Larry Dixon moved into his new home on Friday.

Showing up for his first day on the job as the driver of the Alan Johnson Racing/Al-Anabi Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, Dixon was sporting a broad smile.

The veteran driver is in his maiden test session with the team. The move is a substantial one for Dixon who had been under Don Prudhomme’s employ for a little over twenty years. He bought out the remaining time on his contract to drive for Johnson.

“I’m excited,” said Dixon as he enthusiastically awaited his first run in his new Alan Johnson-tuned dragster. “It’s a different trailer but everything we’re trying to do is still the same. I’m just trying to provide for myself and my family.”

The supporting cast for Dixon is a collection of former Don Schumacher Racing U.S. Army crew members and skilled position holders who followed Johnson in his longtime quest to become a team owner. Included in that list is second-generation tuner Jason McCulloch, whose dad, Ed “Ace” McCulloch, remained with DSR as crew chief for Ron Capps.

“Everyone on our new team has their own responsibility to fulfill their position and do it right and all I’m doing is trying to hold up my end of the deal,” Dixon admitted. “Obviously it’s a well-oiled machine there (the new Al-Anabi Racing team) and a lot of those guys have been working together for a long period of time … but we’re not looking back, we’re ready for the future.”