DAY TWO, ENTRY TWO

Since 1996, John Force has won seven of the 18 races offering winner's purses exceeding $50,000. Those include the U.S. Nationals, the Budweiser Shootout, and the

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defunct Winston bonus races. Force's first three Shootout wins were worth $50,000; the last two earned him $100,000. He won $100,000 at Rockingham, N.C., in 1997 and $200,000 in the inaugural Winston Showdown at Bristol, Tenn., in 1999. That easily makes him the most prolific "money racer" in the sport.

He and his drivers have earned $1,052,500 in Budweiser Shootout and Budweiser No. 1 qualifier bonuses in the program's 22-year history. That includes $878,500 Force pocketed with 115 No.1 starts and victories in the 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996 and 2000 Shootouts. Still, Force, a 108-time national-event winner insisted, "It's not about the money. It's about proving yourself against the best. I'd race at Indy for nothing as long as everybody else was here. Tony, Baze, Ron Capps, (Gary) Scelzi, Del Worsham, Gary Densham, (Tim) Wilkerson, Tommy Johnson, (Dean) Skuza. As long as all the top guys were racing, I'd do it for nothin' -- but don't tell that to NHRA."

DAY TWO, ENTRY THREE

This is just the second time in the last 14 years that Force entered the U.S. Nationals without the points lead. The last time that happened was 1998, when Ron Capps had a 31-point edge. He's led the points by as many as 574 points entering the Nationals (1996). Last year, he led teammate Tony Pedregon by 140 points coming here.

DAY TWO, ENTRY FOUR

Warning to Pro Stock points leader Greg Anderson: Do Not Read This . . .

No. 2 Kurt Johnson and his ACDelco Chevy Cavalier team didn't test last week at Indianapolis like so many other competitors did. But he insists he's ready to close the gap on Anderson.

"In NASCAR, drivers battling for the championship have the luxury of finding a hole during the race, so they can ride around and score an average points finish," Johnson, of Sugar Hill, Ga., said. "In drag racing, you have to be at your absolute best every time you take to the track. Whether you're ahead or behind, you have to treat every round as if it were the final.

"Neither Greg nor I can afford a first-round loss right now. He's trying to maintain the points lead, while I'm looking to make up ground. You work throughout the year to put yourself and your team in this type of situation, and this ACDelco crew is ready to fight all the way to the end."

Johnson has four victories in seven final-round appearances.

"Right now, we are less than eight rounds out of the lead, and we have seven races left," Johnson said. "To use an extreme example, if I win them all, which is our goal, I automatically gain 140 points, and with a little help, we'll make up the final difference. After all, you only have to be in the points lead for the last run of the last race."

DAY TWO, ENTRY FIVE

SpeedFreaks recently got down to brass knuckles with radio-show guest Jesse James, co-sponsor of Scott Kalitta's dragster. Their question for him: If Connie Kalitta were 30 years younger, who would win a fistfight between them? Top Fuel rival Larry Dixon piped up to Scott, "I'd put my money on your dad. And I mean today."