NHRA WINTERNATIONALS: MAY THE FORCE BE WITHERED? CHAMP 10 YEARS RUNNING ON RUN.

Byline: Steve Ramirez Staff Writer

POMONA - Is this the year, or will John Force's dominance of the National Hot Rod Association Funny Car class continue for yet another season?

The answer begins to take shape today when the NHRA Powerade drag racing series opens its 2003 season with the 43rd Winternationals at Fairplex. Pro qualifying is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. with Top Fuel and Funny Car expected to roll through the water box after 3.

``I believe this could be the year,'' veteran nitro flopper pilot Frank Pedregon said. ``I want to call it a dark horse year. Force's throne is, I believe, in major jeopardy. We all believe it, and we all know it. He's been a great champion. But there's a lot stacked up against John, and one of these dark horses are going to clip him.''

Force, who has won 10 consecutive titles and 12 of the past 13, showed some vulnerability last season. He won a class-high eight national events but wasn't able to clinch the title until defeating teammate Tony Pedregon in the semifinals of the season-ending NHRA World Finals.

``I've been back home too long, and I'm ready to kick off the season,'' Force said. ``We had some great testing. But there's a lot of good cars. It's really going to be tough this year.''

His toughest competition could come from teammates Pedregon and Gary Densham, who finished second and fourth, respectively.

Pedregon, who won six events, had the quickest car down the stretch, but lost his semifinal matchup in the World Finals against Force at the starting line. He and Force ran consistent 4.80-second passes in preseason testing and both dipped into the 4.7 bracket.

``The competition was there last year,'' Pedregon said. ``There's going to be even more this year. There's going to be closer races, so all the little things that a crew chief can do, all the little things a driver can do is going to make a difference.

``I think this year a lot more is going to be decided on the starting line. Some people want to see John get knocked off, and I want to be the guy. I want to see him get knocked off, not by anybody else, just by me.''

Other challengers include Del Worsham, who finished third in points, and Whit Bazemore, who was a disappointing fifth. Three-time Top Fuel champion Gary Scelzi has joined the fray and will drive for Don Schumacher in his three-car stable.

``Law of averages, you would say, `Yeah (someone can beat Force),' '' said Scelzi, who made several solid passes in the 4.80s. ``How many can a guy win in a row? But that team is awfully deep (in) talent. Don (Schumacher) has assembled the same type of situation. If we can control ourselves and everybody stays on the same page, I think we've got something for them. We have everything it takes to do it. If we can do it, our destiny is in our own hands.''

The same type of racing is expected in Top Fuel, where Larry Dixon is a strong choice to repeat his championship run.

The San Fernando native won a class-high nine national events last season in earning team owner Don ``The Snake'' Prudhomme's first NHRA championship since the late 1970s.

Dixon is expected to be challenged by 1999 champion Tony Schumacher, Brandon Bernstein and Cory McClenathan. Bernstein begins his rookie campaign after replacing his legendary father, Kenny, in the Budweiser dragster. The elder Bernstein retired last season after a drag-racing career that dated to the 1960s.

``Dixon ran so good last year, it was unbelievable,'' Schumacher said. ``They were first class. They earned the championship last year and now we have the opportunity to take it away.

``There are so many good teams out there. It's not going to be a walk in the park. It's going to be a fight from the get-go. That's what's going to make this weekend so important. You have to get off to a good start. If you lose in the first round (Sunday), you leave here 80 points behind the guy that wins. That's a lot of points to make up.''