Championship Drag Racing

Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals
Atlanta, GA
(May 12-15)

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Larry Dixon Rapisarda Racing dragster

Atlanta, Saturday: Two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon blasted his Miller Lite dragster to the sixth qualifying position Saturday at Atlanta Dragway after the 36-time NHRA winner drove Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme’s rail to a performance of 4.567 seconds at 325.61 mph.

Dixon, who qualified third on Friday at the Georgia drag strip, opened the day with a pass of 5.063 seconds at 202.79 mph after Dixon’s dragster spun the tires on a hot, sticky Atlanta Dragway quarter mile. During Saturday’s second round of Top Fuel qualifying, Mother Nature threw the NHRA teams a curveball as two rain showers forced a 150-minute rain delay.

With the sun down and under cooler temperatures, race fans in the Peach State were treated to a spectacular final qualifying session and a barrage of 4.5-second passes. Dixon used a tune-up from champion crew chief Dick LaHaie to power the Miller Lite/Ameriquest rail to a run of 4.567 seconds at 325.61 mph to claim the sixth qualifying position. Dixon qualified eighth at the Southern Nationals last May.

 “We faced a lot of different conditions this weekend during qualifying,” Dixon said. “The late session on Saturday was just to jockey for position. We can’t use that data on race day because the conditions will be hotter on Sunday.

 “When we’re down and waiting for the track to dry, I take the chance to go over to the merchandise trailer and sign autographs and interact with the fans that stuck around to see a great second session.”

Dixon, a three-time Atlanta Dragway winner, will face No. 11 qualifier John Smith in the first round of Top Fuel eliminations

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