For one season, Del Worsham and Larry Dixon were Top Fuel teammates at Al-Anabi Racing.

Worsham, 41, clinched the world championship Nov. 13 at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., and on Monday he announced he was retiring from driving after a 21-year career.

“He (Del) gets to quit on his own terms, but is a bummer for our team because he was a real big part of our team,” Dixon said in an interview with Competition Plus Tuesday. “I didn’t see it coming. He (Del) is only 41 years old, that surprised me, but other than that, that might be a question for him or somebody else.”

Dixon, the 2010 NHRA world champ, is in place to drive one of the Al-Anabi Racing dragsters in 2012, and the search for Worsham’s replacement for the team’s second dragster began immediately. Al-Anabi’s Top Fuel team is managed by Alan Johnson Racing.

For one season, Del Worsham and Larry Dixon were Top Fuel teammates at Al-Anabi Racing.

Worsham, 41, clinched the world championship Nov. 13 at the NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., and on Monday he announced he was retiring from driving after a 21-year career.

“He (Del) gets to quit on his own terms, but is a bummer for our team because he was a real big part of our team,” Dixon said in an interview with Competition Plus Tuesday. “I didn’t see it coming. He (Del) is only 41 years old, that surprised me, but other than that, that might be a question for him or somebody else.”

Dixon, the 2010 NHRA world champ, is in place to drive one of the Al-Anabi Racing dragsters in 2012, and the search for Worsham’s replacement for the team’s second dragster began immediately. Al-Anabi’s Top Fuel team is managed by Alan Johnson Racing.

“That will come out when it is time,” said Dixon about who his new Top Fuel teammate will be. “It will be somebody Alan approves of and he has a great eye for talent. If it is someone good enough for him, it is great for me.”

Dixon, who finished fourth last season, said his Al-Anabi Racing team plans to return to the track the third week of January to test at Palm Beach (Fla.) International Raceway’s Pro Winter Warm-up.

“I have no reason to forget about drag racing,” said Dixon when asked if he tries to put his profession on the backburner during the holiday season. “I love what I do. When it is time to go run, I’m ready.”

Dixon has been with Al-Anabi Racing since it was founded in 2009. He finished second in the Top Fuel standings in 2009, two points behind Tony Schumacher and then won the crown in 2010. Worsham then kept the championship streak going this past season.

“I would say that it is great to know Alan Johnson,” Dixon said when asked about the results his team has produced the past three seasons.

Dixon, 45, who also won Top Fuel crowns in 2002 and 2003 with Don Prudhomme Racing, has no plans of retiring anytime soon.

“I love what I’m doing,” Dixon said. “You see guys like (John) Force and the Greek (Chris Karamesines) out there still hitting it, and it is because they love what they are doing. I would think as long as a person loves it, why not keep doing it?”