“Anytime you get a win, it’s special,” Dixon said. “Donnie Bender [crew chief] has been on our team since 1999, and he’s never been on a car that’s won here. When you think about that, it would be nice to get that one out of the way. I’m dedicating this win to him.”

Grubnic's mount dropped cylinders in the final and slowed him to a 5.00, putting out some candles on both his engine and on the birthday cake of team owner Connie Kalitta, who was celebrating his 70th birthday Sunday. Grubnic qualified in the No. 2 position and breezed past Troy Buff, Bob Vandergriff Jr., and Rod Fuller with a steady string of elapsed times --4.500, 4.491, and 4.519 -- to reach the final, the 14th of his career. Grubnic's victory against Fuller's Caterpillar-backed entry ended Fuller's long winning streak at FIR at 17 rounds, which included a seven-round Super Gas win in 2004 and back-to-back, four-frame Top Fuel victories in 2006 and 2007.

Jack Beckman

Beckman, who was battling the flu all weekend, powered his Don Schumacher Racing Valvoline/Mail Terminal Series Dodge to the Funny Car victory over Hight, ending Hight's impressive winning streak of 11 rounds that dated back to his victory at the 2007 season finale in Pomona. Beckman made it to the final round from deep in the field, the No. 15 spot, beginning with a first-round upset of No. 2 qualifier Mike Neff's Old Spice Mustang before trailering teammate Gary Scelzi's Mopar/Oakley ride. In the semifinals, he ended the bid of Jim Head's Toyota, which smoked the tires early, and squeaked into the final with a 5.61 after being forced to lift when his machine made a sudden move at half-track.

“I guess the flu this year is immune to [flu shots],” Beckman said. “You get up in the morning and you just feel bad and you look at the back of the cold medicine, and it says do not operate heavy machinery. I’m not sure if that counts as a nitro Funny Car, so I didn’t want to take anything, but after the second round, I finally had to take some Tylenol.”

Hight opened his Sunday account with low e.t. of the meet, a 4.766 at 321.35 mph, to beat Gary Densham, then powered past independent racer Bob Bode and Tommy Johnson Jr., in Kenny Bernstein's Monster Energy Dodge, in the semifinals, 4.80 to 4.83. The win against Johnson was costly as a late chute sent him off the end of the track and a blown engine led to his second oildown of the event and a 15-point penalty. For Johnson, the event was quite a turnaround. He failed to qualify at the season opener but moved all the way up to seventh place with a strong outing here.

V. Gaines

Gaines earned his first win since the fall Dallas event in 2001 and the third of his career with his Kendall Oil Stratus. After qualifying just 10th, Gaines rode an impressive series of upsets into the money round, the eighth of his career, turning back No. 10 qualifier Greg Stanfield with a 6.66, then points leader and No. 2 qualifier Greg Anderson, 6.68 to 6.70.

“It’s been a long dry spell,” Gaines said. “They said when I beat Greg Anderson [in the semifinals] that this was the first time I’d beat him since 2001, so that’s bittersweet.”

Gaines showed off his starting-line prowess in the semifinals, where his .007 to .030 holeshot and a 6.67 e.t. were enough to hold off the fast-closing 6.65 of reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock world champ Jeg Coughlin. The final was over early as Line's mount faltered, allowing Gaines to win easily with a 6.70.

Line, the 2006 season champ, displayed championship form with Ken Black's Summit Racing Pontiac GTO, netting consistent passes of 6.65, 6.66, and 6.65 en route to defeating Max Naylor, Kurt Johnson, and Mike Edwards to make it to his 29th Pro Stock final.

With his semifinal finish, Coughlin closed Anderson's points lead to just two markers. Line moved into third place and Gaines into fourth.

Related article(s):

• Saturday: Wilkerson, Bernstein, A. Johnson will lead Phoenix fields into eliminations (2/23/2008)
  

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