Not even a scorching-hot Texas track, a shiny glare that wiped out his vision of the already-narrow groove, Cory McClenathan's relentless pursuit and a top speed of 311.56 mph, or any "September surprises" from any other Top Fuel Countdown competitor could derail Larry Dixon and his Al-Anabi Dragster Friday at the O'Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals.
 
Dixon, quickest and fastest in the first session at the Texas Motorplex with a 3.962-second run at 306.33 mph, shaved off some time in the cooler second go-round and found some extra speed to retain his provisional top spot at 3.852 / 308.85.
 
McClenathan is dogging him in second place so far with a 3.881 as the only other driver in the 3.8-second range, and native Texan Brandon Bernstein is third at 3.906 / 308.43.

Not even a scorching-hot Texas track, a shiny glare that wiped out his vision of the already-narrow groove, Cory McClenathan's relentless pursuit and a top speed of 311.56 mph, or any "September surprises" from any other Top Fuel Countdown competitor could derail Larry Dixon and his Al-Anabi Dragster Friday at the O'Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals.
 
Dixon, quickest and fastest in the first session at the Texas Motorplex with a 3.962-second run at 306.33 mph, shaved off some time in the cooler second go-round and found some extra speed to retain his provisional top spot at 3.852 / 308.85.
 
McClenathan is dogging him in second place so far with a 3.881 as the only other driver in the 3.8-second range, and native Texan Brandon Bernstein is third at 3.906 / 308.43.
 
He Dixon of his team manager and crew chief, "Alan [Johnson] and Jason [McCulloch], they hit it, and we got some of those bonus points -- which we still need.
 
"They ain't cut us a check yet," he said, referring to the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series championship, "so it's still open. You've got to race 'em hard and keep it going."
 
Dixon has won all 11 of his final-round appearances this weekend and if his elapsed time remains best Saturday, he'll have his seventh No. 1 position of the season and 47th of his career.
 
But Dixon said his Friday feat was no cakewalk.
 
"I can tell you this place is challenging," he said. "You look at the top end, there are no lights on the racing surface and all kinds of lights on the top end. There's this big glare that goes across the track that you can't actually see the groove. You hope you've got it aimed up and you hope it stays in the groove. But as far as being physically able to see the track, you can't at all.
 
"I had the same trouble last year. Talked to Gabrielle [Texas Motorplex general manager Gabrielle Stevenson] and Billy [owner Billy Meyer] bout it. Didn't quite get it fixed yet. Maybe next year," Dixon said.  
 
Overall, he said, the pattern Friday was similar to last year's drill: "It was a struggle to get down the track the first session, andf the second session, you get the sun off the track and cars got running good."
 
Curiously, Friday's top four drivers were in dragsters from four different designers/builders. Dixon drives a Brad Hadman-built frame, and McClenathan is banking on the new DSR model that has had input from engineering students at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Bernstein is in a Murf McKinney creation and No. 4 Dave Grubnic turned a 3.933 / 308.78 in an Attac chassis.
 
Plano, Texas, resident Mike Bowers (driving a Swindahl chassis), is on the bump at 4.827 seconds. Scott Palmer and Terry Haddock are out of the 16-car field at the moment.
 
Dixon's closest rival in the standings is McClenathan, who entered the event trailing by just 85 points. But the eyes of Texas also are upon seven-time and reigning champion Tony Schumacher, who needs an outstanding performance -- perhaps a repeat victory here -- to challenge Dixon to the end for another showdown like last year (when he bested Dixon by two points for the series crown).
 
But Friday was not Schumacher's day. He lined up against Doug Kalitta in the opening session and was a victim to the debris that Kalitta's dragster spewed at the top end in anm engine explosion. No one was hurt (Kalitta even took the tentative No. 5 position), but Schumacher ended up with no time from his run.
 
"After not getting a time in the opening session, we wanted to come back and post a good number in Round 2," Schumacher said. "Unfortunately, something broke in the engine. We'll intently work on the car tonight and return tomorrow, looking to get a good starting spot."
 
He's 15th with two more qualifying sessions to go Saturday. The U.S. Army Dragster driver came into the weekend 148 points off Dixon's pace and in third place, needing to slice into Dixon's lead.
 
"We need to do that," Schumacher said. "We're halfway through the Countdown and time is definitely running out. It's a must we win this weekend. Of course, we need for Larry to have a bad race, as well."
 
If Friday's results were any indication, that doesn't look likely.

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