Ashley Cappetta Battles Mechanical Issues in Return to Port Royal Speedway

After a five-year absence from the Speed Palace, Ashley Cappetta returned to Port Royal Speedway with high hopes on Saturday night—but mechanical gremlins had other plans. Cappetta’s night was filled with troubleshooting and perseverance as she fought through persistent issues with horsepower and ultimately made the tough call to pull off early in the feature to prevent further damage.

Cappetta last raced at Port Royal in 2020, making Saturday’s return a long-awaited one. “I love the track and wish we could get there more often,” said Cappetta. “Unfortunately, from the start of the night, we just couldn’t find any horsepower.”

Despite adjusting gears and fuel settings, her team continued to chase a solution throughout the evening. “In warm-ups, I only turned 7,200 RPM, which was a red flag. Normally I’m way past that at Lincoln, and Port is a faster track. I knew something wasn’t right,” she explained.

Cappetta got a solid launch in her heat race, but was quickly overtaken—a sign that the issue hadn’t been resolved. In the feature, things went from bad to worse when she felt something hit the bottom of the car. She pushed on but couldn’t find the speed she needed. “I heard a weird noise from the motor and just knew something was off.”

Playing it smart, Cappetta exited the race early to avoid a catastrophic failure. Once off the track, the issue revealed itself—oil was pouring out from a hole in the oil pan, the result of debris damage. While initial concerns pointed to a possible blown motor, her engine builder, Paul, later diagnosed the real culprit: a weak fuel pump.

“Paul flowed the pump on Sunday and confirmed it was barely functioning. That explains why we had zero power,” Cappetta said. “Thankfully, there was no major engine damage, and Dean Bowman already repaired the oil pan. We’ll send the pump out this week and get it fixed.”

While the night didn’t go as planned, Cappetta was encouraged by the full field of 358s and the strong racing that fans got to witness. “The division put on a great show despite a few mishaps. I’m proud of everyone who made the trip and gave it their all. That’s what we need to keep showing other tracks—358s can put on a great race.”

Next up, Cappetta and her team will head to BAPS Motor Speedway this Saturday, as they look to bounce back and continue their strong 2025 season.