Brainerd: Larry Dixon Saturday summary

DIXON QUALIFIES MILLER LITE RAIL IN NO. 6 SPOT AT BRAINERD BRAINERD, Minn. Calif. (Aug. 13, 2005) -- Two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon qualified his Miller Lite dragster in the No. 6 position Saturday at Brainerd International Raceway ...

DIXON QUALIFIES MILLER LITE RAIL IN NO. 6 SPOT AT BRAINERD

BRAINERD, Minn. Calif. (Aug. 13, 2005) -- Two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon qualified his Miller Lite dragster in the No. 6 position Saturday at Brainerd International Raceway (B.I.R.) after recording a qualifying-best effort of 4.527-seconds.

A racing to passes of 4.63 and 4.62 on Friday at B.I.R., the 37-time NHRA winner powered to his first 4.5-second elapsed time of the weekend as Dixon drove his Miller Lite/Ameriquest dragster to a run of 4.555 seconds at 326.71 mph on Saturday's first qualifying attempt.

The veteran Top Fuel pilot then used a tune-up from crew chief Dick LaHaie to make his best run of weekend on his final qualifying pass when Dixon blasted his Miller Lite/Lucas Oil rail to a performance of 4.527 seconds at 329.34 mph to claim the sixth qualifying position. It is the fourth time that Dixon has qualified sixth this year.

"We're running a brand new car this weekend and every run that we've made the car has gone quicker and faster," Dixon said. "Things are going good so far. We're in the show and we'll see how things play out."

The two-time B.I.R. winner will match-up against No. 11 qualifier Melanie Troxel in the opening round of eliminations beginning at 11 a.m. (CT). Dixon is 3-0 in his career against Troxel.