After just one season as driver of Don Schumacher's Oakley-sponsored Funny Car, Scotty Cannon will return to the Pro Modified category in 2003.

Cannon's departure was expected to some, since he has not fulfilled the sizable expectations which accompanied the cocky, six-time Pro Mod champ into the nitro classes. But his presence will be missed in the Funny Car class, simply because his unconventional personality was never bland or predictable.

But in the big picture, whenever a championship-caliber Funny Car team goes through any significant personnel changes, it underscores one of the vital ingredients that has helped build John Force's tremendous 11-year title streak.

Hiring talented and capable people -- and keeping them.

It's a topic Force enjoys expounding on at length, since it comes from his enthusiastic admiration of legendary professional football coach, Vince Lombardi.

"Lombardi always understood the concept of building a team, creating the atmosphere around it that gave his players the chemistry to win, and letting them do their jobs as a unit, not as a bunch of individuals," Force said. "(Austin) Coil, Bernie (Fedderly), (John) Medlen, Jimmy (Prock), Dickie (Venables) have a team concept that makes this a family as much as anything. I know it sounds corny, but Lombardi did the same thing and look at how many games he won."

When you take a look at the other teams which have unsuccessfully attempted to derail Force's run as the sport's most famous and formidable driver, you see almost constant changes within their ranks.

Del Worsham's team has had two different drivers aboard its second Pontiac since moving to a two-car team several seasons ago. A third car was even briefly brought out earlier this year and will compete again next week in Pomona, Calif. Rob Flynn briefly served as assistant tuner to the Worshams before moving on to Don Prudhomme's two-car outfit.

Ron Capps' team has had Tom Anderson, Roland Leong, Dale Armstrong, and now Ed "The Ace" McCulloch as tuner since joining the category in 1997. Teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. has been tuned by McCulloch, Mike Green, Flynn, Larry Meyer, and in 2003, will be tuned by Green again.

Whit Bazemore now drives for Schumacher, but in the past, has driven for his own team and for Chuck Etchells' operation.

Meanwhile, Force's team continues to motor on with little, if any, measurable changes to its lineup. Since Jimmy Prock signed on to tune for Gary Densham in Force's third car at the beginning of last season, the critical pieces for the present and future success of the championship string have been in place.

In fact, should Force bring out the rumored fourth Funny Car any time soon, he already has a capable tuner, Dickie Venables -- assistant crew chief to John Medlen -- standing by to handle that machine.

"I always say I love these guys and people laugh, but to tell you the truth, I do," Force said. They've given me their hard work, loyalty, friendship ... heck, they are my best friends when you think about it. They stay here because they want to stay here and it's not about money or championships or any of that stuff.

"Bottom line: My guys take care of me and I try to take care of them."