Two-time NHRA POWERade Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon made it the furthest down Firebird International Raceway Friday during the first of three days of preseason testing at the National Time Trials in Phoenix. Using the knowledge he gained a week ago in his first test session, Dixon did the best of taming a green FIR with his 1,000-foot squirt of 4.715 at 263.51 mph in his U.S. Smokeless Tobacco dragster.
John Force's youngest daughter Courtney also looked sharp in her first full pass in Darien & Meadows Top Alcohol Dragster, running a 5.907 at 237.30 mph. The quickest Funny Car on the property was Jim Head's 6.269 at 144.12 mph in his Toyota Solara. Most of the 14 Top Fuel racers and 12 Funny Car pros couldn't get past halftrack under power as they got their first chance at running under the new 90-percent nitro rule...