BRISTOL -- Beginning with the first qualifying pass of the season, drag racers are always thinking about the championship.

When the NHRA went to the Countdown to the Championship format last year, competitors had to rethink how they approach it, but the focus is there just the same.

All the focus this weekend will be at Bristol Dragway and the O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals.

The format has all the competitors in the professional classes earn points in the traditional manner through the first 18 national events of the season. After that, the field is cut down to the top 10, and the points are reset for the final six races.

Three-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin said the final six races are already on his mind.

"Our team, we've sat, we've talked, we've strategized what it's going to take to run the final six races," said Coughlin, who currently sits second in the standings, less than a round out of first. "We are trying to look at all the angles so mentally we are prepared. We have to have our best foot forward when we pull in the gate at Charlotte."

The Countdown to the Championship was reformatted in this, its second year. Last season, the initial cut was made at the top eight drivers, then that was whittled down to four challenging for the title over the last two events.

It was redesigned this year to keep more teams involved.

Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein, who was one of the teams on the outside looking in at the Countdown in 2007, is all for the change.

"To be honest, last year I hated the format," he said. "With only two races and four cars going at it, I didn't think that was really fair. I believe the top 10 cars should be able to race. I'm really excited about this format. It's a lot better for us. Six races and 10 cars going at it. It's still going to come down to Pomona again."

The Top Fuel and Pro Stock championships went down to Pomona (the final race) last year, but in Funny Car, it was all but decided before then.

That's what the Countdown format was designed to avoid. Bernstein said hopefully with 10 drivers fighting it out, the championship will go the distance in 2008.

"It gives you a little better playing field as far as if you do make a mistake in one race, it doesn't completely knock you out of the chase," he said. "We saw that last year in Funny Car. The guys went out in the first round in Vegas. Tony (Pedregon) went on to win the race and pretty much locks it up. This way, six races, if you do have a hiccup you have time to catch up."

Coughlin has won championships in both formats. In 2000, Coughlin won 10 events to put a hammer lock on the title early. In 2002, he won eight of the final 12 races to run away to the crown.

Last season, Coughlin won only four races -- half as many as second place finisher Greg Anderson and third place Dave Connolly.

He benefited from the points reset and didn't take the lead until winning the final race of the year. Coughlin said the Countdown doesn't diminish a championship because everyone knows what it takes to win under the format.

"I'm behind the format 100 percent," he said. "Our championship was not the best season out of all the teams, but we all signed up for the same program at the first of the year. I don't think it diminishes the deal. The teams understand the format and the consequences if you have a bad outing. It's exciting."

Bernstein, who is seventh in the points standings, said from a driver's standpoint, the best part is the excitement is left until the end of the year after the points are reset, and that leaves them free to focus more on winning races rather than racing for points.

"We are focusing on top 10," he said. "That's what we are looking at. God forbid, if we go all the way without a win but we are still in the top 10, we are still there for the championship."