Dixon leads Top Fuel qualifying

Nov 1, 2009 - 1:44 AM LAS VEGAS(AP) -- Larry Dixon earned his ninth No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying position of the year Saturday in the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals.

Dixon's track-record time Friday of 3.805 seconds at 318.24 mph that held up Saturday in the second-to-last event of the season.

Schumacher, who qualified fourth with a 3.839 at 313.07, holds a 41-point lead over Dixon in the Countdown to 1 championship chase.

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also topped their divisions at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In Funny Car, Ashley Force Hood survived a scare, qualifying 14th at 4.197 at 292.52 in a Ford Mustang on her final run to set up a first-round elimination matchup with series leader Robert Hight, her brother-in-law and teammate.

Force Hood is a close second behind Hight in the season standings.

Edwards won all four qualifying rounds in his Pontiac GXP to grab his 15th No. 1 start this year, posting a track record of 6.623 at 207.75 on Friday to inch closer to his first Pro Stock championship. He needs to advance one round farther than Greg Anderson to claim the season title.

Arana's 6.979 at 192.03 on a Buell stood up from Friday to give him his seventh No. 1 qualifier this season in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Andrew Hines, fifth in the standings, moved up into second place with a 6.990 at 192.25 on a V-Rod.