly finding myself heavily involved in the television/collector car auction frenzy. After hosting a new series for ESPN2 that debuts in January, “Bidding Wars”, which was shot at the Kruse Collector Car auction in Auburn, Indiana on Labor Day weekend, I just spent the last week in Carlisle, Pennsylvania shooting a new series which will be seen on the Discovery Channel next year called “What’s My Car Worth?” It was taped at the Carlisle Fairgrounds as part of the Carlisle Auction and was really a blast to be a part of. It’s hosted by Keith Martin, an accomplished collector car appraiser and commentator, and our job is to examine and evaluate the special interest cars which their owners agree to have us appraise. We then give them our estimates of what their cars are worth based on our experience in the collector car hobby. I hope you’ll get a chance to see it, especially if you’re a hopeless “motor head” like me.

This weekend, I’ll be in Richmond for the NHRA’s return to Virginia Motorsports Park for the first time since 2000, hosting “Inside Drag Racing” as we cover the final three races on the AMS Pro Modified schedule. Right now, it looks like some excellent weather is heading for the area—unlike Maple Grove which has continued to be plagued by rain and wind on an annual basis for the past four years.

I’ll have more from “In the Groove” next Monday so check back here after the race.

Buckle up and drive safely!