Brainerd: Larry Dixon Saturday summary

Dixon earns 24TH career low qualifier award at Brainerd BRAINERD, MINN. (AUG. 16) --Reining POWERade NHRA Champion Larry Dixon gained his fourth No.1 qualifying position of the season, his second at Brainerd International Raceway (2002) and the ...

Dixon earns 24TH career low qualifier award at Brainerd

BRAINERD, MINN. (AUG. 16) --Reining POWERade NHRA Champion Larry Dixon gained his fourth No.1 qualifying position of the season, his second at Brainerd International Raceway (2002) and the 24th of his career Saturday during the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals by posting an elapsed time of 4.638 E.T. at 321.42 miles per hour.

Despite smoking the tires on the third qualifying attempt, the Snake Racing/Miller Lite dragster posted a time of 6.828-seconds at 120.78 mph. For the last qualifying run crew chief Dick LaHaie went back to the Miller Lite trenches and set up the Don Prudhomme dragster in a way that would defend it's No. 1 position.

"We have finesse getting down marginal racetracks and a high-powered car at the end," said LaHaie. "We can take the power out of our car yet still make enough for it to go quick. It's a nice smooth application, like a big Cadillac going down the highway."

An ironic comparison, the Miller Lite dragster to a Cadillac, yet convincingly it did just as LaHaie instructed posting a lap time of 4.638-seconds at 321.42 mph on it's final qualifying attempt.

Although he makes it look easy, Dixon feels anything but relaxed heading into race day. "The feeling I have when I go to the races, is like I'm drowning," said Dixon. "I'm fighting, cussing and clawing to stay above water. You gotta go out there and work hard the first round or you're not going anywhere."

Faced with a new track surface and intense track temperatures, Dixon and the Miller Lite team worked hard for the No. 1 qualifier award making it their fourth this year (Topeka, Denver, Seattle) and Dixon's 24th of his career.

Scheduled for an 11:00 AM (ET) start, Dixon will pair against No.16.qualifier Joe Hartley in round one of final eliminations.

Tune in tomorrow for "NHRA-2-Day" at 11:00 AM then flip to ESPN at 5:00 PM for early round eliminations followed by final eliminations on ESPN2 at 10:00 PM.