RON CAPPS & MADDI GORDON
Gordon’ s youthful enthusiasm and Capps’ wisdom and experience from 30-plus years operating at a high level in the sport make for a formidable pairing that wins on and off the track.
first 300 mph run to the eighth mile in NHRA history, and he was there when Mike’ s daughter, Jasmine, made her Top Fuel debut in 2024. In 2025, Flynn tuned the younger Salinas to backto-back semifinal appearances at the first two races of the year. His proven capabilities with champions and rookies alike spoke volumes to Capps, but ultimately, it was important that Antonelli have the final say.
“ Guido is my partner, the way I look at it, so it had to be somebody he could work with, somebody that he approved of. That person had to approach the tune-up the same way and share [ similar ] ideas, and we found the perfect guy in Rob Flynn,” said Capps, who understands the critical nature of having the right leader and has been tuned by some of the best in the business over the course of his career. In addition to Antonelli, he’ s experienced incredible success with legendary crew chiefs such as Roland Leong, Ed“ The Ace” McCulloch, and Rahn Tobler.
With Flynn in place, the remaining pieces came swiftly. Fasching worked alongside Flynn at Scrappers Racing and at Kalitta Motorsports, and Grospitch had been car chief at John Force Racing, overseeing the very dragsters that Maddi now drives. The two Top Fuel cars under the Ron Capps Motorsports roof were originally driven by Austin Prock when he was racing for Force.
For Maddi, the team became a vital part of her stability and strength. Most will agree that mindset matters, maintaining it is crucial,
and the meshing of a team has great impact on the process.
“ If you think you can’ t do something, you absolutely cannot. If you think you can, you can. But it’ s also about the people you have around you,” said Maddi.“ When I drove my family’ s car, they picked me up when I was down and reminded me that I wasn’ t that bad of a driver. I don’ t have my family around all that often anymore, but I’ ve got Ron, and I’ ve got every single person on his team and mine. If I’ m ever down, they remind me why I shouldn’ t be. It’ s all about who you surround yourself with.”
Capps has long subscribed to that theory and surrounded himself with good people both at and away from the racetrack. His association with the Gordon family stretches back to when he was crewing for the world championship Top Alcohol Dragster team of Blaine Johnson and his brother and tuner, the now iconic Top Fuel crew chief Alan Johnson. Maddi’ s grandfather, Mike, was racing the family’ s alcohol car then.
“ I always thought her grandfather was just salt of the earth, a really good guy, and her dad was younger than me, but we were just two snotnosed kids running around the track,” recalled Capps.“ I watched Doug grow up, take over the business, and get his license. Then I watched from afar as Maddi and Macie grew up and started racing Jr. Dragsters. Between the Norwalk race and the old Western Swing, my family and I would vacation in Paso Robles. We’ d go out to the lake and they’ d come out. Her and Macie were just little girls running around, but you knew they had the same genes as Doug Gordon and Mike Gordon. This was a no-brainer. I knew right off the bat she was going to be great.”
Capps had faith in her abilities and already knew she was a delight, but no one was prepared for the fan-reception Maddi received. In her Gainesville debut, the crowd roared as she came down the return road following each of her round wins, and although she bowed out in the semifinals, they stacked 20-deep behind her trailer in the rain to wait for a glimpse and a chat.
“ I saw that and thought,‘ This is going to be pretty cool,’” said Capps.“ And she just lived up to it.”
Indeed, there is something fiercely magnetic and decidedly pure about Maddi. Her raw, genuine nature is consistently buoyant and in full view, no matter the time of day. She cannot contain her enthusiasm— but we wouldn’ t want her to. That authentically unbridled spirit is what drag racing has sorely needed. Maddi isn’ t just walking among us, she’ s floating, and she’ s inviting everyone in her circumference to float, too.
“ I’ m just a girl from Paso Robles who loves drag racing,” said Maddi.“ I love that I get to be myself out here, screaming at the top of my lungs, promoting Carlyle Tools, driving fast race cars. I get to be myself and share that excitement with the fans, and that is so amazing.” DI
94 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 202