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2004 Championship Predictions
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It's
not rocket science and that's why we're taking a stab at predicting
the future...
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By "The Staff" Photos by Roger Richards, James Drew |
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Each year, the staff of CompetitionPlus.com picks the champions from each year. The end result is usually tons of hate mail, a few foul words directed at us as we stroll through the pits and a few bomb threats to the office. To continue in the tradition, our "crack" staff of prognosticators take a stab at what we think will happen over the course of the year. Previously we only picked the final points finish, and we usually stunk. That is why we decided to add some bonus picks in the end. We certainly couldn't do any worse.
NHRA Top Fuel – Brandon Bernstein
One year ago, Brandon Bernstein made a wrong decision during a run in Englishtown and spent a year in physical rehab paying for it. Fully healed from his back injuries, the second-generation Budweiser-sponsored driver will quickly navigate himself back into the form that netted “Rookie of the Year” honors despite only running a half season. Bernstein is a naturally talented driver, and that skill will quickly become common for him. If Bernstein hadn’t wrecked last year, this year could very well be his championship defense tour. The rest of the pack – 2. Larry Dixon
NHRA Funny Car – John Force
Remember the last time Force lost a championship to a member of the Pedregon family? The Funny Car fraternity certainly does and they’ve had to pay for it ever since. Guess what? Last year, Force not only lost to a Pedregon, but also watched as the newly crowned champion joined forces with the brother that beat his former boss in 1992. Man, he’s really going to be ticked now. Look for a determined Force to be on kill out of the belief that he has something to prove to the drag racing world. He may have wished Tony the best of luck, but one would have to be naïve to believe that Force doesn’t want to teach him a “lesson” on the racetrack. And yes, you can count on the wild interviews again from Force. The rest of the pack – 2. Gary Scelzi
NHRA Pro Stock – Warren Johnson
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Warren Johnson’s beadlock-rules experience will be the key to a few early season triumphs. Sporting a large points lead. Johnson will lead his son Kurt throughout the course of the year. The key to the choice of Johnson is his success thus far with the new beadlock wheel rule and subsequent tests that have left him as the leader make “The Professor” to be the logical choice. The first couple of races will be the key.
From what it looks like to us, school will be back in session again.
The rest of the pack –
2. Kurt Johnson
3. Jeg Coughlin, Jr.
4. Mark Pawuk
5. Rickie Smith
6. Greg Anderson
7. Bruce Allen
8. Allen Johnson
9. Jim Yates
10. Larry Morgan
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NHRA Pro Stock Bike – Angelle Savoie
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Every drag racer is entitled to an “off” season. Savoie’s “off” season resulted in a second place finish. One can expect the feelings of not winning the championship in 2003 to be the fuel that burns in the heart of Savoie. In her years of running with Star Racing, she had the potent combination of her talent and the tuning efforts of George Bryce. This will be the first time that she’s done it without Bryce at her side.
The former nurse will end up performing surgery on the rest of the field this year.
The rest of the pack –
2. Craig Treble
3. Geno Scali
4. Andrew Hines
5. Antron Brown
6. Shawn Gann
7. Angie McBride
8. G.T. Tonglet
9. Mike Berry
10. Karen Stouffer
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NHRA AMS Pro Modified – Von Smith
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There’s a song by ACDC that features lyrics that pretty much described Smith’s mastery of the Pro Modified contingent at the conclusion of 2003. As the bell tolls in the recording, lead singer Brian Johnson’s raspy voice croons, “I’m rolling thunder; pouring rain…I’m coming on like a hurricane.” Some say Smith will be a Class 5 Hurricane, but he won’t roll through unopposed. Expect his toughest battles to come from a battle against the top five points earners. Last year’s championship points chase went down to the final round; expect no different in 2004.
The key to Smith will be in avoiding tireshake like that which sidelined him at the Pontiac Pro Stock Super Bowl.
The rest of the pack –
2. Scotty Cannon
3. Mike Ashley
4. Thomas Patterson
5. Mitch Stott
6. Rickie Smith
7. Fred Hahn
8. Shannon Jenkins
9. Mike Castellana
10. Troy Critchley
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IHRA Top Fuel – Clay Millican
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Clay Millican has run so roughshod over the IHRA Top Fuel program in years past, that the 2004 season may be his toughest battle to date. What we mean by that instead of clinching the title early, it may take him until the final event of the season to be declared the champion. Of course, we don’t see the injected-fuel cars (now legal) as being his toughest combination. But, rather, the rest of the field will take themselves as far as their budgets will allow. Millican won’t do any worse. The competition will just improve.
Expect this to be one of Millican’s toughest battles in three years. If not, he knows that the competition will seize upon any perceived weakness.
The rest of the pack –
2. Bruce Litton
3. Tim Cullinan
4. Todd Paton
5. Bobby Lagana, Jr.
6. Grant Flowers
7. Keith Starke
8. Jack Ostrander
9. Roger Dean
10. Josh Starcher
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IHRA Pro Modified – Mike Janis –
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Janis will have to fight harder than he’s ever had to when it comes to winning this championship. By opting for a match race with Scotty Cannon at home in Lancaster, NY., instead of making the trek to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Janis will have to work harder than ever to overcome the lack of bonus points awarded to his program. Last year, Janis proved that a racer could be competitive in the points bid despite missing an event.
This won’t be easy for Janis. In fact, to win this championship,
he will feel like a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest.
The rest of the pack –
2. Mitch Stott
3. Shannon Jenkins
4. Harold Martin
5. Quain Stott
6. Mike Castellana
7. Billy Harper
8. Scotty Cannon
9. Pat Musi
10. Ed Hoover
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IHRA Funny Car – Rob Atchison
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All Atchison did in 2003 was provide a preview of what is expected to come for 2004. The veteran Canadian racer was on top of his game last year to the point that the momentum of that championship will propel him into the limelight for a second go-round. Atchison will have a key skirmish here and there, but his potency will be the key to the 2004 season.
In fact, we see Atchison’s success of this year and year’s to come to make him one of the top drivers to ever run the class alongside of Mark Thomas and Von Smith.
The rest of the pack –
2. Mark Thomas
3. Ronnie Midyette
4. Von Smith
5. Tony Bogolo
6. Mike Comella
7. Terry McMillen
8. Larry Dobbs
9. Neal Parker
10. Joe Comella
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IHRA Sunoco Pro Stock – Carl Baker
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The one key for Carl Baker in 2004 will be consistency. Had Baker enjoyed some measure of reliability in the performance department, he would have won the championship in 2003. Expect those wrinkles to be ironed out early in the season. The Sunoco Pro Stock contingent saw flashes of his domination abilities in 2003. Baker will be on an even-keel of performance and consistency in 2004.
Of course, his wife Donna will attribute the championship to lucky rocks and special hats.
The rest of the pack –
2. Brian Gahm
3. Frank Gugliotta
4. Robert Patrick
5. Rick Jones
6. Pete Berner
7. John Montecalvo
8. Mike Bell
9. Elijah Morton
10. Doug Kirk
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Other predictions to watch –
• The nitro controversy could end up in a court battle.
• An injected-nitro car will reach the finals of an IHRA Top Fuel event.
• Tony Pedregon will win a national event
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• Eric Medlen will reach the final round of at least one event
• Racers will protest going to the IHRA national event in Edmonton, threaten a boycott and still show up anyway.
• An IHRA Sunoco Pro Stock car will run a 6.3-second run.
• Warren Johnson will win the NHRA Winternationals and Rickie Smith will win at least one event over the course of the season.
• IHRA President Bill Bader will make at least one racer mad enough to make an obscene gesture sometime during the course of the season.
• Cory McClenathan will reach at least one final round.
• A Kalitta will run a 4.3-second run.
• Scotty Cannon will get “redneck” on at least one competitor before the 2004 season is complete.
• The Pro Stock Truck Association vs. NHRA will produce a nasty court battle over the course of the season.
• It will rain at approximately 8 events this season. Two will require a return to complete the event.
• An IHRA Top Stocker will run a 9.50.
• AT&T Wireless will announce a sponsorship for 2005 and beyond.
• A Pro Stock Harley motorcycle will win an NHRA national event this season.
• Morgan Lucas and Ashley Force will meet in the final round
of a national event in 2004.
