Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Capps steps out of Prudhomme Funny Car

Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004 | 10:02 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

The NHRA's "silly season" kicked into high gear Wednesday with Ron Capps' announcement that he has resigned as driver of one of Don "the Snake" Prudhomme's Skoal Racing Funny Cars.

Although Capps did not detail his plans for the 2005 season, it has been rumored that he is set to join Don Schumacher Racing in a fourth Funny Car.

"This was a very difficult decision for me to make because Don and Lynn Prudhomme have been more than just an employer, but rather a family to me," Capps said in a prepared statement.

"Snake took a chance on me eight years ago and I owe every bit of that success to him and the Prudhomme family. My personal relationship with Snake has and will continue to remain solid at and away from the race track."

Capps' departure from Prudhomme Racing leaves the team -- at least temporarily -- with one Top Fuel driver (Larry Dixon) and one Funny Car driver (Tommy Johnson Jr.), but it has been reported that Prudhomme is interested in hiring Melanie Troxel to pilot a second Top Fuel dragster for the team if he can secure a sponsor.

"Our plan is to continue racing with Tommy Johnson Jr. and Larry Dixon next season, while also considering other opportunities that would allow us to field either an additional Top Fuel dragster or Funny Car in 2005," Prudhomme said.

"My relationship with Ron is more than just a driver/owner relationship. More importantly, we are very close friends and will remain that. I wish Ron all the success at whatever venture he decides to pursue."

JOHNSON TO 'GRADUATE': Six-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson may be getting out of his GM Performance Parts Grand Am at the end of next season, but that doesn't mean "The Professor" is getting out of drag racing.

Johnson announced during last weekend's season-ending NHRA Finals in Pomona that the 2005 season would be his last as a driver and he would call his farewell season "The Professor's School's Out Tour."

But Johnson, 61, made it clear that he will remain a fixture in the sport in which he has been involved for more than 31 years.

"I've never had any qualms about stepping out of the seat -- as long as it was the best approach for our organization, and this seems like the right time," Johnson said. "Naturally, I will still be involved in racing. It's just gotten to the point lately that I'm wearing too many hats, which prevents me from doing the job as well as I would like to.

"Therefore, if I can eliminate one assignment and make our operation more successful, it's a positive move. By not driving, I will have more time to spend on some very important projects."

Johnson holds the NHRA mark for victories in the Pro Stock class with 92.

LINE HONORED: Jason Line, who drives the KB Framers Pontiac Grand Am for Las Vegas businessman Ken Black, won the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Road To The Future award as the top rookie in the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series.

Line, 35, recorded four national-event victories in eight final rounds, two No. 1 qualifying positions and finished second in points to teammate Greg Anderson in his first full season in the category.

Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel) and Eric Medlen (Funny Car) also were nominated for the award.

AT THE STRIP: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will play host to the final Midnight Mayhem of the year for street-legal cars and motorcycles Friday from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., as well as the Pacific Street Car Association (Friday through Sunday) and the California Independent Funny Car Association (Saturday and Sunday).

A complete schedule of the weekend's events can be found at www.lvms.com