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Joliet II: Larry Dixon preview
The Dixon Dispatch The Weekly News Releases of Larry Dixon & the Miller Lite Dragster Miller Lite ...
Published: Sep 26, 2002, 12:28 PM
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The Dixon Dispatch
The Weekly News Releases of Larry Dixon & the Miller Lite Dragster
Miller Lite #1 in Chicagoland.
JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 24) - - In celebration and recognition of the Miller Brewing Company's success in Chicagoland, the Don Prudhomme Miller Lite dragster driven by NHRA POWERade point leader, Larry Dixon will be sporting a special message across their rear wing this weekend. The high-speed tribute shall proclaim "Miller Lite #1 in Chicagoland" to salute the fact that it has been the best-selling beer in the Chicagoland area for more than 10 years.
The campaign officially kicked off back in July when Dixon's Miller Lite racing colleague, Rusty Wallace unveiled his new look for NASCAR's Tropicana 400. The motorsports segment of this gala affair will go full circle this weekend when Dixon climbs aboard his powerful 6,000 horsepower Top Fuel ride.
Dixon enters the second annual Craftsman 75th Anniversary Nationals at the Route 66 Raceway fresh off his eighth victory of the season after winning last week's O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, a timely win which padded his NHRA POWERade points lead to 104 points with four races remaining.
Dick LaHaie, the veteran tuner of the Miller Lite Top Fuel dragster knows a thing or two about championship chases, having won two championships as a crew chief (Scott Kalitta 1994-95) and yet another as an owner and driver in 1987. With the experience of such a stellar background, he knows that his championship focus must remain on one race at a time.
"I think we're kind of on a roll here," said crew chief, Dick LaHaie. "It looks like we've gotten the car to turn the corner so it's back to being tunable again. Maybe we can put up some numbers and hopefully win the race."
But with the all-important momentum back on their side, the Miller Lite team returns to Route 66 Raceway hoping for a repeat of their stunning performance from back in June, when they won the Chicagoland Dodge Nationals.
In that race, Dixon and LaHaie teamed up to display one of drag racing's most awesome days, reeling off three consecutive 4.50-runs in the most critical rounds of eliminations to capture their sixth win of the 2002 season. Although conditions will be different this weekend's event, such a performance bodes well for the Dick LaHaie-tuned dragster in the days ahead.
"It's cooler weather now," said LaHaie "The barometric pressure is going to be higher, the water vapor smaller, and temperatures should be down, so track conditions should be great. I'm looking for some great times from every competitor and not just ours. The Joliet racetrack is a very good racetrack. It can produce some pretty fantastic numbers."
Qualifying for the Craftsman 75th Anniversary Nationals starts on Friday, Sept. 27 with sessions at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. On Saturday, qualifying continues with runs at 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. with the start of the race at 11:00 a.m. CDT, on Sunday, Sept. 29.
-www.snakeracing.com
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