Bristol: Larry Dixon final summary

Dixon Suffers First Round Setback At Bristol

BRISTOL, Tenn. (May 3, 2004) -- Two-time consecutive NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon and the Miller Lite team suffered an uncharacteristic first round setback in the opening round of Top Fuel eliminations Monday at Bristol Dragway.

After final eliminations were postponed due to rain on Sunday, the cold temperatures presented the race teams with difficult track conditions. Dixon and Doug Herbert were the first pair of cars to go down the Bristol Dragway quarter mile, and in one of the closest races of the day, the 33-time NHRA event winner was narrowly defeated by Herbert. Dixon powered his Dick LaHaie-tuned rail to a performance of 4.639 seconds at 318.99 mph, while Herbert raced to the win with a pass of 4.637 at 313.22.

"I think being the first pair to go down the track causes more of a concern for the crew chiefs," Dixon said. "You don't have any idea what the track will hold. After three or four pairs of cars have gone down the track, you can make some adjustments to the car based on what you've seen. Being the first car to go down the track, you're hoping to give it enough power to get the win. I'm sure (Dick) LaHaie thought it would run 4.60 to 4.63, and it ran a 4.63."

ESPN2 will televise three hours of final eliminations coverage from the O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at 3 p.m. (ET) on Monday, May 3.

The next NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event is the 24th annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals, May 13-16, at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga.

-www.snakeracing.com