Over the past two seasons, veteran Funny Car racer Gary Densham has enjoyed the kind of success with John Force's Team Castrol that had eluded him for 35 years. He won races, qualified No. 1, and led the POWERade points from time to time since joining Force's championship-caliber operation in 2001.

Since the 1970's, Densham had fielded his own teams on generally smaller budgets by comparison to the Force operation.

But when the 39th Automobile Club of Southern California Finals end on Sunday evening at the Fairplex in Pomona, Calif., the 57-year-old driver who joined the racing ranks after being a shop teacher appears to be headed in new directions. In a decision involving himself, Force, and the team's corporate braintrust, Densham will be pursuing another deal in 2004.

He has nothing but praise for Force and the tremendous boost to his career that the past two years have given him.

"This has been great from Day One", said Densham during qualifying for this weekend's event. "I've had the time of my life and wish I could race here forever. But you learn in this business that some decisions have to be made and this was one of them. I'm not just leaving the team on my own but I feel that it's the way things have to be. John, Jimmy (Prock), the whole team are almost like family to me and that will never change."

Densham's departure has been just one of the various personnel issues that Force is now dealing with as the 2003 season comes to a close. Tony Pedregon's anticipated move to his brother Cruz's team next year will necessitate hiring a new driver for the team's No. 2 car. Force has expressed the intention of running three cars again in '04 which would mean finding a replacement for Densham as well. While the 12-time champion unravels those dilemmas, Densham is confident he'll be in another ride next season.

"One way or the other, next February when we're here for the Winternationals, I'll be racing," he said. "I still have a car and plenty of equipment and I can't say for sure I'll make every race next year, but I'll make the ones I can afford to enter. I'm working on a couple of interesting possibilities that will have a lot to do with my plans for next year. But if I have to bring my car in on a flatbed and race it that way, I'll do it."

Densham is a realist who is well aware of the trend toward younger drivers getting the lion's share of the limelight in professional drag racing, but he also underscores the value of experience and wisdom as it applies to stabilizing a team.

"A team needs a driver who knows the ropes, knows the job, doesn't need to be constantly supervised or shown what's right or wrong out there," he said. "There's a lot to know when it comes to racing at this level and you can't overlook the importance of bringing 35 years of experience to the table."

It remains to be seen where Densham's future path will lead. But after racing a nitro Funny Car for nearly half of his life, you can bet he'll have no trouble steering the course of his career in the exact direction he wants.

Bill Stephens covers the NHRA for ESPN and ESPN.com.