FORCE IS WITH THEM 10-TIME CHAMP OPENS DEFENSE.

Byline: Steve Ramirez Staff Writer

POMONA - John Force's domination of the National Hot Rod Association Funny Car class could be coming to an end as the 41st Winternationals at the Fairplex Thursday through Sunday opens the NHRA's 50th season.

Or is it?

``They say that every year,'' said veteran Funny Car driver Ron Capps, who has finished second to Force two of the past three seasons.

But this season might be different. Force, who has won 10 Funny Car titles since 1990, including eight in a row, looked vulnerable last season. Newcomer Jerry Toliver, driving a WWF Camaro last year, led for most of the first half of the season before faltering in the summer heat.

Force, who has won a record 92 national events, recovered with a strong August and September to win the championship easily. But the opposition has raised the bar in 2001.

The season begins with six new teams, all capable of winning.

``This year is going to be brutal,'' said veteran Whit Bazemore, who will drive a Pontiac for a new team owned by former Winternationals champion Don Schumacher. ``There are just so many well-funded cars out there.''

Those include several two-car operations, including ones owned by NHRA legend Don ``The Snake'' Prudhomme, the World Wrestling Federation and Chuck Etchells. Also expected to make an impact are the E-Moola.com car driven by Bruce Sarver and the Oakley Funny Car piloted by former IHRA Pro-Mod champion Scott Cannon, who has hired veteran tuner Wes Cerney.

``Funny Car looks real strong,'' Force said. ``That Cannon team with Cerney, they are going to be tough. There are a lot of good teams out there who are capable of winning. But I like the competition. It motivates me.''

And vice versa.

``One of the biggest reasons (for the increased popularity in Funny Car) is John Force,'' said Tommy Johnson Jr., who teams with Capps on Prudhomme's two-car operation. ``The first person to knock John off the top, everybody is going to know who you are.

``That's the one thing that attracted me to Funny Car - John Force. You mention that you've beaten John Force and you don't have to say anything else.''

But it goes both ways, said Force teammate Tony Pedregon.

``It's like with Muhammad Ali when he was boxing,'' Pedregon said. ``What made him so great was, he was great, but he was in an era where there were 10 other great fighters. And he beat them all.

``So if we can (win this year), it's going to be very special.''

Defending champion Gary Scelzi said the Top Fuel division could be just as fierce with five solid teams. ``I'm looking at Tony Schumacher, Larry Dixon, Kenny Bernstein, Mike Dunn and Doug Kalitta,'' said Scelzi, who has won the title three of the past four seasons. ``We're ready.''

Scelzi and Dixon were tops in recent testing, both making runs in the low 4.60s.

``I'm definitely more confident going into this race than I was last year,'' Dixon said. ``We didn't have to make any changes over the offseason. For us to (win the championship), we're going to have to raise the bar and that won't be easy.''

Jeg Coughlin Jr., who coasted to his first title last season, is the favorite in a Pro Stock field that also includes five-time champ Warren Johnson, his son Kurt Johnson and two-time titlist Jim Yates. Coughlin has won two in a row at the Fairplex.

Defending champion Angelle Seeling, three-time champ Matt Hines and Antron Brown are the favorites in Pro Stock Motorcycle, which doesn't begin until the season's third race.

This weekend's event also includes the conclusion of the Big Bud Shootout for Top Fuel dragsters. The event was rained out before the semifinal round in November.

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Photo: John Force, who has won 10 titles since 1990 and eight in a row, opens his championship defense at the 41st Winternationals.

Associated Press