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Bristol: Larry Dixon preview

DIXON HOPING FOR TESTING PAY DAY AT BRISTOL APRIL 25, 2006 (BRISTOL, Tenn.) -- Larry Dixon and Don "the Snake" Prudhomme's Miller Lite Top Fuel team have put in plenty of overtime during the 2006 NHRA season. The two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion ...

Edited: Apr 26, 2006, 2:08 AM

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DIXON HOPING FOR TESTING PAY DAY AT BRISTOL

APRIL 25, 2006 (BRISTOL, Tenn.) -- Larry Dixon and Don "the Snake" Prudhomme's Miller Lite Top Fuel team have put in plenty of overtime during the 2006 NHRA season. The two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion (2002-03) and his Don Bender-led race team tested three times prior to the start of the season, and have made multiple test runs following three of the first five races of '06, including five passes on Monday after the Las Vegas race two weeks ago.

Now, the third ranked team in drag racing's premier division hopes all the extra effort pays off to the tune of four win lights when the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series returns to action following a two-week hiatus with the sixth annual O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals, April 28-30, at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway where Dixon eyes a second career victory at Thunder Valley after scoring the Bristol win in 2002. Bristol Dragway is one of 19 active NHRA tracks where the 38-time NHRA winner has claimed at least one victory.

"I feel really good coming into Bristol (Tenn.)," Dixon said. "I thought we had a great test on Monday after (Las) Vegas. The car ran 332 (mph), which might be the top speed anyone has run this year with the new ignition rules and tires. We seem to do well at elevated tracks and Bristol is one of them. I'm looking forward to making the trip."

While the Miller Lite/Lucas Oil team has yet to visit the winner's circle this season, the consistent Bender tune-up has seen Dixon advance past the opening round at each race en route to a claiming the third most points thus far. Proof positive from the team's many test passes. The Miller Lite rail also has qualified in the No. 2 position at three of the five events and posted top speed of the meet (330.80 mph) at Las Vegas.

"As far as testing goes, I've always been for whatever it takes to make our team a better team," Dixon said. "We didn't test a lot before because Dick LaHaie could sort a lot of that stuff out in his head without having to start the car up. Donnie (Bender) has been there for all of that, but at the same time, he's the kind of guy that whatever happens you have to prove it on the track and see it on the time slip. He's gathering runs in his head. LaHaie had all those runs in his head and Donnie is playing catch up.

"I think it's great to work for a team owner like Don Prudhomme that allows us to test as often as we need. There's no difference, it still costs the same amount of money to go down the race track in testing. Snake has always been that way, but this proves that he's in it to win it."

Like his legendary team owner, Dixon doesn't mind the extra hours if it delivers race wins and a chance for the Miller Lite/B&M Racing team to compete for the Top Fuel crown.

-www.snakeracing.com

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