In less than 24 hours the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will be getting underway at the Circle K Winternationals out in sunny southern California, and that means that every professional team up and down the rows of haulers is full of hope that only 24 races and tens of thousand of miles on the road stand between themselves and a championship — or simply repeating as champion. The points standings are tied, every team has just as much of a chance at a title as the next, and after the first set of candles are lit, promos goes out the window it’s put-up-or-shutup time.

Of course, with the beginning of another season is another chance for us to take a crack at predicting the professional class champions — an annual ritual we’ve been carrying out the last several seasons. Unfortunately, our track record at correctly predicting the champs is so so bad that if we were a ballplayer, they’d kick us out of little league with our nearly non-existent batting average. But we’re gluttons for punishment, so let’s do this thing one more time.

Top Fuel

It’s hard to bet against Tony Schumacher, and last season, we made the mistake of doing just that. “The Sarge” was dominant, just like he was during his run of six consecutive championships during the 2000’s. The only thing that’s typically stood in his way are his own teammates, and the pesky bunch at Alan Johnson Racing, but once again, Schumacher and company enter the season seemingly the class of the field, and we predict a ninth title come November.

Funny Car

Like his Don Schumacher Racing teammate, Matt Hagan was virtually the class of the field in 2014, and despite another strong challenge from his year-in-and-year-out foe John Force, with four final round appearances in the Countdown, Hagan proved he had the best car and crew in the class. With Force focused on reigniting his racing program in 2015, we see Hagan just running away with it this year for a second consecutive title.

Pro Stock

The factory hot rod category is always tough to predict, as with such tight competition, all it takes is one team to hit their stride and it’s lights-out for the rest of the class. And each season, the perennial favorite seems to be s different face. But each year, there’s Jason Line, in the hunt for the title right down to the end, and with four wins to his credit, the Summit Racing driver pushed eventual champ Erica Enders-Stevens to the brink in the final round at Pomona last November.

This season, we see it coming down to Line and Enders-Stevens again, with the Gray family right there, as well, but our money is on Line to get it done this time around.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

The two-wheeled division is arguably as strong as it’s ever been before, but the Vance & Hines team is and always has been the squad to beat, and we don’t see that changing any time soon. Teammates Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec have each won a title in the last three years, and we envision it coming down to these two riders once again at Pomona. Short of going to a coin toss, we’ll pick Andrew Hines to defend his title.

Pro Modified

Given his track record over the last two seasons, how do you bet against Rickie Smith? The door slammer racing legend has won the last two championships in convincing fashion, and whether he has the quickest car in the field or not, the North Carolina native always seems to find a way to win. It helps too that engine builder Pat Musi keeps finding more and more horsepower, even when the rulesmakers try to knock Smith down. A hat-trick of championships? We’ll take that gamble.

Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster