In one of the most active offseasons that the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing has seen in many years, more changes have been announced regarding the 2004 plans of two well-known crew chiefs.

Within the past two weeks, Ed "The Ace" McCulloch and John Stewart have taken jobs with new employers, adding to the already dizzying reshuffle of tuning talent that began as the 2003 season was closing.

McCulloch, whose resume is substantial as both a driver and tuner, was released by Don "The Snake" Prudhomme last summer as crew chief for his Team Green Skoal Camaro driven by Ron Capps. McCulloch served as a team consultant for Funny Car owner/driver Bob Gilbertson over the season's final few races. Recently, he was signed by Doug Herbert to tune his Snap-On Tools Top Fuel dragster beginning in 2004 after Herbert suffered through a thoroughly disappointing campaign in '03.

This past week, Stewart, who has served on the teams of Connie Kalitta, Shirley Muldowney, Tim Wilkerson, Jim Epler, Dean Skuza, and most recently the Berryman Top Fuel dragster driven by Cory McClenathan, accepted the offer tendered by Prudhomme to tune Capps' Camaro Funny Car, which had been wrenched by interim crew chief Todd Okahara following McCulloch's departure.

Stewart's goal is simple. "We want to win races," he said. "I'm excited to be working with Prudhomme, Capps and the entire team. Most of my career has been spent with underfunded teams. Now I have a situation I've dreamed about; being on a team that has the funding to do what it takes to win a championship. I'm doing what I've always wanted to do.

"We won't be lacking for parts. If we have a need for something, we can get it. A winning team needs the right equipment, the right crew, and the ability to test. We'll have all of that."

Prudhomme, who has been dissatisfied with his Funny Cars' performances over the past few seasons, watched his two drivers, Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr., finish in the top 10 (eighth and ninth, respectively), but not in the slot the owner wants them to be.

"Both cars will have different cylinder heads and manifolds this year," Prudhomme said. "We're working hard to get the cars into the winner's circle a lot in 2004."

Meanwhile, McCulloch's addition to Herbert's team could be a big step toward revitalizing the championship aspirations of the Snap-On effort.

"We need to get something done," Herbert said. "We owe it to Snap-on Tools and we owe it to ourselves. We're all spending a lot of money and not seeing the results we want to see, so it was time to mix it up a little.

"Ace and I have been friends for a long time. In fact, his birthday is Feb. 2, which is the same as my oldest son John, so we're always kidding him on his birthday every year. He was also the guy opposite me in 1992 when I ran what was then the quickest E.T. of all time, a 4.88, in Pomona. Now we can set records together.

"He's won a lot of races over the years and he really wants to go one step further and win the championship, which is exactly what we aim to do."

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