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The continuing loss of star drivers from other pro classes also should concern the powers that be in Norwalk. It now appears likely that IHRA's biggest and brightest star of the last couple of years is poised to join the likes of Don Lampus and Gene Wilson in defecting to the other side after claiming championships on the "junior" circuit. Though no official announcement has yet been made, Clay Millican looks set to tackle NHRA's best in Top Fuel this season. And to make matters worse, Paul Romine, one of only two worthy opponents for Millican last year, will be joining him in the NHRA ranks. That leaves only Bruce Litton to field a proven, consistent performer in IHRA's typically underwhelming Top Fuel class.

Unless someone really steps up their program -- and they might (I understand Jack Ostrander and Danny Dunn may have something up their sleeves) -- Bader might as well pencil Litton's name on the championship check right now. And that's a problem. It got far too predictable in 2002 when Mike Kloeber sent Millican on winning pass after winning pass. Great for Millican; bad for the rest of us. Only Romine and Litton posed a serious threat, and then only if Millican stumbled. In fact, the only race Millican lost came when he overpowered a green Budd's Creek track and allowed Ostrander to cruise past in a much, much slower ride.

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IHRA can't afford another Top Fuel year like that. Which is why I can't understand why it ultimately decided, after apparently serious consideration, not to align its rules for the class with NHRA's current package. At one point, it may have made sense for IHRA to develop its own Top Fuel rules package. I don't know; I'm not privy to the intricacies that go into such decisions. But I can see the quality of IHRA Top Fuel dropping over the years, and it looks to me like the separate requirements for the class contributed to the decline. Why persist in making it impractical for NHRA teams to enter IHRA events? No one expects to see Dixon, or Kalitta, or Schumacher racing at Cordova any time soon, but there are plenty of second-tier NHRA regulars who could help make IHRA qualifying an actual event and not just an exercise to see how the first-round fodder will line up.

Finally, it will be interesting to see how the June race at Edmonton, Alberta pans out for IHRA after there was more than a little grumbling at the distance many teams will have to travel (up to 5,000 miles roundtrip) to make the race. The $214,000 available to pro teams as incentive payments will certainly help, but it won't be easy and probably will tax IHRA's resources and resourcefulness to their limits. Still, after speaking with each of them, I think Bader's confidence and the earnest efforts of the track's owners will be the keys that allow them to successfully pulling this one off.

Beyond these concerns, there will of course be the usual rules controversies, perhaps a disputed result or two, and logistical challenges that accompany any traveling show. The one challenge I hope IHRA and every race sanctioning body avoids this year, though, is dealing with serious crashes and racer injuries. No matter what else happens, if we can have a safe season, we'll all be able to call it a success.

Race safe,

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