Today kicks off Pro qualifying, and, of course, what's got everyone in a tizzy is that Indy marks the final event of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series' 18-race regular season that will set the 10-driver Countdown to 1 fields for the six-event playoffs, so there's a ton on the line above and beyond the thrill and spectacle of racing at NHRA's biggest, oldest, richest, and most prestigious drag race. Two spots each are open in Top Fuel and Funny Car and three each in Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle and, by my reckoning, there are 16 drivers gunning for those 10 places.

Kurt Johnson will clinch his berth just by making a Pro Stock qualifying run today and Top Fuel's Doug Kalitta and Funny Car's Mike Neff will clinch if they qualify for Monday's eliminations.

Last year's U.S. Nationals was chock full of Countdown drama. In Top Fuel, Morgan Lucas needed to qualify to stay in the hunt but surprisingly missed the field, locking teammates Kalitta and Dave Grubnic into the Countdown. In Pro Stock, Greg Stanfield entered the event in the final spot but failed to qualify, leaving the door open for six-time Indy winner Warren Johnson. "All" that W.J. had to do was reach the final to bump Stanfield out, but "that punk," Dave Connolly, sent "the Professor" packing in round one.

The real drama though was in Pro Stock Motorcycle, where Karen Stoffer and Hector Arana were battling for the final spot in the Countdown. Miraculously, the stars aligned in qualifying and the two had to face off in a winner-take-all first-round battle, which Stoffer won on a holeshot, 7.019 to 7.017.

This year, Kalitta's position obviously a little more safe, so the final spot will probably go to either 10th place Clay Millican or 11th place Joe Hartley. Those last two are separated by just three points, so even the results of qualifying could mean the difference. As much as I'd like to see the Hartley family rewarded for their brave assault on the complete schedule this year, Millican will be a tough out. Nothing against Millican because I like him a lot, but I was thinking it would be cool if Hartley had squeaked in there if for no other reason than to reward the gumption that he and his dad showed by tackling the entire NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series  tour this year. They deserve some kind of medal.  So why do I think Hartley will just miss? Well, unless he DNQs (could happen) Kalitta is too far out of reach with an 86-point edge on Hartley. Millican is just three spots ahead but his crew chief, Lance Larsen, is getting assistance from good pal Brian Corradi, who just happens to be the tuner for points leader Antron Brown. That's not good news for the Hartleys.

Clay Millican

However, because there are just three points separating then, this could all be decided in qualifying. If Hartley can earn three more points than Millican in qualifying (a top half for him, bottom half for Millican) and both lose in the same round, Hartley might have a shot. Millican has twice qualified No. 4 this year (season high) and has a qualifying average of ninth, but he's been 11th twice and 13th once in the last five events. Although Hartley's season best is a No. 2 (at the opener in Pomona), he's averaged a No. 11 this season and been in the bottom half of the field at 15 of 17 events.

In Funny Car, Force's teammate, perennial championship contender Robert Hight, has a tall mountain to climb if he wants to go from 12th place to 10th. Standing in his way are 11th place Matt Hagan, who's having a great rookie season, and defending season champ Cruz Pedregon, who's having a dismal year yet still clings to the final position. Hight's teammate, Neff, technically has not locked up a spot yet but is comfortably in ninth. My money is on Hight, but it's going to take a monster performance.

Warren Johnson

Pro Stock boils down to just two drivers, veteran W.J. and hard-charging Johnny Gray. Gray was just the runner-up in Brainerd while Johnson ahs struggled all year. In W.J.'s corner certainly lies experience and six Indy Wallys; Gray has Mopar power brokers Allen and Roy Johnson slinging the wrenches for him. It's a toss-up, but I think W.J. will hang on.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Michael Phillips, Shawn Gann, and Karen Stoffer are within 41 points in places eight through 10 and former two-time Indy winner Steve Johnson is just two markers behind Stoffer. Phillips has a hot bike right now and should be fine, and I think Stoffer will turn around her tough year behind the handlebars with a good enough performance to hang in there, too.

Steve Johnson is less than a round behind Gann and even though Johnson doesn’t have quite the bike he had when he won here last year, I still like his chances of catching Gann and bumping him from the field.

The drama begins at 5:30 tonight.