Dixon claims No. 1 top fuel spot for finals

By Ron Green Jr. - The Charlotte Observer

CONCORD, N.C. -- Most other weeks of the NHRA season, top fuel driver Larry Dixon wouldn't put much stock in whether he qualified first or third for the elimination rounds on Sunday.

But it's different now.

On Saturday, Dixon picked up the top spot for today's top fuel eliminations in the Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway, giving him some of the new bonus qualifying points and a jump start in the first playoff race.

In the short, intense world of drag racing, the six-race ‘Countdown To 1' battle for the world championship doesn't offer much wiggle room.

“There are only 24 (elimination rounds) in this whole deal. If you throw it away (today), there's only 20,” said Dixon, who is second in points behind Antron Brown.

With a morning run of 3.844, Dixon captured the top spot by .003 over Brown.

However, with only .09 separating Dixon's best time (313.66 miles per hour) from his first-round opponent Terry Haddock, it's a slender difference.

Two weeks ago at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Brown was the No. 1 seed but was eliminated in the first round, proving the potentially volatile nature of head-to-head racing.

“Having the field that together is going to keep you honest,” said Dixon, who has five race wins this season.

Lincolnton's Doug Herbert qualified fifth in the top fuel division.

With the addition of the bonus qualifying points (the top qualifier in each of the four rounds received three points, two for second, one for third), it created a different dynamic Friday and Saturday as teams adjusted to the new format.

The bigger points are at stake today in the four major divisions but teams weren't willing to surrender qualifying points.

Pro stock driver Mike Edwards, for example, arrived at the track Friday in third place, 40 points behind leader Jeg Coughlin. But by leading three qualifying runs while Coughlin was never among the top three, Edwards knocked 10 points off his deficit.

“It's huge. It could determine the championship,” Edwards said. “I'm a big fan of this new points system now.”

Among the twists that have already occurred in the first championship-series race, Cruz Pedregon earned the top spot in funny car qualifying but is not eligible to win the championship. He finished 11th in points through the season's first 18 events, knocking him out of championship contention.

Fourteen-time world champion John Force atoned for last season's embarrassment when he failed to qualify for the elimination round at the new track bearing his name on its primary grandstand.

For Pedregon, capturing the top spot helped him cope with the disappointment of a season that hasn't matched his expectations.

“We want to win a race to salvage our year,” Pedregon said. “Whoever is in the other lane is going to have to beat us.

Today's top seeds

TOP FUEL

1. Larry Dixon, 3.844 seconds, 314.09 mph, vs. 16. Terry Haddock, 3.934, 304.32. 2. Antron Brown, 3.847, 317.87, vs. 15. Terry McMillen, 3.934, 308.28. 3. Tony Schumacher, 3.848, 316.75, vs. 14. Clay Millican, 3.912, 308.21. 4. Brandon Bernstein, 3.852, 315.86, vs. 13. Doug Foley, 3.910, 312.64. 5. Doug Herbert, 3.852, 312.06, vs. 12. Pat Dakin, 3.901, 311.41.

FUNNY CAR

1. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Solara, 4.087, 303.91, vs. 16. Bob Gilbertson, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.223, 293.54. 2. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.095, 306.33, vs. 15. Jim Head, Solara, 4.214, 300.53. 3. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.096, 307.09, vs. 14. Jerry Toliver, Monte Carlo, 4.148, 301.74. 4. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala, 4.099, 304.94, vs. 13. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.145, 300.33.

PRO STOCK

1. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.614, 208.97, vs. 16. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.686, 207.75. 2. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.650, 208.10, vs. 15. Steve Spiess, Chevy Cobalt, 6.677, 206.64. 3. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.651, 208.04, vs. 14. Ryan Ondrejko, GXP, 6.674, 206.45. 4. Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 6.657, 207.59, vs. 13. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.670, 207.40.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

1. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.965, 189.98, vs. 16. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.268, 185.66. 2. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.980, 190.08, vs. 15. Junior Pippin, Buell, 7.194, 184.88. 3. Shawn Gann, Buell, 7.009, 189.84, vs. 14. Bailey Whitaker, Buell, 7.167, 184.37. 4. Angie McBride, Buell, 7.023, 183.92, vs. 13. Douglas Horne, Buell, 7.160, 182.82.