Auto Club Finals Day 2: Dixon takes his shot

Above: Larry Dixon talks to the media after taking the lead in Top Fuel on Friday.

The second day of qualifying at the Auto Club Finals at Fairplex was Larry Dixon's turn.
The two-time Top Fuel champion, who battling this weekend with five-time champ Tony Schumacher, for supremacy in the rail division saw Schumacher thrown down the gauntlet on Thursday.
Dixon's response came Friday.
The Southern California native, getting aid from NHRA's new qualifying points structure, took over the points lead by topping the qualifying charts with a stout 4.801-second pass at 318.99 mph. Spencer Massey is second with Schumacher dropping to third.

Above: John Force was all smiles Friday after qualifying No. 1 in Funny Car.

The Funny Car show, which was highlighted Thursday by point-leader Robert Hight's 4.09 pass for the top spot, was taken over by NHRA icon John Force, who roared down the quartermile with a pass of 4.060 at 307.72 mph.
Hight remained second, while his two closest pursuers - Ashley Force Hood, who was 105 points back coming into the event, and Tony Pedregon, who was 113 back - moved up to No. 4 and seventh respectively. Force Hood ran a solid 4.098, with Pedregon, a two-time champion, stopping the clocks in 4.144.
It was status quo in the Pro Stock divisions, with Mike Edwards in Pro Stock car, and Karen Stoffer, in Pro Stock Motorcyle, holding on to the top spots.
Larry Dixon: "I'm cool with that run. We could just call it a weekend, now," Dixon said. "There were three points on the table today. We're just trying to do what we can. You want to do as much as you can, and hopefully be up going into Sunday. It's exciting to come to the last race of the season and have a chance at a championship. That's all you can ask for. You definitely want a shot at it. I haven't been in this position for awhile, so I'm enjoying. I'm having fun."
John Force: "I'm always excited, because there's a lot going on in our camps. I'm happy to be here. (Crew chiefs Austin Coil and Jimmy Prock) have been doing a good job. We've been running ahead of Robert (in the qualifying order), because we want to win this championship and give him the advantage. And last night, Jimmy apologized and said they pulled it back too much, and I ran a 4.15. We didn't know what was out there.
"I haven't been competitive since my crash (in 2008). I think I'm back OK. I think in 2010, I can run for the title. I was asked earlier in the day that if Robert win this, am I going to pass the torch. I got mad. That' means I'm done? I'm negotiating for another five years. I'm 60-years-old and I think I can do this until I'm 65."