NHRA Champs Dixon, Pedregon Honored At AARWBA Banquet

National Dragster, Jan 30, 2004

Two-time NHRA POWERade Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon and newly crowned Funny Car champ Tony Pedregon were honored in Pomona by the American Auto- Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) Jan. 10 during the association's annual banquet. Dixon was named to the First Team of the 2003 Auto Racing All-America Team. This marks the second straight season Dixon has received First Team honors.

"It's an honor to be recognized by the motorsports media for what we have accomplished as a team over the last two seasons," said Dixon (pictured). "This is one of those awards that you're excited to receive because it reaffirms the fact that we had a great season."

Two drivers from each of seven racing categories - Drag Racing, Stock Car, Open Wheel, Road Racing, Short Track, Touring Series, and At Large - are selected to the First Team by members of the motorsports press association, and two drivers from each category earn second Team honors. The remaining drivers in each category receiving five percent of the vote receive honorable mention.

Dixon and Pedregon are joined on the 2003 First Team by Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth (Stock Car), Gil de Ferran and (tied) Scott Dixon and Paul Tracy (Open Wheel), Scott Pruett and Ron Fellows (Road Racing), J.J. Yeley and Steve Kinser (Short Track), Brian Vickers and Frank Kimmel (Touring Series), and Mark Taylor and A.J. Allmendinger (At Large). Yeley, with- the most votes overall, received the prestigious Jerry Titus Award in recognition of being AARWBA's Driver of the Year.