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It’s been a rollercoaster three weeks for Ashley Cappetta and her team, as they’ve faced mechanical setbacks, tough track conditions, and flashes of speed that show just how close the East Berlin driver is to breaking through for her first win of the season.

The stretch began with heartbreak at Lincoln Speedway, when Cappetta’s night ended prematurely with motor trouble while battling near the front of her heat race. After a strong start and a car that was showing speed, Cappetta heard the telltale signs that something wasn’t right. The team diagnosed a major issue with the camshaft, an unexpected step back in their season plans.

“It was really defeating because we were in position to qualify well and had a car I felt comfortable with,” Cappetta said. “We work so hard, and to have something completely out of our control end the night early was tough. But you can’t dwell on it—we just have to regroup and keep moving forward.”

Regroup is exactly what the team did. The following week at Lincoln, Cappetta rebounded with a strong qualifying effort and showed race-winning speed in both her heat and the feature. After racing into second during the heat and lining up solidly for the main event, Cappetta spent much of the feature inside the top five. Twice she made passes for position, only to have cautions negate her progress. In the end, she came home with a top-five finish—a run that gave the team confidence heading into the final stretch of the season.

“I really felt like we had a car capable of finishing in the top three or even challenging for a win if the cautions had fallen our way,” Cappetta noted. “It was definitely a confidence booster after the week before.”

This past Saturday, however, luck was once again not on Cappetta’s side. After drawing into a tough heat race and being relegated to a 17th-place starting spot in the feature, her night became an uphill climb. On the opening lap of the 20-lap main event, Cappetta was collected in another driver’s incident and forced to restart at the rear of the field. From there, she mounted a steady charge through the pack, only to be stalled multiple times by caution flags. Despite the setbacks, Cappetta passed cars and worked her way forward over the course of the race and salvaged a 13th-place finish.

“The car felt really good, but we just couldn’t catch a break with all the cautions,” Cappetta said. “Every time I made progress, the yellow would come out. We had a top-10 car, easy, but the circumstances just didn’t allow it.”

With just five races remaining on the 2025 season schedule at Lincoln Speedway, Cappetta and her team are focused on finishing strong. Cappetta continues to chase her first win of the year, with her sights set on the Weldon Sterner Memorial in September and a season finale in October.

“I want to get a win so bad for my team, my sponsors, and all the people who support me,” Cappetta said. “We’ve been close—we just need the right night to put it all together.”

Cappetta also addressed recent rumors circulating in the pits about her future in racing:
“There’s been some talk that I might retire after this season, and I just want to be clear—that’s not true. Next year will be my 15th season, and we plan on running a full schedule again in 2026. My future is still in racing, and I’m not done yet.”

Fans can catch Ashley Cappetta back in action this Saturday night at Lincoln Speedway, where she’ll continue her pursuit of victory lane.

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.

Ashley Cappetta’s race night at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday was full of emotion, challenges, and ultimately, another top 10 finish in 358 sprint car competition—her fifth in six starts this season.

Things started off on a superstitious note when Cappetta and her crew member received wristbands numbered 43-19 and 1-19, respectively—a combination of numbers with strong sentimental ties. “With Steve’s number being 19 and 43 being someone very special to me, it felt like a good sign,” said Cappetta. “Then we pulled pill number 19—it just felt like something good was in the air.”

The team tried a new setup during warm-ups that showed early promise. However, changing track conditions by the heat race made the car difficult to handle. “It was probably the most uncomfortable I’ve felt all year,” Cappetta admitted. “It was standing up on the right rear, really bad off the corners. I couldn’t drive it the way I needed to.” A racing incident with Chad Criswell added to the frustration, but Cappetta emphasized her commitment to clean racing and apologized to Criswell and his team.

Despite the challenges, Cappetta’s consistency paid off, as she held onto an invert spot for the feature. After a team discussion, the decision was made to revert to a more familiar and proven setup for the main event. “I knew it wasn’t the night for trial and error,” she explained. “We’ve been consistent all year, and I didn’t want to jeopardize that.”

That decision paid off, as Cappetta climbed into the top five during the A-Main, running as high as fifth before a late-race caution allowed another driver to capitalize. She ultimately finished sixth—another solid result for the team, which is still in its first season together. “It was a good rebound. I got my confidence back during the feature,” she said.

The team will continue working to improve, including a private midweek test session at BAPS Motor Speedway. “Even though it’s not Lincoln, any seat time is valuable,” Cappetta noted. “We’ve been putting in the hours, talking through everything, watching film—this season already feels different in the best way.”

The team’s efforts have put Cappetta atop the Lincoln Speedway point standings—by a slim five-point margin. “It’s early, and I’m not focused on winning a championship just yet. I want to win races. But even leading for one week shows we’re doing something right.”

Cappetta Reflects on PA Speedweek Kickoff Event

Cappetta also participated in the PA Speedweek Kickoff event on Sunday, an experience she found both meaningful and necessary. “I thought it was a great event,” she shared. “It’s so important to bring fans—especially young kids—closer to the sport. They’re the future.”

Ashley emphasized how these events foster connection and community among drivers and fans. “We don’t always get to talk at the track. Sunday gave us that chance,” she said. “Selling merchandise is also a big help. It’s not just fan gear—it’s like a mini sponsorship. Every little bit helps.”

With momentum on her side and a dedicated team behind her, Cappetta remains focused and optimistic. “We’re still learning, but we’re heading in the right direction. We’re not just showing up—we’re showing up to compete.”