Larry Dixon (dragster Driver) - 2000s

2000s

In 2000 Dixon won six events in nine final round appearances, including the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals for the second time in his career. The victories propelled him to finish in the top 10 of the POWERade point standings for his seventh consecutive season. He also won the $100,000 Budweiser Shootout bonus event.

Dixon earned first NHRA POWERade championship in 2002 after leading the points standings all season. He tied the single-season Top Fuel record for victories with nine, and was named Driver of the Year for the second quarter.

Dixon became fifth Top Fuel driver to win consecutive NHRA POWERade Top Fuel championships in 2003. He was the only the fourth driver in NHRA history to sweep the Western Swing. That year he moved to fourth on Top Fuel all-time win list and in the process recording his career-best speed (332.75 mph) which stood as national record for 15 events. He won the rain delayed 2002 Budweiser Shootout, which was completed at '03 season-opener

In 2004 he earned two victories in three final round appearances and finished his tenth consecutive NHRA POWERade Series season in the top 10 points. That season he tied legendary “Big Daddy” Don Garlits for third on all-time Top Fuel wins list with 35 career victories. He finished second at the $100,000 Budweiser Shootout after gaining starting spot in bonus event via wild-card selection.

Dixon raced to three victories in seven final rounds in 2005 clocking a career-best elapsed time (4.481s) at Pomona 1 and also posted three No. 1 qualifying positions. His victory at Englishtown, on Father’s Day was his fifth consecutive victory on the day. With victory at Las Vegas 1, Dixon moved ahead of Don Garlits on all-time Top Fuel wins list. He won his third Mac Tools U.S. Nationals that year. It was his eleventh consecutive POWERade Series Top 10 finish when he finished second in the POWERade point standings.

2006 saw Larry advance to his only final round of the season on Father’s Day (Englishtown), but lost on that day after having previously won the event for five consecutive seasons. He also posted four semifinal appearances and earned his twelfth consecutive POWERade Series Top 10 points finish. Dixon finished in the runner-up spot at four races in 2006, including the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

2008, Phoenix, AZ. Larry tied 2nd on All-Time Wins with Tony Schumacher with 43 wins in NHRA Top Fuel Competition. Then, only three weeks later in Gainsville, FL, Tony took over 2nd place on the All-Time winners table when he won the Gator Nationals. As of May 2009, Schumacher leads the table with 59 wins with Dixon currently on 44. Joe Amato ranks 2nd on All-Time leader board with 52 victories in NHRA Top Fuel Competition.

In 2009, Dixon left the Prudhomme Racing camp, and went to work as the Top Fuel driver at Al-Anabi Racing, with legendary crew chief Alan Johnson working his pits, as both crew chief, and team owner. Johnson himself had been crew chief with Dixon's biggest rival, five-time champion Tony Schumacher, and was the crew chief of perhaps one of Dixon's biggest rivals in his career, Alan's brother Blaine Johnson.

In 2010, Dixon won his third Full Throttle Series world championship title. He won a record 12 races in 12 finals, including the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals for the fourth time. Dixon earned eight No. 1 qualifying positions and in the Countdown playoffs claimed three wins and three of those top-qualifying efforts. His 62 round-wins during the 2010 season tied for fifth best all-time and second-best all-time in Top Fuel.