Photo credit: Dave Reid

(Lead video credit: Jigsaw Communications)

In drag racing, how do you know when it’s your lucky day? When you lose a wheel under acceleration at close to 200 MPH and don’t hit a thing.

Such was the situation for three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon as he competed in his team owner Santo Rapisarda’s homeland of Australia during the Santo’s Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race on Friday night (or late Thursday night/early Friday morning in the states). During a qualifying pass, the left rear wheel on Dixon’s Rapisarda Autosport dragster broke free near the 330-foot marker — believed to be the result of a broken axle — sending the dragster into a wild 360-degree spin on the racing surface. Miraculously, Dixon’s mount made the complete turn without hitting anything, and his opponent, who had already slowed, was able to avoid contact.

(Video credit: ANDRA)

“What do you guys think of them crazy American drivers?” Dixon joked with the crowd in his interview post-race. “It’s actually really hard to do a spin and not hit a wall.
 
“There’s forces from above that try to protect everybody involved and I think the Lord took care of me on that run right there.”

The Rapisarda Autosport team thrashed to make repairs to the dragster, with much of the rear end assembly needing to be replaced. Dixon missed the later elimination round, but was able to get on track to make a check-out pass to the tune of a 4.68 to set himself up well for the seventh round of the ANDRA Top Fuel championship on Saturday.