Reading Larry Dixon Finals Report

READING, PA. (Sept. 19) - Larry Dixon and the Don Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite Dragster found the track at Maple Grove Raceway unable to handle their aggressive tune-up Sunday as they posted a first-round finish to remain eighth in the Winston Top Fuel point standings with 946 points.

Dixon and the Miller Lite Team will remain in Reading on Monday for testing before looking ahead to the Advance Auto Parts Nationals in Topeka, Kansas (Sept. 30 - Oct. 3) where they will try their best to gain valuable points in search of the Winston Top Fuel Championship crown.

Don Prudhomme Racing teammate Ron Capps drove the Copenhagen/Miller Lite Funny Car to a runner-up finish to winner Tommy Johnson Jr. Joe Amato defeated current points leader Tony Schumacher in the top fuel final.

The pilot of the No. 91 car has qualified the Miller Lite Dragster third-best among all top fuel competitors this season and awaits his chance at the $100,000 winner-take-all exhibition shoot-out to be held at the NHRA AAA of Southern California World Finals in Pomona, Calif., (Nov. 11-14).

Dixon has recorded one victory in three final round appearances this season and also owns the national elapsed-time record as the first driver to break the 4.5-second barrier (4.486 seconds). Dixon has seven NHRA national event wins in 17 final rounds and was the 1995 NHRA Rookie of the Year.

1999 NHRA Winston Top Fuel Point Standings Position Driver Points Back 1. Tony Schumacher 1,090 - 0 - 2. Joe Amato 1,054 - 36 3. Gary Scelzi 1,044 - 46 4. Mike Dunn 1,035 - 55 5. Kenny Bernstein 996 - 94 6. Doug Kalitta 986 - 104 7. Cory McClenathan 964 - 126 8. LARRY DIXON 946 - 144 9. Bob Vandergriff Jr. 929 - 161 10. Doug Herbert 922 - 168