Larry Dixon To Attempt Top Alcohol Funny Car
NORWALK, Ohio – Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champ Larry Dixon is preparing to take on a fresh challenge by climbing aboard a Top Alcohol Funny Car during the 11th Annual Cavalcade of Starlets on May 19-21 at Summit Motorsports Park.
The Hussey Performance-sponsored car is wielded by Tony and Michael Bartone and packs a lot of punch with its throated and injected Brad Anderson engine.
“When I witnessed the car at McKinney Corp, I asked the chassis builder about it and he said it’s a truly good car but that Tony, who drives it, was having back trouble and was looking for a driver because he loves the sport and wants to be involved in it,” said Dixon, who has known the Bartones for twenty years. “I gave Tony a call, and he said they were planning to run the Charlotte NHRA race in late April with Sean Bellemeur driving, and that they would stay a day later so that I could get in the car, make some laps, attempt to get a license and see how it goes.”
With that mission accomplished, Bartone invited definite fan-favorite Dixon to drive his car in Top Alcohol Funny Car, which features two hundred seventy mph-plus vehicles, at the 11th Annual Cavalcade of Starlets at Summit Motorsports Park. The event is poised to welcome the largest audience on the annual NHRA Lucas Oil Haul Racing Series North Central Division tour.
“The Bartones could have their pick of people to drive their car, and I indeed appreciate that they’re letting me drive it, especially considering I have good credentials in Top Fuel, but none in Top Alcohol Funny Car,” said Dixon.
When asked about the difference inbetween piloting the Top Fuel Dragster and the Top Alcohol Funny Car, Dixon was quick to mention line of look, and likened the Top Fuel dragster practice to sitting in the front row of a movie theater and the Top Alcohol Funny Car practice to sitting in the back row behind a basketball team.
“The two cars are very different, and the learning curve is very steep,” said Dixon. “For example, I’m used to driving with a centrifugal clutch, and in this car, I’ll be driving with a pedal stop clutch, which is similar to a stick-shifted manual transmission. In my Top Fuel Dragster, I didn’t shift when the light went green, but in this car, I’ll be shifting twice. I’m very much a rookie in this car, but it will have my utter attention and my respect, and I’ll be in good forearms with the Bartones and their squad chief, Steve Boggs.”
Dixon, who has been as quick and swift as Three.70 at three hundred thirty two mph to the 1,000 foot mark in a Top Fuel dragster and Five.59 and two hundred sixty three mph to the 1,320 foot mark in the Top Alcohol Funny Car, has assuredly been successful in Top Fuel dragster competition at Summit Motorsports Park. He has won at the popular track twice, and he set a record there with that three hundred thirty two mph to the 1,000 foot mark in 2015.