Indianapolis: Larry Dixon final summary

CLERMONT, Ind. (Sept. 6, 2004) - Two-time defending NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon held his ground in the NHRA Top Fuel points standings Monday at Indianapolis Raceway Park after racing to a semifinal finish at the 50th running of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

In the opening round of Top Fuel eliminations, the two-time U.S. Nationals winner (1995, 2001) bested Rhonda Hartman-Smith after recording a run of 4.972 seconds at 276.13 mph to Hartman-Smith's 5.890, 200.98 pass. The 35-time NHRA winner then recorded the second quickest elapsed time of the second round of eliminations when he used a tune-up from crew chief Dick LaHaie to power his Miller Lite dragster to a run of 4.652 at 316.08 to hold off T.J. Zizzo's 4.729 at 305.08. The 1995 NHRA Rookie of the Year used a starting line advantage over semifinal opponent Doug Kalitta before Dixon's Miller Lite rail spun the tires, allowing Kalitta to drive by and earn the round win. Kalitta powered to a run of 4.628 at 315.78 to hold off Dixon's 4.919 at 274.66. With his semifinal finish, Dixon now sits just 21 points from fourth place in the 2004 points standings.

ESPN2 will show three hours of final eliminations coverage from the 50th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at 7 p.m. (ET) on Monday, Sept. 6.

The next NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event is the 20th annual Lucas Oil Nationals, Sept. 16-19, at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. Dixon was a finalist at the Reading race in his rookie season of 1995.

-www.snakeracing.com