Brainerd: Larry Dixon Saturday summary

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 14, 2004) - Two-time defending NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon powered his Miller Lite dragster to the No. 8 qualifying position Saturday at Brainerd International Raceway after recording 4.6-second elapsed times on three of ...

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 14, 2004) - Two-time defending NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon powered his Miller Lite dragster to the No. 8 qualifying position Saturday at Brainerd International Raceway after recording 4.6-second elapsed times on three of his four qualifying attempts.

After posting consecutive 4.65-second elapsed times on Friday, the 34-time event winner posted his best qualifying effort on Saturday's first qualifying pass after Dixon used a Dick LaHaie tune-up to blast his Miller-backed rail to a performance of 4.634 seconds at 317.05 mph to claim the No. 8 qualifying spot at B.I.R. The Miller Lite dragster overpowered the drag strip on its final qualifying attempt and Dixon coasted to a pass of 5.830 at 157.30. This is the fifth time that Dixon has qualified in the No. 8 spot in 2004.

"Hopefully we'll make a good run on the first pass and try to pick up the pace," Dixon said. "If we ran between a 4.63 and 4.65 on three of the qualifying runs, I imagine we'll be in that same area tomorrow, and I'm sure (Doug) Herbert will run the same thing. I expect a tight race."

Dixon, a two-time winner at the Minnesota facility, will face No. 9 qualifier Doug Herbert in round one of Top Fuel eliminations at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 15. Dixon is 19-4 in his career versus Herbert and has a 2-1 mark against the North Carolina driver in 2004.

ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights from the Lucas Oil Nationals at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Aug. 14 and show three hours of final eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Aug. 15.