Ron Capps, the winningest NHRA Funny Car driver in Bristol Dragway history, has been named the 2026 honoree for the prestigious Legends of Thunder Valley, historic Bristol Dragway’s Hall of Fame.
Capps, 60, will be officially inducted into the Legends of Thunder Valley during pre-race ceremonies for the 25th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 12-14, round No. 9 of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. He becomes only the third driver to be inducted while still an active participant, joining John Force and Tony Schumacher.
Capps is the 24th inductee in the Legends of Thunder Valley and 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.
He will be presented with the customary Legends of Thunder Valley plaque by Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway president and general manager Jerry Caldwell during Sunday’s pre-race ceremonies, which begin at 11 a.m. ET. The accompanying signage showcasing his name in brilliant red will be installed upon the grandstand suite fascia as part of the ceremony.
“Ron has put fans on their feet at the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals cheering him on for decades and has found a way to Winner’s Circle here on many occasions,” Caldwell said. “Ron has done it all at Bristol, including winning races, earning No. 1 qualifying positions, setting track performance records and he’s done it all with a big smile on his face the whole time. Not only is Ron one of the sport’s greatest champions, but he’s also one of its most dynamic ambassadors and we are thrilled to recognize and induct him today as the 2026 Legend of Thunder Valley honoree.”
Capps has earned an incredible eight NHRA Funny Car victories during NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals competition over parts of four 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-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.
Guests are invited to come out and celebrate with Capps, June 12-14 at Thunder Valley. He will be featured in several autograph sessions, including Saturday night’s popular Fan Fest in the Pits.
Qualifying for the Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins Friday, June 12 at 6 p.m.
This story was originally published on June 9, 2026. 
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