Englishtown - fuller - Post Race 06-18-06

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Fuller fights his way back into title hunt with big win
 
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. (June 18) -- Top Fuel driver "Hot Rod" Fuller ruined Larry
Dixon's streak of five straight Father's Day wins Sunday by beating Dixon in
the final of the 37th annual K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals. Fuller's third
career victory and second of the 2006 season lifted the 35-year-old Las
Vegas resident to fourth place in the championship hunt, just 221 off the
lead.
 
"I knew Dixon had that Father's Day thing going but our car was running
great all weekend and I knew we had a chance if we stayed within ourselves,"
Fuller said. "I was so focused I didn't know who won until they told me at
the top end. Then I just let loose. I've got a great team and all these guys
need to be congratulated.
 
"This one's for my dad. He's a racer and he's the reason I love drag racing.
I used to lay under his car on the creeper when I was a little kid just to
spend time with him. He's my best friend. Happy Father's Day, dad!" 
 
Fuller beat four of the toughest racers in the Top Fuel class to get this
win. He started by sending five-time IHRA champion Clay Millican home with a
4.619 at 326.32 mph. He then stopped Doug Kalitta with a 4.643. Kalitta had
won four of the last five races on tour. Race day luck arrived in the
semifinals when Fuller's 5.007 beat low qualifier Brandon Bernstein's
labored 6.248. Then came Dixon, who lost to Fuller's 4.692 at 314.24 mph
with a tire-smoking 4.825 at 299.73 mph.
 
"We have a great setup for the heat," decorated crew chief Lee Beard said.
"Our team did a fantastic job and we stayed disciplined under tricky
conditions. This was my 55th win as a crew chief and it means a lot because
Larry is a neighbor of mine and every time they win they hang the banners in
his yard. This time we get the banners."
 
Beard has tuned former series champs Gary Ormsby and Kenny Bernstein, as
well as Funny Car contender Whit Bazemore and Fuller to wins at this
racetrack.
 
The Houston-based David Powers Motorsports race team won't have long to wait
until they hit the track again as the 10th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest
Nationals begin Friday at Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis. The
race is the only all-nighttime event on the POWERade Drag Racing Series.
 
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