ESPN NHRA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- There are several venues on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing slate that put extra emphasis on horsepower. Tracks such as Route 66 Raceway, The Texas Motorplex and Old Bridge Township Raceway Park all are horsepower tracks.

Count Gainesville Raceway as a fourth power-hungry facility.

Depending on the weather, teams will be eager to tune for as much power as possible when the Mac Tools Gatornationals runs for the 35th time at the legendary central Florida track.

Here's a look ahead at the four professional categories mixing it up this weekend:

Top Fuel

	Schumacher

The Top Fuel class has had two races to sort itself out as the 2004 season revs up, and the conclusion many have made is that only the teams bringing 4.40s to the table will contend for this year's championship. Tony Schumacher's win in Pomona and Brandon Bernstein's Phoenix victory both had 4.40s in their repertoire while the Kalitta cars of Doug Kalitta and Dave Grubnic have also shown plenty of muscle. Doug has advanced to both final rounds this year and it's only a matter of time before he breaks through for his first '04 win.

Meanwhile, defending two-time Powerade champion Larry Dixon will go into Gainesville with the setback blower configuration that has contributed to the big pickup in Top Fuel performance since last year. His tuner, Dick Lahaie, made the switch in Phoenix and is still working out the kinks in their new combination. But it's hard to find a driver or crew chief in the category who doesn't believe Lahaie will have it figured out soon. Until he does, watch for the 4.40 fraternity to run the show.

Also, Goodyear will be debuting its latest slick, the D2096 tire, in the fuel classes this weekend. It remains to be seen how smoothly teams will be able to jump from the previous D1438 rubber.

Funny Car
The parity that was predicted before the season has clearly defined the Funny Car class after two races. Two different low qualifiers, two different winners, and four different finalists all point to a pattern of unpredictablity this year and things should be just as wide open in Gainesville.

A favorite? Well, John Force has won this event seven times, but hasn't advanced past the first round in the past two years. Gary Densham is the defending event champion but is coming off a second-round loss in Phoenix to Tony Pedregon. Del Worsham was last year's runner-up but he has never won here.

But the team that may be under the greatest performance anxiety is the two-car duo of Ron Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr., driving for Don "The Snake" Prudhomme. Collectively, the two drivers have just a single round win in 2004 and a poor showing this weekend could force Prudhomme into making some key personnel moves. In a class where there are so many potential race winners at every event, Prudhomme is one owner who doesn't want to be cut out of the action.

Pro Stock

	Johnson

Armed with a new MSD ignition box which the NHRA hopes will ferret out any illegal use of traction control, Pro Stock teams will be coming into Gainesville heartened by the knowledge that defending Powerade champion Greg Anderson is not unbeatable. Kurt Johnson's win in Phoenix two weeks ago proved it.

This was a busy week for testing throughout the class with Warren and Kurt Johnson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Anderson, Jim Yates, and several other top teams hitting the track to perfect their setups for this weekend. Without question Anderson's car -- based on this year's statistics and his testing numbers -- is still quickest and fastest in the category. But Warren Johnson feels that after a few more races he and Kurt will be as quick if not quicker than Anderson. KJ comes into Gainesville as the defending event champion.

To crib an old gambling expression, it's time for Anderson's performance pursuers to "put up or shut up."

Pro Stock Motorcycle

	Scali

The PSB class will make its debut this weekend and you can expect a host of familiar faces to be in attendance in the bike pits. Defending Powerade champion Geno Scali will wear the No. 1 on his Trim-Tex Suzuki this season while a swarm of riders will be in hot pursuit. You know the names: Angelle Savoie, Antron Brown, Shawn Gann, Craig Treble, GT Tonglet, Andrew Hines and Mike Berry, to name a few.

But newcomers such as Angie McBride, riding George Bryce's Star Racing Suzuki, and Chip Hunter, the current Pro Star 600cc Super Sport champion, riding for legendary owner Harry Lartigue, could both be a factor in the title chase. With the absence of Reggie Showers, contemplating retirement, and Fred Collis, without a ride for this year, the door will swing open just a little bit for other riders to move into the limelight.

Bill Stephens covers the NHRA for ESPN and ESPN.com.