Ron Capps Motorsports appoints OKUMA as its official CNC machining partner, formalising a long-standing link ahead of the NHRA New England Nationals on June 5–7 at New England Dragway.

The deal codifies precision manufacturing support that underpinned Capps’ success with Don Schumacher Racing and has continued since he took team ownership in 2022.

OKUMA branding will appear on Capps’ Funny Car and Maddi Gordon’s Top Fuel dragster at six Mission Foods Series events, expanding visibility while aligning technical standards across both programs.

Capps cites exact, repeatable components as fundamental to performance and race-to-race reliability. That precision supports quick turnaround between runs and limits variability during tuning windows.

Since 2022, RCM has logged 11 wins, eight poles, and the 2022 Funny Car title with the NAPA Auto Care entry, sustaining the momentum evidenced by this season’s points lead.

Gordon’s early-season semifinal appearances and a 340mph Valdosta pass signal competitive potential, with shared component sets simplifying spares management and data correlation between nitro categories.

The OKUMA link stretches back to DSR, where engine blocks, heads, and rods produced on four and five-axis centers underpinned Capps’ victories.

Automation and probing allow tight-tolerance, repeatable parts, with cells capable of unmanned running when workloads and tooling strategies permit.

DSR’s president, Chad Osier, highlights accuracy and repeatability as the core advantages, enabling scale without compromising the machining window demanded by 12,000-horsepower engines.

Beyond NHRA, OKUMA equipment supports DSR projects in tractor pulling and aerospace, reinforcing the flexibility required for rapid fixture changes and mixed-material workflows.

Branding debuts at Epping, where RCM will also host guests in pitside hospitality. Qualifying starts Friday at 5:30pm ET, framing a busy turnaround schedule.

Operationally, the partnership narrows tolerances across engine families, aiding setup predictability and reducing waste from component drift.

Strategically, shared standards between Capps’ Funny Car and Gordon’s Top Fuel outfit improve learning transfer, with cross-referenced wear patterns driving maintenance intervals and spares planning.

It complements RCM’s broader supplier base, including recent communications upgrades through the Racing Electronics partnership, consolidating marginal gains across reliability and operations.

As the Mission Foods season intensifies, the OKUMA tie-up focuses on controllables: consistency, turnaround speed, and parts life—key differentiators when weather and grip narrow the tuning window.

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Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.