RON CAPPS & MADDI GORDON
The first thing you notice about Maddi Gordon is the enormous smile she just can’ t seem to hold back. One might be tempted to think it’ s because of the current wave she’ s riding, the one in which she’ s the rookie sensation Top Fuel driver for Ron Capps Motorsports— a dream role for any young drag racer. But Maddi is just … Maddi. She’ s been smiling like that since she was a Jr. drag racer alongside her sister, Macie. It’ s the same smile that was visible from high in the grandstands as she and Macie jumped up and down on the starting line with mom Christina and grandparents Mike and Cheryl after each of dad Doug Gordon’ s Top Alcohol Funny Car wins. That widespread grin is the realest of real, and to call it a“ million-dollar smile” would somehow belittle the persistent, authentic joy that emanates from Maddi’ s being as she walks through life.
Lately, Maddi hasn’ t been walking so much as driving the vibrantly branded Carlyle Tools 340-plus-mph Top Fuel dragster in NHRA’ s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. In June at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, Maddi drove that bright green rail right into the winner’ s circle for her first Top Fuel win, concluding an afternoon that transcended all expectations after her dad won Top Alcohol Funny Car and her boss— NHRA mainstay Ron Capps— drove the NAPA Auto Care Funny Car to victory. A Ron Capps Motorsports double in just their 10th race together wasn’ t even on the radar when the sun started to rise over the 2026 season, but Capps held up his end of the bargain as a serious early threat for the championship, and with each traverse down the dragstrip, Maddi was showing that winning was going to be possible sooner rather than later.
“ Man, I have laid in bed dreaming of this moment since 2024, but before that, I called this outer space because this was no where I could be,” Maddi said, beaming boldly before a throng of media members following the Norwalk win.“ I never thought this was possible. I’ ll say it over and over again: Ron Capps, Carlyle Tools, and NAPA Auto Parts literally changed my life in every single way except for where I live. I am just so grateful.”
ON THE RISE
■ Ahead of the first camera flashes illuminating a rightfully raucous winner’ s circle at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, there came what some have called a“ meteoric rise” to
It didn’ t take long for“ Maddi Mania” to sweep the NHRA Mission Foods Series, with fans flocking to the pits to meet the rising star. Behind the youthful exuberance, though, is a fiercely competitive driver who takes the opportunity very seriously.
86 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 202