Meet the Race Team

Rich Bailey: Driver, Team Owner
In 1997, Rich Bailey began his racing career with $12,000 and a dream. He purchased a seldom driven "slingshot' dragster and got his feet wet learning how to drive the car and how maintain it. By the start of his first full season of competition, Bailey was sponsored with KSLM Radio as the major sponsor. The following season, Bailey "outgrew" the front engine car and moved to a rear engine car with backing from KSLM's sister station, News Talk 1430 KYKN Radio. For the next two years Bailey raced in the Super Comp class before signing a one year deal with Capitol Auto Group, a chain of auto dealerships headquartered in Salem Oregon.

Now, nine years later and still under the Capitol umbrella, the Capitol Auto Group Dragster is one of the more well known race cars in the NHRA Northwest Division. The team has gained a large following of fans due to the team's aggressive display schedule and promotional programs. Rich is a graduate from Oregon State University in Corvallis. He is married to wife Susan and together have two children.

Arguably, the "Bill Doner of Show Car Promotion" Bailey in recent years has been one of four people behind and co-founded both the Winter Rod and Speed Show and the Night of Fire which has raised thousands of dollars for local family's with children and young adults with cancer and other severe and devastating diseases.

Career Highlights include:

Top Ten NHRA Top Comp finish in 2000

Won the Oregon Top Comp Championships at Madras in 2000

Qualified on the pole at both the Fall Classic in Woodburn and the Halloween Classic in Boise Idaho in 2006. Qualified 4th for a Top Alcohol show in Spokane the same year.

Rich is a recipient of President Bush's Volunteer Service Award in 2004 and 2006 for his work with the Race Against Drugs Program.

Best ET of 6.76 @ 199 MPH at the 2008 Governor's Cup at Sacramento.

Brent Sanford: Capitol Racing Crew Chief
Starting in grade school, Brent Sanford and Rich Bailey always dreamed about the day they would be racing together. Now years later the dream became a reality. After coming on board to help with some displays, Brent became a major player in the racing operation. He pays close attention to details and is by far one of the best crewmen the Capitol team has ever had. The plan is for Brent to learn everything about the car so that he can run the mechanical side of the operation if necessary. After two solid years working under Ken Logan and Art Mendoza, Brent earned the title from not only being there every step of the way but also making the most of the opportunities he was given.

Art Mendoza: Engine Builder
The biggest reason for the team's increase in performance is our engine builder, Art Mendoza. Art became a partner in the car by initially loaning Rich Bailey his engines. Since then, Art's business demanded that he take a step back from supplying the engines and working on the car at each race. However, he continues to rebuild the engine over the winter and when ever necessary during the race season.

Ken Logan: Tuner and Consultant
Ken Logan joined the team at Rich Bailey's request after crew chief Jeff Lauener had a stroke. While Lauener will always have a place on the team, Logan's expertise was needed to keep the team rolling. Formally from California where he raced with Dale Smart, Ken became one of the more successful crew chiefs in the Top Alcohol ranks winning the prestigious NHRA US Nationals at Indianapolis three times. Most recently, Ken tuned for Clint Thompson's Top Alcohol Funny Car team. Logan's talent is already being noticed as he tuned Bailey to a best ever 6.77 at 198 MPH utilizing an Art Mendoza prepared Rodeck engine.

Chris Wollertsen: Crew Member
Chris has recently joined the team and works under Brent Sanford.

Brian Walburn: Crew and Promotions
No stranger to the local car scene, Brian came on board at the request of Team Owner, Rich Bailey in 2008. Brian began customizing and restoring cars in the late 70's. Brian does promotional and public relations work for the team, as well as assisting the at select races on the West Coast. He and his wife, Sheryl are semi retired and enjoy spending time at their lakefront home in South Salem

Pat Pond: Crew
Pat Pond has officially joined Capitol Racing as a crew member at the beginning of the 2009 season. Pat is married and is a 1979 graduate of McNary High School, who became a professional mechanic at age 17. He later joined the Air Force and drag raced at tracks in Mountain Home and Boise while he was stationed at the Mountain Home Air Base. Pat has is a blackbelt and currently works for Northwest Natural Gas. Pat gives the team some added stability and good mechanical skills.

Transmission Builder: Jeff Marsh
Jeff Marsh began rebuilding our transmission towards the end of the 2007 season after a parade of on going problems. Ever since then, the problems the team was regularly experiencing went away. Last year the team enjoyed a trouble free season. Jeff owns Canby Transmission and races a drag bike.

 

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