Pomona II: Larry Dixon final summary

Dixon Makes Quickest Run of Season Sunday at Pomona

POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2004) - Two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon powered his Miller Lite dragster to its quickest pass of the season en route to a first-round finish Sunday at Pomona Raceway.

Dixon, who qualified in the No. 8 position eight times this season, faced off against No. 9 qualifier Morgan Lucas for the second straight event. Dixon's Dick LaHaie tuned rail blasted through the Pomona Raceway quarter mile to a run of 4.516 seconds at 327.43 mph, while Lucas' 4.519, 325.77 effort was good enough to score the round win. Dixon's 4.516-second elapsed time was his best E.T. of the 2004 season, while his 327.43-mph speed was the second fastest speed for the 35-time NHRA winner this year.

"When you qualified eighth, you have to run the No. 9 qualifier and you know both cars are equal," Dixon said. "If you ran that race 10 times, you'd probably have 10 different outcomes. That's certainly not the way we wanted to end the season."

ESPN2 will broadcast two hours of final eliminations coverage from the Auto Club of So. Calif. Finals at 6 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Nov. 14.

The next NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event is the 45th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals, Feb. 10-13, 2005, at Pomona Raceway.

-www.snakeracing.com