This is the Statt Mann Baby!!  Time to Scatt a little bit.

Ever think about the fine lines between winning, losing and championships?

In basketball, Magic Johnson used to call the line “winnin’ time!”

I talked with Dick LaHaie this week, a man who has driven to a Top Fuel title as well as leading two different drivers to championships of their own.

He announced his retirement this week and leaves as one of the top fifty drivers to ever drag race.

He knows “winnin’ time” and how to respond to it.

He even implied winning is such a narcotic you can expect to win.

And when you expect to win, you stop doing the winning things and even lose the connection to “winnin’ time!”

Better yet, ask Gary Scelzi, Ron Capps and John Force.  It’ll be “winnin’ time” for all three of them next week when they face off at Pomona for the NHRA Funny Car title.

Fine lines and "winnin’ time" are all they’re thinking about right now wherever they are at this moment.

Peace…