SNAKING TOWARD 100TH WIN.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

When asked if there was any incentive for the first Snake Racing driver to get team owner Don Prudhomme his 100th victory, top fuel driver Larry Dixon had to stop and think for a moment.

There is no incentive, but the two-time NHRA top fuel champion said it would have been a great idea to have the team's three drivers throw some money into a pot and make it the reward for giving Prudhomme his 100th win.

Prudhomme has 96 career NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series victories. Four wins and he will be only the second person in NHRA history to reach 100 wins. Getting win No. 100 for his boss is only one milestone Dixon is eyeing as the season starts this weekend with the K&N Filters Winternationals at Pomona Raceway.

``We're going to every race wanting to win,'' said Dixon, a Van Nuys High graduate. ``It would have been great to give it to him last year. I've been around Snake's operation for a long time. It's a good feeling to be part of his success.''

Prudhomme won 49 races as a driver, 35 in funny car, 14 in top fuel. As an owner, he has won 47 races. Dixon has won 33 driving the Miller Lite top fuel dragster. Skoal Camaro funny car driver Ron Capps has 13 and fellow funny car driver Tommy Johnson has one.

But Dixon said he doesn't put too much weight on being the driver to get Prudhomme his 100th.

``That would be selfish and that ain't my m.o.,'' Dixon said. ``If I got 101 or 107 or whatever, it's all fine by me. We've had the dragster running pretty good for a while. I'd be just as happy if Ron or Tommy won the 100th. Snake would be happy, and if Snake is happy, it makes my world better, too.''

As far as Prudhomme is concerned, he would just as soon see the milestone come and go as soon as possible.

``Let's get it over,'' Prudhomme said. ``I really don't think in those terms. It's more of a personal goal. I don't have a personal goal as far as what number I'd like to end up with because when the 100th comes, I'd like to see 120, 130, 140 and 150. I never thought I'd win 10 races or 20 races or 50 races, so it will be cool.''

In addition to chasing 100 wins for Prudhomme, Dixon is in pursuit of becoming only the second NHRA top fuel driver to win three championships in a row. Winner of the last two NHRA top fuel titles, Dixon has a chance to match Joe Amato's three consecutive NHRA titles from 1990-92.

``It's hard enough to win in a row, let alone three,'' Dixon said. ``We have 23 playoff games and we got to play every game well to win the Super Bowl. Would it be great? You wonder if you could ever win one, now you wonder if you could win three.

``The biggest thing on my mind is to qualify for the K&N Filters Winternationals at Pomona. I'm not looking at championships or anything like that. Time will tell how you rate against the rest of the competition. I'll let everyone else worry about championships. I'm going to worry about qualifying at Pomona.''

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