CAPPS, DIXON TO RACE KARTS AT PRI SHOW
 Ron Capps won the go-kart race for Speedway Charities at Infineon Raceway last spring. (Chucke Walkden photo) |
Ron Capps, famous for his willingness and desire to drive just about anything on wheels if given the chance, will compete in the invitational Stars of Karting presented by the IRL All-Star Kart Race in Orlando, Fla., Dec. 14 against a star-studded list of professional kart racers and other celebrity racing pros.
Capps and fellow NHRA Top Fuel star Larry Dixon will compete against established kart racers as well as celebrity guest drivers such as Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice, Indy 500 runner-up Marco Andretti, IndyCar standouts Tomas Scheckter and Bryan Herta, Champ Car's Alex Tagliani, and sports-car aces Patrick Long, Wayne Taylor and Memo Gidley, among others to be announced.
The drivers will compete in spec-engine 125cc 2-cycle, electric-start karts for the first time on a specially-designed track next to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando,
the site of the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show.
"I'm going there to win this thing and it's not going to be just for fun," Capps declared. "Every year Gary Scelzi and I do the Speedway Charities go-kart race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and every year it turns into an all-out war on the race track, so I'm excited about racing in Orlando against some of these guys who do it for a living.
"I'll be there representing Mopar, so not only do I want to do well for our sponsor, but I'll be doing it for bragging rights. Every time I show up for one of these events, I learn that no oval or road-racing driver wants to get beat by a drag racer."
Racing action will start at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14, on a temporary track constructed adjacent to the Convention Center. Admission will be free to anyone with a PRI Trade Show badge. [12-7-2006]
GRIFFIN’S SERTA-BACKED TOP FUELER WILL RETURN WITHOUT COWIN
The Agent got a call from old pal Lance Larson, who is the crew chief for the Scott Griffin-owned Top Fuel team. Larson just wanted to let the Agent know that driver Andrew Cowin will not return to drive but the team will announce a new driver in a week or ten days (which is about the time the PRI show ends).
Larson and his crew of six full-time employees are working steadily to get the two cars they have ready for the new season. He also explained that, depending on funding, the team could run between 12 and 22 races which could possibly include a mixed schedule of NHRA and IHRA appearances if the 22-race option is picked up. The Agent is glad to hear the team will return and keep old Lance burning nitro for one more year. (Bryan Epps photo) [12-7-2006]