DIXON QUALIFIES MILLER LITE RAIL SECOND AT U.S. NATIONALS

CLERMONT, Ind. (Sept. 3, 2006) – Defending Mac Tools U.S. Nationals winner Larry Dixon qualified his Don “the Snake” Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster in the No. 2 position Sunday at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis . The two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion blasted to a 4.492-second effort on Saturday evening at ORP to clock his quickest run of qualifying.

Entering the final day of qualifying for the 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in the No. 2 spot after posting his quickest elapsed time of the season on Saturday evening (4.492 seconds), the longtime Miller Lite/Lucas Oil driver used a tune-up from the tuning brain trust of Don Bender and Todd Smith to power to the second quickest pass of Sunday’s first qualifying round at 4.554 seconds at 325.37 mph. On his final qualifying effort of the weekend, the Miller Lite/Raybestos rail broke and recorded no time. Dixon remained second in the 16-car order with his 4.492-second E.T. Three drivers (Tony Schumacher and Doug Kalitta), recorded 4.4-second runs in qualifying at the prestigious event. There were 24 Top Fuel dragsters attempting to make the 16-car field this weekend.

“I feel good about our chances,” Dixon said. “Donnie (Bender) has had a real good handle on the setup of the car. He’s been able to predict what he thought the car would run, and it’s done what he wanted it to. That’s a crew chiefs dream. I feel good about our chances on Monday.”

Dixon looks to earn a second consecutive and fourth career U.S. Nationals victory when Top Fuel eliminations kick-off at 11 a.m. (ET) on Monday morning at the storied Indianapolis-area quarter mile. He will battle Doug Foley in the first round of eliminations. Dixon is 1-0 in his career versus Foley.

Q1 4.546 ET, 328.22 mph No. 6
Q2 6.642 ET, 125.72 mph No. 7
Q3 4.492 ET, 328.38 mph No. 2
Q4 4.554 ET, 325.37 mph No. 2
Q5 broke No. 2