Class Funny Car Team Castrol GTX (John Force Racing) Car Ford Mustang
STATS	2003	CAREER
Rank	3
Wins	3	109
Final rounds	5	168
No. 1 qualifiers	5	117
Round record	33-20	838-287

2003 recap
The good: Statistically, an off-year for Force any way you look at it, but, in the big picture, he finished in the top three and saw his team driver, Tony Pedregon, carry the day for Team Castrol.

Season highlight: The 4-race string of races between Columbus and Seattle when he went to 4 straight final rounds, won two, and moved from 6th to 3rd in the points.

The bad: He didn't win a race until Denver, a 13-event winless streak.

Season lowlight: He went ballistic on Whit Bazemore's tuner, Lee Beard, in Memphis qualifying, claiming Beard was intentionally hanging him out by taking too long to stage. Force was fined $5000 by the NHRA, watched Bazemore win the race and take the points lead.

2004 outlook
What needs to be done: Force's personnel quagmire needs to be settled so that the team can concentrate on winning back the Funny Car title. He has yet to announce replacements for Tony Pedregon and assistant tuner, Dick Venables. Gary Densham appears to be onboard for '04 in the third team car but the Champ has some holes to fill with time running out in the offseason.

Prediction: Force will be re-energized in 2004 after getting smacked down by his own driver and Whit Bazemore in 2003. It's a sure bet he'll at least double his 2003 win total in '04 and have a stronger hand in the championship scramble.

Your take
Will John Force be back with a vengeance in '04? The fiery legend isn't expected to suffer through the kind of winless streak he had last year. Here are your thoughts on Force and his prospects for 2004.