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Reading: Larry Dixon preview

DIXON AND MILLER LITE TEAM EYE STRONG FINISH TO 2006 NHRA SEASON READING, Pa. (Sept. 12, 2006) Two weeks ago at NHRA drag racing's premier event, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion (2002-03) Larry ...

Edited: Dec 11, 2006, 4:17 AM

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DIXON AND MILLER LITE TEAM EYE STRONG FINISH TO 2006 NHRA SEASON

READING, Pa. (Sept. 12, 2006) Two weeks ago at NHRA drag racing's premier event, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion (2002-03) Larry Dixon blasted his Miller Lite dragster to its quickest elapsed time of the season, 4.492 seconds. Despite battling a mechanical gremlin on race day, Dixon and his Don Bender-led race team showed they possess a hot rod that's capable of competing ! with the elite cars in NHRA's foremost category.

Following an off weekend to revamp and gear up for the final five events of the 2006 NHRA season, Dixon and the Miller Lite/Lucas Oil crew hope to break through for the first time this season when the NHRA makes its annual fall visit to the Keystone State, Sept. 14-17, for the 22nd annual Toyo Tires Nationals at the always fast Maple Grove Raceway. The 38-time NHRA winner raced the Miller Lite/Raybestos dragster to a runner-up finish at the Reading event last September.

"I'd like to think that we'd continue to progress forward with the race car," Dixon said. "It showed in testing and at the U.S. Nationals that the car has picked up the pace. So, some of the issues that we had at Indy, the week off has given us time to fix that and we're looking to have a good hot rod throughout the weekend at Maple Grove."

While Dixon and the Miller Lite boys have yet to reach the winner's circle this season, the veteran race team knows they are quite capable of winning races as the 2006 season winds down. Last year at Maple Grove Raceway, Dixon drove to top speed of the meet (330.23 mph), and the second generation Top Fuel driver remains focused on the immediate task, winning rounds and races.

"As far as the team goals go, I don't think the goals are any different now than at the beginning of the season," Dixon said. "Every event, you go in and hope you have a great package that's better than everyone else and you can win the event. Whether we've won 18 races or zero races, winning each race is still the goal. The only thing I worry about is the race in front of us and right now that's Reading."

*DIXON READING NHRA NOTES*

Maple Grove Raceway is one of two on the NHRA tour where Larry Dixon has yet to win a race. The other is Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill. He has scored victories at 19 of the 21 current tracks on the NHRA schedule.

He has never qualified in the No. 1 position at Maple Grove Raceway. It is one of four tracks where Dixon has not earned low qualifier honors (Atlanta Dragway, Gateway International Raceway and Route 66 Raceway).

-credit: www.snakeracing.com

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