MEET THE NEW BOSS; Gary Scelzi unseats John Force to claim the NHRA Funny Car crown.(Motorsports)

Byline: ROGER HART

Gary Scelzi entered the NHRA Finals at Pomona as the only Funny Car driver in the title hunt-the closest race in the category's history-who could control his own destiny. After qualifying No. 1, he led teammate Ron Capps by eight points and 13-time Funny Car champion John Force by 32. As an exclamation point, Scelzi was fastest in three of the four qualifying sessions.

Having that control, however, wasn't enough to let him relax. Scelzi has won world championships before-NHRA Top Fuel titles in 1987, 1988 and 2000. But this year, things were different.

"I've been on edge since Indy,'' Scelzi said, talking about the U.S. Nationals in September. "A lot more [pressure] than there ever was with my other championship runs, because we're up against the 13-time champion, and it's been such a battle.''

As it played out, Scelzi needed some help to claim his first Funny Car title.

Qualifying No. 1 put Scelzi and teammate Capps, who qualified 10th, on opposite sides of the eliminations bracket. That meant they could not meet each other until the finals-if they both made it that far. Force, who qualified sixth, was on the same side of the bracket as Capps, but in a twist of fate the reigning champ would meet Scelzi and Capps' Schumacher Racing teammate Whit Bazemore in the opening round.

Capps was the first to advance by beating Del Worsham. Scelzi was next, beating Worsham's teammate Tim Wilkerson. Force kept the drama-and his slim title hopes-alive by winning after Bazemore was disqualified for crossing the centerline.