NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION: DIXON, CAPPS ARE BACK ON TRACK : FIRST-ROUND QUALIFYING BEGINS TODAY AT POMONA.

Byline: Steve Ramirez

Defending event champions Larry Dixon and Ron Capps top the list of competitors today when the National Hot Rod Association begins its 25th championship season with the 39th Winternationals at Pomona Raceway.

First-round qualifying is scheduled for 2 p.m. The event runs through Sunday.

``I'm very excited to go back to Pomona as defending champion,'' said Capps, who teamed with Dixon to give team owner Don ``The Snake'' Prudhomme a victory in the Funny Car and Top Fuel divisions at last year's event.

``The Winternationals are an old race, the oldest (track) on the circuit. It's Snake's home track, so it's a big race for me.''

Capps, who beat Tim Wilkerson in a tire-smoking battle in last year's Funny Car final, should receive challenges from eight-time Winston champion John Force, along with Whit Bazermore and Camarillo resident Cruz Pedregon.

Both Force and Gary Scelzi, who will try for a three-peat in Top Fuel, will be using the new five-disc clutch, which proponents believe will allow for some of the best performances in NHRA history.

Force, winner of the past six Funny Car titles, comes into the season favored to make it seven straight. But Capps is one of several who will try to knock the Bell Gardens native off his pedestal.

``How are we going to beat Force? Maybe flatten his tires,'' said Capps, who won a series-high five races in 1998 and finished a close second to Force in points. ``Seriously. We just have to eliminate the mistakes and run more consistently. We won more races then anyone else (in 1998), but John was more consistent. What cost us the championship was that we had too many first-round losses.''

Scelzi, driver of the Alan Johnson-owned Team Winston dragster, has a higher winning percentage then Force, securing victories in 11 races over the past two seasons. He also owns national records in elapsed time (4.525) and speed (326.44 mph).

``I don't think I've ever been more excited to start a season,'' said Scelzi, who advanced to seven final rounds and 14 semifinals in 1998. ``The competition out here is intense. Last season, it looked like Cory (McClenathan) would run away with the Winston championship. I know that the other Top Fuels are extremely gifted with good drivers. I also know that consistency wins championships.

``I know that as hard as all these teams are working to beat us, we're working just as hard to stay ahead of them and stay consistent. Next November, we'll find out who worked the hardest and most effectively in the offseason.

``As good as all the teams were last year, there were still only six different winners. So again, it comes down to who can win the most rounds and events, and that takes consistency.''

That is what McClenathan is hoping for. The driver of the Joe Gibbs entry won six events last season, but faltered enough during the summer months to allow Scelzi to slip past him.

``I don't think Scelzi has fallen off,'' said McClenathan, who has finished second four times. ``He's as tough as ever. Our challenge is to step up and challenge him. We have to rise to the occasion. Hopefully, we can do it.''

Randy Anderson is hoping a successful weekend will allow him to get sponsorship for the remaining 21 events on the national tour.

``I'm really excited about the weekend,'' said Anderson, who recently signed a two-race deal with Oakwood Interiors, an Ontario-based furniture manufacturer. ``This will be, by far, my strongest team ever. We were able to take some veteran crew guys from my sister's car.

``I have her best guys, so as far as crew and parts, I've never been stronger.''

Brad Anderson, team owner and Randy's father, was unable to secure sponsorship for his daughter, Shelly Anderson. Brad will serve as crew chief with help from Gary Kennedy.

Veteran crew chief Jim Dunn, who also is fielding his own team, will serve as an adviser.

``It should be an outstanding team,'' Randy Anderson said. ``Obviously, we don't have a budget like Force, but on the short term, we should be very competitive.''

Jim Yates, who won Winston titles in 1996 and '97, is defending event champion in Pro Stock.

NHRA AutoZone Winternationals

Site: Pomona.

Schedule: Today-Saturday, qualifying; Sunday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 9:30-11:30 p.m.).

Track: Pomona Raceway.

Last year: Larry Dixon won the Top Fuel title, beating Jim Head in the final with a quarter-mile run of 4.752 seconds at 251.18 mph. Ron Capps topped the Funny Car division, and Jim Yates won the Pro Stock title.

Fast facts: Pomona Raceway, the oldest venue on the national circuit, has been the site of the season-opening event since 1961. . . . John Force won his eighth Funny Car championship in November at Pomona Raceway, advancing to the semifinals in the season-ending Winston Finals. Gary Scelzi also wrapped up his second straight Top Fuel title in the Winston Finals. . . . Warren Johnson is the defending Pro Stock champion.

Next event: Kragen Nationals, Feb. 25-28, Phoenix.

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BOX: NHRA AutoZone Winternationals (see text)