nly two more to go. Many of the regulars on the NHRA POWERade tour were wearing their exhaustion. Faces were drawn on many drivers and crewmembers, most were flat burned-out and looking forward to loading up that transporter for the last time in a couple of weeks. The testing, rain delays and re-do's have made this one of the longest drag racing seasons ever.

The ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals hit town with Tony Schumacher leading Top Fuel qualifying, running 4.503 with a top mph of 331.45. Since Alan Johnson arrived to the US Army-backed car the performance has been awesome and they look ready for the championship fight in 2004. Kenny Bernstein followed the Sarge with a 4.529.

Funny car qualifying was led once again by Tony Pedregon posting a 4.753 at 322.88 mph followed by Gary Densham, Phil Burkhart Jr., in one of the CSK Team cars, and John Force in the fourth slot.

Greg Anderson grabbed his fourth No. 1 position in a row with a 6.866, his 13th of the season, having clinched his first POWERade Championship in Dallas. The No. 2 qualifier was Pro Stock rookie Jason Line in Anderson's second car.

FUNNY CAR

For a couple of weeks prior to Vegas John Force Racing had been the focus of more rumors than had been heard about any race team in many years. Tony was leaving - he was staying - he was going to drive Force's top fueler, he was joining brother Cruz with a second car. None of it mattered on Sunday to the 12-time champ. John Force was

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philosophical prior to the Funny Car final.

"Tony will be up for the fight. I saw it in his eyes, he's just like his Dad, he's just like his brother and even though there's a situation out there with Tony of having his own team or maybe staying with me, he's proved himself, with or without the championship but he's proved that he's earned it and that moves him up the food chain," Force said.

Earlier this season, before the Winternationals, Force proclaimed that this was Tony Pedregon's year, but I doubt that anyone at Force Racing could have predicted an ending like the one we got at the ACDelco Nationals in Las Vegas. Yes, Tony won the POWERade Championship convincingly, but the last run and the race win came down to his ability as a driver rather that the brute horsepower his John Medlin/Dickie Venables-tuned charger provides.