With the opening of the 2008 NHRA POWERade season just days away, David Powers Motorsports will roll into Pomona loaded for bear. Rod Fuller and Anton Brown, Powers' powerhouse combination in the Top Fuel ranks will be gunning for victory in the 48th annual Carquest Auto Parts Winternationals.

Fuller, following a solid test at Phoenix, hopes to finally crack into the winner's circle at the storied facility. Teammate Antron Brown will be making his Top Fuel debut and his first run at Pomona in something with more than two wheels.

“I have a bad taste in my mouth from the Finals last fall, so I want to go in and win this race,” remarked Fuller. “I feel very confident going in. We had the quickest time in testing. We have a fast car and that’s exciting.”

With the opening of the 2008 NHRA POWERade season just days away, David Powers Motorsports will roll into Pomona loaded for bear. Rod Fuller and Anton Brown, Powers' powerhouse combination in the Top Fuel ranks will be gunning for victory in the 48th annual Carquest Auto Parts Winternationals.

Fuller, following a solid test at Phoenix, hopes to finally crack into the winner's circle at the storied facility. Teammate Antron Brown will be making his Top Fuel debut and his first run at Pomona in something with more than two wheels.

“I have a bad taste in my mouth from the Finals last fall, so I want to go in and win this race,” remarked Fuller. “I feel very confident going in. We had the quickest time in testing. We have a fast car and that’s exciting.”

Fuller's excitement is echoed in the words of crew chief Rob Flynn, “Based on testing with both cars, we’re pretty confident heading into Pomona. It is a different race track, so you have to start over again. The last time, at the Finals, we had some misfires, but overall we’ve done well there in the past. We’re confident going into the season.”

Fuller clocked the quickest pass of 2008 pre-season testing on Jan. 29 with a run of 4.468 seconds at 331.36 mph at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix. Having qualified for 62 consecutive Top Fuel events, second only to Tony Schumacher, Fuller has his sights set on making the Chase and then mowing down the competition on the way to the title.

Brown made the necessary runs required to earn his crossover Top Fuel license on Jan. 26 at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix. He made his first 300-mph lap on Jan. 29 (327.66 mph) and his first 4.4-second pass on Jan. 30 (4.486 seconds) at F.I.R. Now its time for the former Pro bike rider to pull tight on the belts and run the rails in a car capable of matching teammate Fuller in every manner conceivable.

“I think we have a very competitive race car,” said Lee Beard, crew chief on Brown's Matco Tools Fueler. “The first full run on our ‘08 car was a 4.48 and we shut off early. The car is going to be able to run with the top three or four guys. Antron has a good number of runs under his belt from our test sessions and I feel as confident going into the race as I would with a seasoned veteran in the seat.”

As for Brown, being a rookie hasn't lowered his confidence or his expectations.

“We have a great team and I think we’re going to surprise some people.”

If their luck holds and their confidence is a true indication of the strength of their respective rides, David Powers Motorsports might well be the “Powerhouse” of the 2008 season.