alky ranks
I don't think one needs to look further than the alcohol ranks for the future of the nitro ranks, both crew chiefs and drivers.
A good tuner is a good tuner. Regardless of what some will have you believe in the fuel ranks, every race car comes down to air, fuel, spark and the application of that power.
An understudy type crew chief may produce more immediate results due to being more familiar with the set ups. However, I'd be willing to bet the next AJ will come from the alcohol ranks. Boggs, Conway, Grimes, Reichert, Gallant, Vasquez, anyone with the last name Anderson....Newberry, the list goes on...
side note....I remember being a kid when Jim O and Jon O both worked on Jay Meyer's alky dragster in the mid 80's before they went to work for Kalitta....