Kalitta, who won the bonus race as a rookie in 1998, said, "I've been looking forward to the opportunity to win it again. I think I appreciate it a little bit more now. It took us a little longer, but we got it done. We're just happy to take Budweiser's money."

At the pre-race press conference, the normally quiet Kalitta wisecracked about the winner's loot, "Everybody keeps talking about the money, but it's still 50 cases of beer, right?" He'll have plenty, even if he is kind enough to share a case or two with Schumacher, who helped him put on an awe-inspiring show.

The .008-second deficit cost Schumacher $85,000, for his second-place paycheck was considerably lighter at $15,000. "It sucked," he said, " . . . but the fans got their money's worth, and that's a fact." He added that his close races against Kalitta at Brainerd and in the Shootout are harbingers of 2004: "He's been on the winning side both times, and that's what you've got in store for next year."

The event and the entire two-race Budweiser Shootout program have something vastly different in store for 2004.

Beginning next season, only the top qualifier for the elite-eight Top Fuel bonus race will be guaranteed seeding and an opponent (the No. 8 driver).

The six who qualify for positions 2-7 will be locked into the field but not an order. They will participate in a lottery-style drawing at the pre-event press conference to determine their seedings and opponents in the elimination bracket. The No. 8 competitor will have a wild-card berth and will come from among the eight drivers who qualify eighth through 15th.

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The site, too, will change. Budweiser and NHRA officials said that will be announced in the next few weeks, but the Las Vegas Journal-Review already has reported that the event will be at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Budweiser, which renewed its sponsorship as NHRA's official beer, will continue to offer the same purse structure. Drivers still will bid for positions based on qualifying at 23 NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series races.

However, Budweiser no longer will sponsor the Funny Car all-star race that takes place during Labor Day weekend as part of qualifying for the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. U.S. Tobacco's Skoal brand will take over the event, which has been renamed the Skoal Showdown.

"Snake Racing has had a long and successful relationship with Skoal Racing," said Don Prudhomme, whose two Funny Cars -- those driven by Ron Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr. -- carry Skoal sponsorship. "Each year, Ron, Tommy and our Funny Cars are right there in the mix, competing to win this exclusive competition, and I'm proud to see one of (our) primary sponsors assume the title sponsorship."