NHRA
Joliet II: Larry Dixon Saturday summary
Miller Lite Teams set to bear down in the Windy City. Dixon Starts No. 2 - Runs 4.540 Seconds, 323.81 MPH JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 28) - NHRA POWERade Top Fuel points leader, Larry Dixon and the Miller Lite team stepped up the pace and are ready ...
Edited: Sep 30, 2002, 3:51 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Miller Lite Teams set to bear down in the Windy City.
Dixon Starts No. 2 - Runs 4.540 Seconds, 323.81 MPH
JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 28) - NHRA POWERade Top Fuel points leader, Larry Dixon and the Miller Lite team stepped up the pace and are ready to bear down after lowering their elapsed time from Friday's effort of 4.605 seconds not once, but twice in qualifying taking the No. 2 position for Sunday's second annual running of the Craftsman 75th Anniversary NHRA Nationals from the Route 66 Raceway nearby Chicago.
The Dick LaHaie-led Miller Lite/Mac Tools group's day started great running a time of 4.570 seconds, 323.27 mph, which at the time moved them up to the No. 3 position after the completion of three rounds.
"That was a great run for the Miller Lite team," said a happy Dixon. "You know going out early that you don't get a lot of tune up changes in the staging lanes. So sometimes that helps. It certainly worked for us. It had the front end up carrying it out a ways. It was a straight, clean, true run. I'm much happier getting the car down the racetrack during the day than I do at night anyway."
But Dick LaHaie was far from done. Saving his best for last, he increased the measure of his performance by obtaining a steadily quicker stride in the last qualifying session, running a superb time and the Miller Lite team's quickest time and fastest speed of their weekend so far at 4.540 seconds, 323.81 mph placing them solidly in the No. 2 place ready to race.
"You know Dick LaHaie and the Miller Lite team certainly made the right call on that run," smiled Dixon. "Man, it felt good. When I hit the throttle, it snapped the front end up, carried it out and I didn't see anything but the win light, so I was real thrilled with that."
In the first round of eliminations, Dixon will take his Don Prudhomme Miller Lite/Lucas Oil dragster up against race rookie Top Fuel driver Mitch King. It will mark only the second time the pair have met in NHRA National event competition.
ESPN2 will air final round results starting at 8:00 p.m. ET with the start of the Craftsman 75th Anniversary Nationals taking the green light at 11:00 a.m. CT.
-www.snakeracing.com-
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Joliet II: Cory McClenathan Saturday summary
Next article Joliet II: First-round pairing Sunday eliminations
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Larry Dixon
Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Dixon suspended indefinitely
NHRA
NHRA
Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Dixon suspended indefinitely
Good, bad and ugly dominate Gatornationals memories
NHRA
NHRA
Good, bad and ugly dominate Gatornationals memories
Force swaps teams; Dixon returns at Gainesville
NHRA
NHRA
Force swaps teams; Dixon returns at Gainesville
Latest news
Mirko Bortolotti risked another disqualification: How Grasser saved second place
DTM
DTM DTM 1 h
Mirko Bortolotti risked another disqualification: How Grasser saved second place
FIA enforces new rule to close F1 cost cap loophole
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
FIA enforces new rule to close F1 cost cap loophole
Marc Marquez praises MotoGP title rival Jorge Martín: “He is an incredible talent”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP 3 h
Marc Marquez praises MotoGP title rival Jorge Martín: “He is an incredible talent”
McLaren held fresh talks after Singapore GP clash as Lando Norris promises to "make better decisions"
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
4 h
McLaren held fresh talks after Singapore GP clash as Lando Norris promises to "make better decisions"
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe