Larry Dixon

[J.C.]

All of you armchair NHRA/ESPN bashers ought to just start your own drag race series and event video broadcast company so things will be exactly how you "think they should be". I am SOOO tired of hearing about "the clowndown", "lousy ESPN coverage" and questioning everything NHRA does or doesn't do. Get over it, there are much bigger things wrong with our country right now and you people have nothing better to do than critique every move NHRA or ESPN makes. Me, I'm just happy to have NHRA professional drag racing broadcast same-day in my living room in high definition. Wonder what you whiners would have done 30 years ago when we had to wait 2 weeks for national dragster to arrive in our mailbox with racing results.

 

[Z28LT1]

Hold on a second, before anyone calls BS on the coil wire story, lets think about this for a second. These cars have dual ignition systems, right? Is it possible that ONE of the coil wires failed causing the engine to be down on power..... which caused the tire shake..... resulting in an aborted run? Sure, Larry didn't get back on the throttle after the shake but that doesn't mean the story is BS. They never specifically said the coil wire killed the engine, they just said that was the problem. I took it as..... that's what caused the shake in the first place.

Just my 0.02$

I don't know Haas, the car looked like it was still running to me when he got out of it. All of the FC guys before TF were talking like that was probably going to be there only shot. Theres no fine's for oil downs this year; blow it up if that's what it takes to get in the show; it the Quatar's taxpayers money. All kidding aside, I think LD made a mistake.

 

[Dubs]

I've read a lot of these posts and it is clear that LD messed up. Don't get me wrong, LD is prob my favorite driver out there right now, but it was just a silly mistake.

As far as Gary Gerould, he went over to ask if there was a mechanical problem. It turned into huge drama, and it was one of the best nhra TV moments I have seen in a while (unintentional obv). I was on the edge of my seat the whole commercial just waiting to see what really happened.

 

[jimbo]

All of you armchair NHRA/ESPN bashers ought to just start your own drag race series and event video broadcast company so things will be exactly how you "think they should be". I am SOOO tired of hearing about "the clowndown", "lousy ESPN coverage" and questioning everything NHRA does or doesn't do. Get over it, there are much bigger things wrong with our country right now and you people have nothing better to do than critique every move NHRA or ESPN makes. Me, I'm just happy to have NHRA professional drag racing broadcast same-day in my living room in high definition. Wonder what you whiners would have done 30 years ago when we had to wait 2 weeks for national dragster to arrive in our mailbox with racing results.

Read this and I agree with your sentiments big time! It is similar to my being tired about all the complaints against NHRA and anything they do. Mine was how everyone was Bi∞¢£•∞ about the new website. Deal with it! Quit complaining, watch our favorite sport, quit trying to find a conspirosory behind anything or just watch hockey, mud wrestling or poker!!

 

[.]

I don't know Haas, the car looked like it was still running to me when he got out of it. All of the FC guys before TF were talking like that was probably going to be there only shot. Theres no fine's for oil downs this year; blow it up if that's what it takes to get in the show; it the Quatar's taxpayers money. All kidding aside, I think LD made a mistake.

Yeah, I'm not saying Larry didn't make a mistake. Last night when I typed my original post I was just trying to point out the fact that a TF car could still be running on ONE (of the 2) ignition systems and the general public wouldn't be able to tell by watching it on TV..... therefore the ignition system story they told on TV might not be BS.

Either way, Larry is now the driver for the best crew chief in drag racing, with (I assume) the biggest budget of any team in the sport, he is a veteran and a champion and it's only the first race of a very long year....... I think they'll be just fine! When Larry hoists up the Full Throttle Championship trophy next fall in Pomona, we'll look back on this little incident and laugh!

Mistake? Probably. Larry is human too.


Nate, we still need to have a mini winter Mater meeting at a local watering hole.

 

[Z28LT1]

Yeah, I'm not saying Larry didn't make a mistake. Last night when I typed my original post I was just trying to point out the fact that a TF car could still be running on ONE (of the 2) ignition systems and the general public wouldn't be able to tell by watching it on TV..... therefore the ignition system story they told on TV might not be BS.

Either way, Larry is now the driver for the best crew chief in drag racing, with (I assume) the biggest budget of any team in the sport, he is a veteran and a champion and it's only the first race of a very long the year....... I think they'll be just fine! When Larry hoists up the Full Throttle Championship trophy next fall in Pomona, we'll look back on this little incident and laugh!

Mistake? Probably. Larry is human too.


Nate, we still need to have a mini winter Mater meeting at a local watering hole.

ok, were on the same page then as usual. I thought maybe you were saying the car might have lost fire or something.

I'm game for a winter mini mater meeting. We could do a saturday night bucket of beers and qualifing coverage meeting for Pheonix or G-ville Sensors has those speaker boxes. Get that crazy Chris out too!

 

[Big Nitro]

Bottom Line

Dixon will still end up winning the championship at the end of the year....

 

[RickyD]

Ya, he is just human and us humans make mistakes. I have no problem with that at all. What I have a big problem with is anybody that does not fess up and makes lame excuses. Come on, Hi-def CLEARLY shows the throttle never touched again. Do these people think we are that stupid? Maybe it is just that I over observed and was not supposed to notice. As far as I am concerned this tarnishes a mans (and or mens) reputations. Yes I am calling the ign. story B.S. This is about like the Schumacher debacle in Seattle a few years ago when they said "there were no team orders" on which lane to pick.

 

[Porkchop]

Man, you guys are a bunch of bed wetters.

Heaven forbid if someone asks a race car driver a tough question or asks for a thought after a tough situation....."racer ettiquette", give me a damn break.

...and Gary Gerould is the ultimate professional at what he does for a living.

totally and agree with you...NOBODY IS AT FAULT!!! Some (most )people here need a clue dont you think? P.S.....to "the other people" Gary learned from Steve Evans........The Best There Was!!!!!

 

[FC138fan]

What I have a big problem with is anybody that does not fess up and makes lame excuses. Come on, Hi-def CLEARLY shows the throttle never touched again. Do these people think we are that stupid? Maybe it is just that I over observed and was not supposed to notice. As far as I am concerned this tarnishes a mans (and or mens) reputations. Yes I am calling the ign. story B.S. This is about like the Schumacher debacle in Seattle a few years ago when they said "there were no team orders" on which lane to pick.

Funny how I thought the same thing. Came to post about it, saw a ton of other people already talking about it. Started to wonder, what would someone have to gain by saying this? Perhaps the mechanical failure was true, but like everyone noticed, how come Larry didn't get back in it? Maybe he thought he couldn't make it in... but we will never know because Mike Dunn and Paul P avoided the question in their interview yesterday. If I thought that, and hundreds on here thought that.. surely Mike Dunn thought of asking that. Maybe off air they discussed it... Just makes me think less of that team.. Don't know about Larry though, love him as a racer, and I bet he'd be the first to admit a screw up on his part. Maybe he was silenced for some unknown reason?

 

[Greg]

I don't really give a crap about the situation, because it's clear it was just a mistake and we all make them. But even my wife, who is only a casual observer, asked why he didn't get back in it, especially when the actual qualifying coverage showed header flames still coming out of the motor as it idled down track (and I doubt it was dieseling).

If you've ever watched that new show "Lie To Me" on Fox, it's amazing how accurate it is. It'll be ok though. This team could probably stay home the first two races and still win the championship.

 

[sdwarf36]

...and Gary Gerould is the ultimate professional at what he does for a living.

And if the living is asking the EXACT SAME QUESTION over again + again--then yes he is the ultimate pro.
He bugs me more than Paul Page does. Paul seems like he is making an attempt-Gary seems like he gave up trying.

 

[none]

I don't really give a crap about the situation, because it's clear it was just a mistake and we all make them. But even my wife, who is only a casual observer, asked why he didn't get back in it, especially when the actual qualifying coverage showed header flames still coming out of the motor as it idled down track (and I doubt it was dieseling).

.

My wife was watching the "tire shake" (excellent camera work) story any way and listening to Mike Dunn critique the rookies peddle job. So when that run came up, it was perfect timing. She asked the obvious question........

 

[JL]

I watched it last night... Larry said he aborted the run. That sounds to me like he clicked it off... It is what it is and it is over. Larry is possibly the best driver in TF. If he would have known it was the only shot, he sure as hell would have gotten it down there in under 4 seconds... It's done. I don't think GG really did anything wrong.

 

[82GT]

I'll admit I didn't read all the post so if the point was already made ignore.

Apparently ESPN's team did a better job than LD's team of knowing how important that run was. They dispatched Gary to get the interview right away.

A mistake was made, it happens. I would have preferred the truth rather than the made up save face story afterwards.

For my own curiosity I wonder did the team knew there was only one run (they should have assumed giving the weather conditions) and then if they did, did they convey that to their driver. These questions will never be answered now, but giving AJ’s and LD’s track record the mistake won’t be made again.

As an observation, the wife got me started on NCIS with her, did you notice on Raceday today Larry looks down and to the left when he tells the “ignition” story a sign that someone is lying….

 

[hotrod]

Despite the chaos, I'm already kind of enjoying this season. Admit it. We've
needed this kind of drama to spice things up a bit.

LD had a little brain fade and may end up being the champ at the end of the
year despite that.

If I were a top fuel driver, I can only imagine what people would be saying about my screwups. Mater members would have a field day.

 

[Bullet]

Larry DIDN'T get back into it after it shook. That's cool, we all make mistakes..... but for the life of me, don't think we are all a bunch of idiots and BS to us.

Maybe the car did have an ignition issue, but that's not going to stop you from pedaling it when you know you may not have another shot.

 

[Mooseman]

Larry Dixon seemed out of his comfort zone the entire broadcast , that guy must of been reall nervous considering its a brand new team and he had been with Prudhomme for years . He seemed like he was still getting used to the whole situation .

 

[.]

I agree with most others that he goofed. No biggie, just don't lie about it. It was plain as day to see that he got out of the throttle and never tried to pedal it.

 

[Professional Fan]

I noticed the same thing as everyone else watching the TV show Saturday night and the interview with Larry and Paul Page compared to the story in NHRA.com regarding the mechanical problem. I'll give Larry credit though-he was out there signing autographs on Sunday and not complaining. As he said, it's like one round of racing. Wilk did the same thing after he red lit in November-he was out there with the fans rather than sulking in his trailer.

That's one of the best things I think about NHRA (spoken as a fan, not a racer)-almost all these guys are stand-up guys!