CAPPS NOT A GOODGUY...YET

The Goodguys PR department may have pressed the send button a little early when they announced that Ron Capps would be driving a nitro funny car at the Goodguy's race at Pomona in August. Capps has had a huge interest in driving a Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car but contractually could only drive a GM engine and body combination while he worked for Don Prudhomme Racing and that engine/body combination wasn't available to him at that time. When Capps signed with Schumacher Racing this year, driving a Nostalgia Funny Car with a Mopar body and engine became a very real option.

Car owner Jeff Gaynor is in negotiations for Capps to drive his Hemi-powered '70 Cuda at Pomona in August but, according to all parties involved in the deal (Mopar, Gaynor), no contract for Capps to drive Gaynor's Cuda has yet been signed, although negotiations are ongoing. As soon as an actual contract between Capps, Mopar and team owner Jeff Gaynor has been signed the Agent will let everyone know. (Jeff Burk photo) [6-28-2005]

SHELLY PAYNE RECOVERING IN ST. LOUIS

Veteran racer Shelly Payne had a fairly serious crash during the second round of Pro Mod qualifying at the recently completed NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals and is currently recovering at St. Louis University Hospital.

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Shelly, who drives for her dad, Brad Anderson, cracked at least one and perhaps two vertebrae in the incident and was fitted with a brace. According to Anderson, her doctors would be making a decision early this week as to whether surgery to insert a pin in the fractured vertebrae would be necessary. The injured car was taken to the Jerry Haas shop in nearby Fenton, MO to be repaired with the idea that Shelly would return to drive the car.

All of us here at DRO wish Shelly a speedy recovery. (Bret Kepner photo) [6-28-2005]

WAYNE'S GONE BUT HE LEFT JIM BEHIND

If you were rubbing your eyes in disbelief because you thought you saw Wayne Dupuy hanging around the Lucas Oil Top Fueler on the broadcast from St. Louis, don't have a cow, dude! You were just seeing Wayne's brother Jim, who (as of yesterday) was still working for the Joe Amato team. [6-28-2005]