Columnist Larry Dixon: Team up for challenge of defending Top Fuel title

Larry Dixon

Wednesday, April 2, 2003 | 9:43 a.m.

Editor's note: Larry Dixon, driver of Don Prudhomme's Miller Lite Top Fuel dragster and the 2002 NHRA Top Fuel champion, is writing a daily column exclusively for the Las Vegas Sun in conjunction with the fourth annual NHRA SummitRacing .com Nationals at The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It's hard to believe that the 2003 NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Season is in full swing. It seems like just yesterday our Miller Lite Dragster took home the Top Fuel championship. And here we are, already three races into the season and the whole team realizes it will be a challenge holding onto the title.

Last season was really a special one for the Miller Lite team and everyone at Don Prudhomme Racing. After coming so close to earning our first championship with a spectacular year in 2001, I think we all learned just how difficult it is to finally put a championship season together. While I would have liked to have won the title in 2001, I truly believe that facing that adversity taught us all a lot and made our team that much more hungry to finish what we had started.

Our Miller Team picked up right where it left off to start the 2002 season, as we were able to win nine races and reach 14 final rounds, while remaining consistent enough throughout the year to get the job done. Dick LaHaie did a wonderful job of getting the most out of the car, the team, and myself as a driver.

I have learned quite a bit from Dick since he first came to Snake Racing in 1999 and I am so thankful that he has helped us reach our true potential. I am even more thankful to Snake for hiring Dick and not letting him slip away to another team. But seriously, without Snake's constant support, guidance and belief in me over the years, I don't think a Top Fuel championship would have been possible.

I am equally grateful to all the folks at Miller Brewing Company who have worked so hard to give us all the tools and support to become a successful team, all while doing it with a sense of style and professionalism. We have been fortunate to have them on board as our primary sponsor since my rookie year in 1995 and without the help of people like Dick Strup, Steve Lauletta, and Sig Wysocki, it would not have been possible.

It was so sweet to present the first NHRA Powerade Top Fuel championship trophy to them in Milwaukee. They rolled out the red carpet for us and arranged for all the Miller employees to stop by during their breaks and lunch hours to take a look at the trophy, grab a t-shirt and say hello to Snake, Dick and myself.

I have made a lot of trips to Milwaukee and been a part of hundreds of appearances with Miller distributors around the country, but nothing even comes close to that day. If the excitement and pride wasn't enough to set that day apart, then simply the sight of seeing snow fall on our Miller Lite Dragster show car during a December snowstorm will surely stick out in my mind.

With that said, 2003 marks the 15th season I will have been working for Snake. It was so great to put the No. 1 on his car during the 40th anniversary season that I would like nothing more than to try and bring home the hardware again this year. Dick and the team have worked very hard during the off-season to make sure that we don't take anything for granted. Like many teams, we spent countless hours back in our Indianapolis shop getting everything ready for the new season, including giving our racecar a new look with the arrival of the new Miller Lite logo.

In closing, I want to thank all of the NHRA fans and everyone at Powerade, Raybestos, Mac Tools, Lucas Oil, and all of our other valued racing partners for a great season last year as we try and make you all proud again in 2003. Now, let's go race.