BRISTOL -- The drag race isn't the only action motorsports fans will be treated to this weekend at Thunder Valley.

Late Model racers from the UARA-Stars Series will take the high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway tonight in the Thompson Metal 150, but that's not the best part. Before the feature race, 16 NHRA stars will try their hand at turning left on the famous half-mile in borrowed Street Stock cars as they race in the Circle Track Challenge.

"It's going to be carnage," said Funny Car driver Ron Capps.

Funny Car driver Jack Beckman will start on the pole as decided in a fan vote. Greeneville's Allen Johnson will start third in the event.

Capps and teammate Gary Scelzi fill up the fourth row, and Capps is already working on his race strategy.

"We may be smarter hanging back for a couple of laps, let the sparks clear out and make a run for it," he said. "When they drop the green, the fans are going to get their money's worth just in the first five laps."

Many of the drag racers, including Capps, have experience racing other than in a straight line. Before climbing in the cockpit of his Top Fuel dragster, Doug Kalitta won three USAC Sprint Car titles.

Others will get their first taste of racing side by side -- or so they'd have the competition believe.

Five-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher hopes everyone else discounts his ability to negotiate the turns.

"I've done more than people think," Schumacher said. "I went through Skip Barber (driving school). I've been testing. I am very capable of driving a race car. I also drive many weekends with the Richard Petty school taking people for rides. At the end of the day, we'll see who snuck up and won this thing."

No matter what happens, Schumacher said he's going to have a good time.

"I am going to have an absolute blast," said Schumacher, who starts 11th. "It's hard enough to walk up Bristol no less drive it. It's going to be cool. It's going to show a lot of these guys who have never done it just how tough it is. I'm glad to be starting at the back of the pack because I think the guys at the front are going to back their cars into the wall on the first two or three turns and I'm going to drive right around them."

Most of the NHRA drivers said they'll take all the advice they can get before the race. Through their mutual sponsor, NAPA, Capps has struck up a friendship with Sprint Cup driver Michael Waltrip. But considering Waltrip had one of the most horrific crashes in the history of NASCAR here at Bristol in 1990, Capps joked that he'll get pointers somewhere else.

"I was going to (ask him), then those commercials we shot, they did the one with the guy bringing in the die cast and dumping all the parts from his Bristol accident ... I'm not so sure I want to ask Mike," Capps said with a smile. "I might want to ask him about Daytona or Talladega, but I'm not so sure I want advice on Bristol."

Activities at the round track begin at 6 p.m. with a 30-lap Pro Challenge event, followed by the Circle Track Challenge, a 25-lap Challenge race and the 150-lap feature. The night concludes with an "Appliance Race" where stock cars will compete with a major appliance strapped to their hood. There will also be a monster truck crushing school buses and fireworks.

Tickets are $15. Fans with drag race tickets stubs receive $5 off.

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Pro Stock gets the distinction of being one of the most competitive classes in all of motorsports when it comes to margin of victory on the track, but Funny Car has stepped up over the last few years as the most competitive in regards to battling for the championship.

"Every time we talk about Funny Car, the last few seasons I keep saying 'this is the most competitive Funny Car division in the history of NHRA' then the next year comes along and it's even more so," said Capps, who has finished fourth, third and second over the last three years. "Funny Car has 21 or 22 guys (at Bristol trying to make the 16-car field). You look down the list, and any or all of those cars have a legitimate shot not only to qualify well but win the race."

Before a driver can win a race, they first have to make the show in qualifying. That's an added pressure NHRA drivers have that NASCAR drivers don't. There is no top 35 welfare rule where certain teams are locked into the race no matter how poorly they might qualify.

In drag racing, it doesn't matter if you are John Force or John Doe, if you don't have one of the 16 best cars on a given weekend, you put it on the trailer and head on down the road.

"Somebody told me this morning that Tony Pedregon and I are the only two guys with a streak going. It's 22 races. That's incredible," Capps said. "I was shocked last year when Force didn't qualify at Vegas for the first time in a lot of years. To think that he didn't qualify this year. Robert Hight didn't qualify this year. There are a lot of championship caliber teams that haven't. That just tells you right there how tough it is. We are proud of the fact that we have to show up at every race ... whether you are the 14-time champ or not, you have to make the show. It's pressure."

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Schumacher is looking to make history this year. He is currently tied with the legendary Joe Amato as the only two drivers to win five Top Fuel championships. Schumacher hopes to be alone at the top at season's end.

"You get up in the morning and just smile," Schumacher said. "You are going for history, but you know you are going for history with a team completely capable of pulling it off."

Schmacher, crew chief Alan Johnson and their U.S. Army team -- which will carry a special 'Salute the Troops' paint scheme this weekend at Bristol -- already made history last year by winning their fourth consecutive title.

He's won world championships in about every way possible.

"They were all so unique," Schumacher said. "The first one, we won one race at the end of the year. In 2006, we won it on the last run and had to set a world record. In 2005 and 04 we win nine and 10 races, dominate completely. Last year ... to win it on the last run again. I don't know what we are going to do this year. I'm just going to go out and try to win."

Schumacher said he doesn't feel any special added pressure to win a sixth championship this year. He said there is pressure every year. That's what makes NHRA drag racing so great.

"We are trying to be the first team ever to win six world championships. If we can't, it's not going to be because we didn't try. It's because there are some other teams out there that are also outstanding," he said. "Whoever is standing there at the end holding that trophy is going to deserve it."