Dixon tops qualifying for fourth straight event, leads Top Fuel field at Virginia Nationals

Dixon tops qualifying for fourth straight event

DINWIDDIE, Va. — Second-place Larry Dixon cut into Tony Schumacher’s Top Fuel points leads with his fourth straight No. 1 qualifier Saturday in the NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also led qualifying in the fourth event in NHRA’s six-race playoff, the Countdown to 1.

Dixon, who had his eighth No. 1 qualifier of 2009 and 39th overall, sliced his deficit behind Schumacher from 54 to 47 points with a 3.783-second pass at 311.27 mph.

Beckman — who began the weekend in fourth place, 73 points behind Ashley Force Hood — earned the pole with a 4.044 at 305.22 on his fourth and final qualifying attempt.

Edwards, the Pro Stock points leader, improved on his 6.606 from Friday with a 6.531 at 211.26 on Saturday, the second-quickest pass in NHRA Pro Stock history. He also set the track records for speed and elapsed time en route to his NHRA-best 14th No. 1 qualifier of the season.