Larry Dixon, Jack Beckman, V. Gaines Win At Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals

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CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 24, 2008) -- Two-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series world champion Larry Dixon collected his 42nd Top Fuel win Sunday in the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway.

Dixon is now tied with Tony Schumacher for second in career class victories, 10 behind retired class-leading legend Joe Amato. Dixon raced to a 4.53, 327 to beat Dave Grubnic and capture top honors in the second of 24 events this season.

Jack Beckman scored his fourth victory in Funny Car, denying points leader Robert Hight his second straight win this season. Beckman powered to a 4.86 after Hight's mount faltered early in the run.

In Pro Stock, V. Gaines scored his first victory in seven years, winning the final round easily when 2006 season champion Jason Line broke early in his final-round pass.

Dixon Advances To Final Round From No. 8

Dixon worked his way to the final round -- the 78th of his career -- from the No. 8 spot. He powered Don Prudhomme's U.S. Smokeless Tobacco dragster past Morgan Lucas and low qualifier Brandon Bernstein's Budweiser dragster with consistent passes of 4.610 and 4.609. Dixon then used a holeshot and a 4.534 in the semifinals to defeat the quicker-but-later 4.529 of reigning series champion and incoming points leader Schumacher's U.S. Army dragster. That ended Schumacher's 10-round winning streak. With his final-round victory, Dixon pulled to within one point of Schumacher's standings lead.

“Anytime you get a win, it’s special,” Dixon said. “Donnie Bender [crew chief] has been on our team since 1999, and he’s never been on a car that’s won here. When you think about that, it would be nice to get that one out of the way. I’m dedicating this win to him.”

Grubnic's mount dropped cylinders in the final, slowing him to a 5.00. That extinguished some candles on his engine and on the birthday cake of team owner Connie Kalitta, who turned 70 on Sunday. Grubnic qualified in the No. 2 position and breezed past Troy Buff, Bob Vandergriff Jr., and Rod Fuller with a steady string of elapsed times -- 4.500, 4.491, and 4.519 -- to reach the final, the 14th of his career. Grubnic's victory against Fuller's Caterpillar-backed entry ended Fuller's long FIR winning streak at 17 rounds. That included a seven-round Super Gas win in 2004 and back-to-back, four-frame Top Fuel victories in 2006 and 2007.

Beckman Overcomes Flu For Victory

Beckman, who battled the flu throughout the weekend, powered his Don Schumacher Racing Valvoline/Mail Terminal Series Dodge to the Funny Car victory over Hight. His performance ended Hight's winning streak of 11 rounds that dated back to the 2007 season finale at Pomona.

Beckman made it to the final round from deep in the field -- the 15th spot -- beginning with a first-round upset of No. 2 qualifier Mike Neff's Old Spice Mustang before trailering teammate Gary Scelzi's Mopar/Oakley ride. In the semifinals, he ended the bid of Jim Head's Toyota, which smoked the tires early and squeaked into the final with a 5.61 after being forced to lift when his machine made a sudden move at half-track.

“I guess the flu this year is immune to (flu shots),” Beckman said. “You get up in the morning and you just feel bad and you look at the back of the cold medicine, and it says do not operate heavy machinery. I’m not sure if that counts as a nitro Funny Car, so I didn’t want to take anything, but after the second round, I finally had to take some Tylenol.”

Hight opened his Sunday account with low e.t. of the meet, a 4.766 at 321.35 mph, to beat Gary Densham. He then powered past independent racer Bob Bode and Tommy Johnson Jr., in Kenny Bernstein's Monster Energy Dodge, in the semifinals, 4.80 to 4.83. The win against Johnson was costly as a late chute sent him off the end of the track and a blown engine led to his second oil-down of the event, giving him a 15-point penalty. For Johnson, the event was quite a turnaround. He failed to qualify at the season opener, but moved up to seventh with the weekend's strong outing.

Gaines Breaks Victory Drought

Gaines earned his first win since the fall Dallas event in 2001 and the third of his career with his Kendall Oil Stratus. After qualifying 10th, Gaines rode an impressive series of upsets into the money round, the eighth of his career. He turned back No. 10 qualifier Greg Stanfield with a 6.66, then points leader and No. 2 qualifier Greg Anderson, 6.68 to 6.70.

“It’s been a long dry spell,” Gaines said. “They said when I beat Greg Anderson (in the semifinals) that this was the first time I’d beat him since 2001, so that’s bittersweet.”

Gaines showed off his starting-line prowess in the semifinals, where his 0.007 to 0.030 holeshot and a 6.67 e.t. were enough to hold off the fast-closing 6.65 of reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock world champ Jeg Coughlin. The final was over early as Line's mount faltered, allowing Gaines to win easily with a 6.70.

Line, the 2006 season title holder, displayed championship form with Ken Black's Summit Racing Pontiac GTO, netting consistent passes of 6.65, 6.66, and 6.65 en route to defeating Max Naylor, Kurt Johnson, and Mike Edwards to make his 29th Pro Stock final.

With his semifinal finish, Coughlin closed Anderson's point lead to just two markers. Line moved into third and Gaines into fourth.

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Courtesy of NHRA