Heading into the finals of the prestigious NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla., on Sunday, Ron Capps had a lot to think about: the possibility of his first Gatornationals title, the match-up against 13-time Funny Car champ John Force, who held a 7-2 advantage over Capps in previous finals, and the fact that if he lost, he would fall to second in the NHRA POWERade Funny Car points standings behind Force. In the end, Capps cleared his head and did what he had to do: get the win.

Driving his Brut Dodge Stratus R/T, Capps downed Force for his first Gatornationals title, his first win of the year and his 18th career win. Capps defeated Mike Ashley, Tony Bartone and John Force Racing's Eric Medlen on his run to the finals. It was his first finals win against Force since 1998, and the victory improved his points lead to 31 markers over Force.

"To me, it's just about as big as the U.S. Nationals," Capps said of the win. "It's a big race and I can't believe we won it. I'm ecstatic for everybody on the team. Ace [crew chief Ed McCulloch] did a great job, and Don Schumacher gives us everything we need. He lets Ace do what he needs to do."

Capps' Team Mopar and Don Schumacher Racing teammates, Whit Bazemore and Gary Scelzi, were dealt first round losses, but were able to take some comfort away from Gainesville. Bazemore, the 2005 Gatornationals winner, and Scelzi, the defending NHRA Funny Car champ, both debuted the new Dodge Charger body at the event. Bazemore grabbed the No. 2 spot in qualifying, and Scelzi set his 21st top speed (325.61 mph) over the weekend in his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger. Scelzi is currently tied for ninth in the Funny Car points standings, with Bazemore 12th.

In a weekend that proved difficult for full-time Team Mopar Pro Stock drivers Richie Stevens Jr., Allen Johnson and Shaun Carlson, part-time driver Tom Martino showed that Mopar could get it done, as he drove his Hemi-powered Larry Morgan Racing Dodge Stratus R/T to the win at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

In only his first race of the season, Martino drove to victory, knocking out fellow Team Mopar driver Stevens Jr., Max Naylor and Greg Stanfield before ending Erica Enders' bid to become the first female driver to win a Pro Stock event. In 2005, Martino competed in only one event, making the finals and posting a runner-up finish.

"I may not have driven much in the last few years, at least in competition, but I test Bob Benza's car and V. Gaine's car all the time, so I don't feel like I'm rusty behind the wheel," Martino said on nhra.com.

Don Schumacher Racing's Stevens Jr., qualified his Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T well, grabbing the fifth spot and posting a career best ET of 6.664 seconds. Unfortunately for him, he drew event winner Martino in the first round and took the loss. Johnson, in his J & J Racing Team Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T, exited in the first round after red lighting against Ron Krisher. Carlson, the DSR rookie, still looking to make his first field piloting his Team Mopar/SRT Dodge Stratus R/T in the always competitive Pro Stock class, posted the best ET yet of his young career at Gainesville and will look to build on that performance at the next event.

The Team Mopar Pro Stockers hit the strip next at the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park in Texas, set for March 31-April 2. For more info on Stevens Jr., Carlson, Johnson or the NHRA, log on to shoeracing.com, allenjohnson.com or nhra.com.

Josh Wise and Levi Jones returned to USAC/CRA action over the weekend, competing at Manzanita Speedway in Arizona on Saturday night. Wise earned a fourth-place finish on the night, while Jones drove to a ninth-place finish in the feature event.

The duo will begin their chase of the USAC National Sprint Car Series title on April 1, with the season opener at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio. Wise will return to the No. 20 machine for Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises, while Jones will begin defense of his 2005 series championship in the No. 21 machine for the team.

For more information regarding Wise, Jones or USAC Racing, log on to joshwiseracing.com, levijones.com or usacracing.com.

Paul McMahan and the No. 20 Tony Stewart Motorsports team wrapped up the National Sprint Tour Series' West Coast opening swing with a 12th-place finish at Bakersfield Speedway in California on Saturday night. McMahan set second quick time with his Paul Kistler-built Mopar powered machine to open the event. Transferring from the second heat race, McMahan and the No. 20 team also competed in the first dash event en route the A-main feature event.

McMahan drove the No. 20 machine into the Top-five in the early stages of the event, before mechanical issues derailed his march to the front. After coming from the rear of the field to climb back into the lead pack, McMahan was credited with a 12th-place finish on the night. The A-main event was called complete on lap 12, after the track's 11 p.m. PST curfew was breached.

The No. 20 team will resume National Sprint Tour Series action on April 15 at Outlaw Motor Speedway in Oklahoma. The team is also slated to compete in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series on March 31 at Batesville Speedway in Arkansas, and on April 1 at I-55 Raceway in Missouri. McMahan is currently ranked fifth in National Sprint Tour Series points.

Steve Francis' weekend of World of Outlaws Late Model Series competition was cut short by Mother Nature, but the rain didn't stop the No. 15 team's charge for the 2006 series title. Francis continued to build on his World of Outlaws Late Model Series point lead, earning a solid Top-10 finish in the Bayou Battle 50 at Baton Rouge Raceway in Louisiana on Friday night. Francis qualified fourth quick and transferred from the fourth heat race en route to a sixth-place finish in the event's A-main feature.

Saturday night's World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at the Fast Trax Motorplex was canceled due to heavy rain. The event, which was to be the second leg of the Bayou Battle, may be rescheduled for later this season. Francis will lead the World of Outlaws Late Model Series back into action on April 7 at Lernerville Speedway in Pennsylvania.