Columnist Larry Dixon: Working with ‘Snake’ is a driver’s dream

Larry Dixon

Friday, April 6, 2001 | 10:57 a.m.

Larry Dixon, driver of Don Prudhomme's Miller Lite Top Fuel Dragster, is writing a daily column exclusively for the Las Vegas Sun in conjunction with the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at LasVegas Motor Speedway.

Before I forget, I need to start today's column by wishing my boss, Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, a happy birthday. I have known Snake for basically half of my life and we have one of the closest relationships a driver can have with an owner.

I started working for Snake in 1986 and I was thrilled to death just to be able to sweep up and wash parts in his San Fernando Valley-based shop in Southern California. It was a dream come true when I got my chance to get licensed in his car during his 1994 Final Strike Tour, and it turned out to be an opportunity that has changed my life.

After seven years as a driver, I have had a lot of great things happen for me other than the success we have had on the track. Meeting my wife, buying a home, first in San Diego and then in Indianapolis, and working with all the other drivers and celebrities on behalf of Miller Brewing Company -- none of that would have been possible if it had not been for Snake giving me the chance to get behind the wheel.

I have to admit that there is one thing I haven't been able to do for Snake to repay him and show him my appreciation and that would be to win the Winston Championship. I would love to give that to him after all he has done for me.

Although I have to say that "Big Daddy" Don Garlits will always be my favorite driver, growing up at the track I knew all about Snake and his many accomplishments. I am a dragster guy at heart, so that's why Garlits is my favorite, but the Snake has done it all. Happy 60th, Snake.

Now for this weekend.

Let's get these things fired up. It has been two weeks since we made a lap down in Houston and I am ready to go. No one was more disappointed with our runner-up finish there than I was, so I am champing at the bit to get out there and make some noise.

The track surface of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be one of the best we have raced on all season. Last year when we got here for the inaugural race, we were literally the first cars down the track so there wasn't a lot of rubber laid down to help get the traction we need to throw down a pass of 4.5 seconds at 320 mph.

This year's SummitRacing.com Nationals should be a lot different. There has been a whole year's worth of racing on the track and that has helped both lanes cure quite a bit.

Last year, fans saw elapsed times in the 4.60s and a top speed of 317 mph -- which we happen to own as the track speed record. Well, none of those numbers will hold up this weekend. In fact, when the first session of Top Fuel Dragsters goes down the track today, I would bet that both the track E.T. and speed marks will fall. And if not in the early session, by the 6:30 session you might even see the low elapsed time of the weekend.

With all the teams having a year under their belts, plus over a year's experience operating under the 90-percent Nitro rule, I think you will see a great weekend of side-by-side racing not only in Top Fuel, but also in Funny Car.

Well, it has been great sharing some stories from behind the scenes and I hope you have enjoyed them. Now it's time to put away my laptop and get ready to race. Hopefully when I meet you all here again on Monday, I'll be able to tell you about what it was like to win on Sunday. See you at the track.

Larry Dixon, driver of Don Prudhomme's Miller Lite Top Fuel Dragster, is writing a daily column exclusively for the Las Vegas Sun in conjunction with the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.