Larry Dixon beamed when he recalled the sentimentality on Friday of the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Ca. Every year of his life, he said, has included the traditional NHRA season-opener. And even though he’d won the event three times and his father, Larry Dixon Sr., once, winning the 50^th anniversary event would be the ultimate.

He made sure the experience was his on Sunday.

From the No. 2 spot on the qualifying grid, Dixon blasted his way through the field beating legendary names – Chrisman, Bernstein, Schumacher and then defending event champion Doug Kalitta in the final.

“It is beyond words,” Dixon said. “This is a huge event in its own right. Whether it's the first, twelfth or whatever, the 50^th and all the hype that has gone into it makes it special. Having a shot at running for it and actually doing it, I feel blessed. I feel lucky. I feel very lucky.”

On a day where he had to be both lucky and good, Dixon stopped all takers, even winning a semi-final race with identical elapsed times and speeds against adversary Tony Schumacher. They both ran a 3.836 elapsed time at 317.03 miles per hour. The difference was Dixon’s .017 starting line advantage. Only three times in national event drag racing history has something like this happened.

Last year Dixon and defending world champion Schumacher battled down to the wire for the championship, in a war decided by only two points.

“Racing Tony in the semis … it was like can't we wait until October to race,” Dixon said. “We've only had about eight weeks off and we're back at it again. I don't know that I have ever seen identical ET and mph run like that. I am sure it happened and being on the right side of it, finally. Boy … that was a great drag yes; yeah for the other guy. To be able to beat them, to have two cars prepared and have it come out exactly equal like that.”

Sunday’s victory marked his 49^th career triumph and tied him for eighth alongside Don “Snake” Prudhomme, ironically the team owner he left to join Al Anabi Racing in December 2008.

However, Dixon isn't about to put much stock in his new place in drag racing history.

“To be honest, how I feel about it is probably the same way I felt about it when I tied or passed [Don] Garlits,” Dixon explained. “It's not even fair to be tied. When Snake was in his day there were only three or five or seven events on the tour and he'd win every single one. So, he didn't get to run his numbers up. When he stepped out of the car, he was winning. Had he stayed in the car, not put me in, he would have kept winning. It's just apples and oranges. If I had the winning percentage like the Snake I would pass John Force, but it ain't happening.”

Dixon’s victory marks his fourth NHRA Winternationals crown since 1998 and the irony of it all, is the 50^th was won by a pair of second-generation drag racing kids who watched their father’s win Pomona titles.

Crew chief Jason McCulloch’s dad, Ed McCulloch, won the event in 1972, and according to Dixon, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

“Jason don't talk much on race day,” Dixon said, cracking a smile. “He's just like his dad from that standpoint. They've got their game faces on. As kids we grew up in this sport. We know how much it meant. My dad winning and Jason's dad winning and now us having a chance to win together. I am sure we'll have a beer or four and talk about it later.”