Larry Dixon to race Australia this weekend

[Cliff]

LARRY DIXON TO RACE FOR RAPISARDA AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL AT THE INAUGURAL AUSTRALIAN TOP FUEL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT | Competition Plus

The opening round of the 2022 Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel championship at Sydney Dragway, January 21-22, has received a massive boost with NHRA legend Larry Dixon set to race for leading Australian team, Rapisarda Autosport International. Dixon will partner with Australian champ Wayne...

www.competitionplus.com

 

[mgty3whlr]

Sorry Cliff, Old news.

 

[Cliff]

Ratz. Saw this on CompPlus& thought it was new. Oh well....... Glad Larry is driving again.

 

[glofria]

I thnkk this is a case of him doing it again as in the past. Just made the announcement earlier this week.

 

[DAN]

Confirmed. LD is on his way to Sydney for the opening round of the brand new Burson Auto Parts Top Fuel Series. Racing for Team Rapisarda.

 

[jimbo]

VERY, Very last minute situation. Monday phone call, emergency visa, hop on a plane Tuesday, arrive Thursday, race Friday!

From Compitition Plus:

The opening round of the 2022 Burson Auto Parts Australian Top Fuel championship at Sydney Dragway, January 21-22, has received a massive boost with NHRA legend Larry Dixon set to race for leading Australian team, Rapisarda Autosport International.

Dixon will partner with Australian champ Wayne Newby in the absence of West Australian team member Damien Harris. The latter is unavailable due to state government travel restrictions and border closures.

“I was resigned to running a single car for Wayne until Larry was granted a visa at the last minute to come to Australia and race,” said team owner Santo Rapisarda. “We only found out on Monday. The timeline is really tight. Larry leaves Indy on Tuesday night and arrives in Australia on Thursday morning. Then on Friday, he hits the track for two runs followed by three rounds of racing on Saturday.”

A regular visitor Down Under over the last decade Dixon last raced in Australia at the Winternationals in 2016.

RAI has been sidelined since January 2020, when Newby won the Santos Summer Thunder meeting at Sydney Dragway.

 

[Cliff]

I understand this series is new for Australia. Interesting to see what plays out.

 

[mick]

interesting how visas and sports play out in australia as of late.

 

[DAN]

I understand this series is new for Australia. Interesting to see what plays out.

Correct. The series is a 6-round deal running Jan-June. Already with a Series Sponsor on board, and a few teams looking to return.
6 cars on the property this weekend, however the last of the ridiculous border restrictions are about to conclude, meaning 7-8 cars for the next round at least.
The pit-side entertainment is a big part of this show, designed to attract a wider demographic.
If the weather cooperates, the event will be very promising and only build momentum from there.
Check this video out:

 

[Nunz]

Correct. The series is a 6-round deal running Jan-June. Already with a Series Sponsor on board, and a few teams looking to return.
6 cars on the property this weekend, however the last of the ridiculous border restrictions are about to conclude, meaning 7-8 cars for the next round at least.
The pit-side entertainment is a big part of this show, designed to attract a wider demographic.
If the weather cooperates, the event will be very promising and only build momentum from there.
Check this video out:

Nice promo piece!

 

[none]

Speaking of Larry, this ran across my radar. What do you guys think? Can't possibly be coincidence, can it?

Alan

 

[mick]

that is a great old article!.......american fabric rite there.

 

[Ramjet]

Speaking of Larry, this ran across my radar. What do you guys think? Can't possibly be coincidence, can it?

Alan

The Van Nuys deal was a big thing as was Toluka Lake Bobs and later Canoga Park. "Big" Larry had a Green Blown 55 Chevy. I used to do work for several guys and have rebuilt 4 speed transmissions with 2 tires on the curb and 2 on the street with a raised up front end at midnight on the side street in Van Nuys. There was a Chevy dealer with a 24 hour parts department on Van Nuys Blvd and they kept a good stock of parts. I got to where when I got a call I could R&R and rebuild a 4 speed laying on a piece of cardboard in about 2 hours including running across the street for parts. Also there was a guy with a 409 that I put an Isky Roller in and he would overwind it and bend push rods (not enough valve spring pressure). I would take them out hammer them flat - put em back and he was back Cruzing Bobs in no time. He and others had more money than brains and that was OK with me. If you read that article the part about "River Road" it was unique because one side was Burbank P.D. and the other was L.A. County Sheriff and depending which came you took off to the right or the left.

 

[glofria]

Yea, dad tells stories about those street racing days. Said they use to race Valley Circle Blvd. because they could look out accross the valley and see the cops coming for them up Victory Blvd. He use to race an old beat up farm truck with a 409 in it.

 

[Ramjet]

Yea, dad tells stories about those street racing days. Said they use to race Valley Circle Blvd. because they could look out accross the valley and see the cops coming for them up Victory Blvd. He use to race an old beat up farm truck with a 409 in it.

It wasn't that beat up and it surprised a whole lot of people.

 

[Cliff]

Glenoaks Blvd in Glendale, Calif. The story goes that your throttle sticks wide open as the lite turns green and the exact same thing happens to the guy in the lane next to you. Heh The guy with the 1953 Chevy 2 door with a small block & 5:14 gear. My buddy Terry (who later became LAPD) with a 1965 Chevy with a Rat motor that scared me. Or a guy I saw at San Fernando who had a '49 Ford with a 409 that was street driven,

Going from Glendale to Colorado Blvd in Pasadonuts (Pasadena). Remember the song Little Old Lady from Pasadena? Yep..... Or cruising Van Nuys Blvd. It got to the point where there was so much traffic that all you could do was cruise. We didn't go to Toluca Lake much.

 

[4onthefl4]

Speaking of Larry, this ran across my radar. What do you guys think? Can't possibly be coincidence, can it?

Alan

Travel with us now through another dimension (insert Twilight Zone theme music).