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 ...

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.