Larry Dixon chose to accentuate the positives following a disheartening loss at the NHRA Auto Club Finals which cost him the 2009 championship by two points.

Dixon’s championship aspirations ended at the hands of the team he left last season and his replacement, the rookie Spencer Massey.

“I drove good,” said Dixon, a two-time champion when driving for Don Prudhomme. “I'm just kinda a victim of circumstances. Went out there and spun the tires. That was it. At the end of the day that was it, spun the tires.”

Larry Dixon chose to accentuate the positives following a disheartening loss at the NHRA Auto Club Finals which cost him the 2009 championship by two points.

Dixon’s championship aspirations ended at the hands of the team he left last season and his replacement, the rookie Spencer Massey.

“I drove good,” said Dixon, a two-time champion when driving for Don Prudhomme. “I'm just kinda a victim of circumstances. Went out there and spun the tires. That was it. At the end of the day that was it, spun the tires.”

Dixon entered the 2009 season with the burden of heavy expectation on his shoulders and those of the members of the upstart Alan Johnson Racing/Al-Anabi racing team, an operation that didn’t even have a driver or running engine this time last season.

Those lofty goals can push a driver to want more and for Dixon, a second place finish just didn’t provide a quenching feeling.

“Last year at this time at the end of the day I was thrilled to finish second,” Dixon said. “That was a big deal to finish second last year. This year I am disappointed to finish second. That's the difference to me. Just being his Alan and Jason and his Highness, Sheik Khalid. This team they have assembled and being a part of it. I got a chance to talk to Khalid just before that run. He's just excited win, lose or draw he's in it for the long haul. He's really excited. He's ready for 2010 even before the rest of us.”

Last year at this time, Dixon was under a legal gag order about discussing his future with the Don Prudhomme team. He bought out his contract a month later and signed with Johnson.

This time there was no stopping Dixon from discussing a bright future.

“I can talk about the season after that and the one after that, too,” Dixon said. “We're in great shape. Khalid is only 23 years old. He plans on doing this for a long period of time. He wants Alan, he wants Jason, he wants Del, he wants me to be a part of this for a long time.”

At the end of the day, Dixon believes he blessed to be living a dream, champion or runner-up.

“I've gotten so much out of my life,” Dixon said. “I don't know that I aspired that high. Now to be able to win races and championships and be a part of something like we've got going on right now; I've got no complaints. If the worst thing that ever happens to me is finish two points down in this deal, we'll be okay.”

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