Upsets Aplenty in Pennsylvania

Words compiled from team press releases by Kay Burk
Photos by Debbie Gastelu and Todd Dziadosz

(Debbie Gastelu photos)

Larry Dixon, Cruz Pedregon, Dave Connolly and Andrew Hines were winners at the fourth of six playoff races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. It was Dixon’s 12th Top Fuel victory of the season, but the other racers took surprise wins at the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

TOP FUEL

Larry Dixon was on and off the throttle on his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to beat top championship rival Cory McClenathan in a wild final round. As both dragsters lost traction at points down the track, Dixon managed to cross the finish line first with a 4.906-second run at 295.34 mph performance, to hold off McClenathan’s charging FRAM dragster, which finished in 5.103 at 199.70.

Dixon’s dragster lost traction first, then McClenathan pulled away, only to have the blower belt break on his machine just before the finish line. That’s when Dixon decided to get back on the gas and his determination ultimately paid off in the photo finish.

“Our car just hooked up,” Dixon said. “I had such a run on him, and I blew by him so fast. When I saw the win light come on, I was laughing and couldn’t believe it all at the same time because that’s a race you shouldn’t win, and I just won.”

(Todd Dziadosz photo)

With the win, which also included early round victories over Terry McMillen, Doug Foley and David Grubnic, Dixon increased his series lead to 89 points over McClenathan with two races remaining in the season.

“It was a huge [day in the points],” Dixon said. “I mean, you’re racing the No. 2 guy, and you could tighten it right up or spread it out. With two to go and over a four-round lead with eight rounds left, I’d rather be 90 up than 90 down.”

It looked like Cory McClenathan was heading straight to his fourth victory of the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in his eighth final round of the year, until he hit the brick wall known as Larry Dixon. A very lucky Larry Dixon.