Top Fuel driver Scott Palmer hasn’t competed in an NHRA national event since St. Louis last September.

Palmer, an independent owner/driver, was back competing at the Mile-High Nationals Sunday at Bandimere Speedway, and he nearly pulled off the biggest upset of the day in first round.

Palmer, the No. 16 qualifier, was pitted against top qualifier Larry Dixon of Bob Vandergriff Racing. Dixon began smoking the tires during his lap and was able to pedal the dragster enough to edge Palmer.

Dixon clocked a 4.352-second time while Palmer clocked a 4.408-second run.

“It doesn’t get much better than that, that’s what NHRA drag racing is all about,” Palmer said. “It was so close and he started to pull away from me and I got off the gas for a split second and I saw him coming up and I got back on the gas pedal and the belt came off down there. Larry Dixon is a great guy and all those guys have been doing so great and I’m proud to know them and call them my friends.”

Palmer, a journeyman NHRA competitor, hasn’t been on the NHRA circuit because he’s been involved in another form of racing.

“We actually bought a Top Fuel Hydro that runs in the Lucas Oil Boat Series,” Palmer said. “We have a driver (Tommy Rice) who drives it and we are trying to get that up and rolling. We will probably come out and run four or five NHRA events later this season.”

Palmer said Rice will be competing in his boat at Marble Falls, Texas, Aug. 7-9.

“The Lucas Series needed another Top Fuel boat, one of the boats (Joe Cassidy’s Toxic Rocket) crashed last year that we were working on,” Palmer said. “Forrest Lucas needed another boat out there so he actually gave us a sponsorship and we built a boat. It’s a lot different. I had never been involved with boat racing before. I’ve never even been on a canoe floating down the river. I got involved with because of Forrest Lucas. We only had been to five boat races ever and we bought one. The boat runs the same setup as this (a Top Fuel dragster). I have not driven one yet, but I will later. I need to learn to swim, probably first.”