Larry Dixon’s Top Fuel dragster suffered chassis failure during Saturday qualifying, sending the engine and cockpit high into the Florida sky. Parts and pieces were also flying everywhere. Amazingly, Dixon was not hurt in the incident.

Looking at Ron Lewis’s photo sequence it is obvious that the big Goodyear slicks cushioned what could have been some serious impact. Dixon said afterwards that “it wasn’t my worst crash.” He suffered a similar incident about 15 years ago while driving for Don Prudhomme and in that crash he broke a leg and had other injuries.  This time he was unscathed.

Dixon’s dragster left pieces all down the track.  (Adam Cranmer photo)

Dixon was back at the track on Sunday in Darrell Gwynn's 1990 Gatornationals winning Top Fueler for the track walk.  (Steve Gruenwald photo)

Terry McMillen drove the Amalie-sponsored TF dragster at the Amalie-sponsored Gatornationals, but he lost in the first round to Tony Schumacher. (Adam Cranmer photo)