DIXON, TASCA, EDWARDS AND PHILLIPS WIN NHRA SUPERNATIONALS
![Larry Dixon celebrates his win in Englishtown, Penn. on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. (Photo courtesy of NHRA) (Nd Photographer)](https://thumb.spokesman.com/RQqW75tfAQ1VPpYGnQjlpxVdFS4=/810x0/media.spokesman.com/photos/2010/06/16/092LarryDixonEtown.jpg)
Larry Dixon continued his winning ways with his sixth Top Fuel victory of the 2010 season in the rain-delayed Englishtown, Penn. final round held Monday afternoon.
Courtesy: NHRA Media Relations
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – Larry Dixon raced to his sixth Top Fuel victory of the season Monday afternoon at the rain-delayed NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
Bob Tasca, Mike Edwards and Michael Phillips also were winners at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.
Dixon posted a performance of 3.824 seconds at 320.05 mph in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to take his 54th career victory by defeating Antron Brown, who finished runner-up at this event for the second straight time as his Matco Tools dragster lost traction near mid-track.
“Trophies like these – what I call the majors – always shine a little brighter for me," Dixon said about winning for the sixth time in his career at the historic track. "This race, Indy, Pomona, Gainesville, and even Columbus back then, you want to do well. I feel blessed to be able to race well on tracks like these.”
Tasca claimed his first win of the season and third of his career by defeating Del Worsham in the Funny Car final. Initially the electronic timers showed Worsham’s Al-Anabi Racing Toyota as the winner, but the timing data later revealed Tasca actually crossed the finish line at the 1,000-foot mark first in his special themed Ford Parts.com Shelby Ford Mustang and NHRA officials overturned the outcome.
“It's hard to put words together right now,” said an emotional Tasca said after winning at his longtime home track. “This is a special place for my family and to win here with all of my family here is just unbelievable. These are the moments you dream about as a kid laying in bed. This is a moment I'll treasure forever. I know that my grandfather's not here, but he's looking on from above.”
Edwards took his seventh Pro Stock win of the season and third in a row by outrunning rookie Shane Gray in the final round. Edwards posted a 6.596 at 209.39 in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP, while Gray’s Tire Kingdom GXP trailed with a 6.634 at 209.07.
“Last year was a dream season with the championship, but this year is truly a dream come true," Edwards said. "I've done this a long, long time and to experience this kind of success, I just praise the Lord for his blessings. We have a great team and committed ourselves to doing this, and it’s good to see the results.”
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Phillips used a holeshot start on his Suzuki to defeat Steve Johnson for his second victory of the season and fifth of his career. Phillips covered the distance in 6.911 at 194.32 and just edged Johnson’s quicker Suzuki at the finish line, which ran a quicker, but losing, 6.886 at 194.63. With the victory, Phillips moves to second in the point standings.
"It's been a great weekend to set the track record now that we've finally gotten a handle on the clutch, which has always been my biggest problem,” Phillips said. “I can't thank Craig Treble enough for coming over and showing me some things."
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series continues June 18-20 with the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway.
ESPN2 HD will provide coverage of the rain-delayed NHRA SuperNationals final rounds during the qualifying show for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals (June 19, 7 p.m. ET) and during next weekend's edition of NHRA Race Day (June 20, 3:30 p.m. ET).
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ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 41st annual NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. The race is the 11th of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. TOP FUEL: 1. Larry Dixon; 2. Antron Brown; 3. Doug Kalitta; 4. Brandon Bernstein; 5. Tony Schumacher; 6. Terry McMillen; 7. Morgan Lucas; 8. Cory McClenathan; 9. Steve Torrence; 10. Doug Foley; 11. Terry Haddock; 12. David Grubnic; 13. Shawn Langdon; 14. Scott Palmer; 15. Steven Chrisman. FUNNY CAR: 1. Bob Tasca III; 2. Del Worsham; 3. Jack Beckman; 4. Matt Hagan; 5. Jeff Arend; 6. John Force; 7. Jim Head; 8. Robert Hight; 9. Paul Lee; 10. Dale Creasy Jr.; 11. Ashley Force Hood; 12. Tony Pedregon; 13. Ron Capps; 14. Tim Wilkerson; 15. Cruz Pedregon. PRO STOCK: 1. Mike Edwards; 2. Shane Gray; 3. Jeg Coughlin; 4. Johnny Gray; 5. Greg Anderson; 6. Bob Yonke; 7. Greg Stanfield; 8. Allen Johnson; 9. Rodger Brogdon; 10. Vinnie Deceglie; 11. Kurt Johnson; 12. V. Gaines; 13. Justin Humphreys; 14.Warren Johnson; 15. Larry Morgan; 16. Jason Line. PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 1. Michael Phillips; 2. Steve Johnson; 3. LE Tonglet; 4. Matt Smith; 5. Hector Arana; 6. Andrew Hines; 7. Karen Stoffer; 8. Shawn Gann; 9. Eddie Krawiec; 10. Angie Smith; 11. David Hope; 12. Craig Treble; 13. Jim Underdahl; 14. Wesley Wells; 15. Thomas Miceli; 16. Redell Harris.