TOP FUEL PILOT DIXON HOPES FOR REPEAT WIN AND FIFTH OVERALL AT GATORNATIONALS: To say that Larry Dixon is used to success at Gainesville Raceway might be the understatement of the year. The defending event winner in the Top Fuel category has racked up four wins at the historic track over his career and is tied with NHRA legend Joe Amato for the most wins in the class at the track.

Dixon will try to surpass Amato this weekend and become the first Top Fuel driver to win five events at Gainesville Raceway as the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Florida for the 41st annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals, the third stop on the series for Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, and the season-opening race for the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. Dixon is not only in the hunt for his second straight win and fifth overall at the track, but the two-time world champion is also eyeing the points battle in Top Fuel.

“The Gatornationals is a very prestigious event, and if we are fortunate enough to win, it would be a great honor for me and everyone else associated with His Highess Sheik Khalid and the Al-Anabi Racing team,” said Dixon. “As a kid, I always dreamed of just competing in the Gatornationals, but becoming the all-time Top Fuel wins leader would make me very proud. I hope we put ourselves in a position to get that done.”

Joining Dixon to defend their Gainesville wins are Funny Car’s Bob Tasca, who earned his first career win in the NHRA Full Throttle Series at last year’s Gatornationals; Pro Stock’s Jason Line, who looks to collect his third win at the famed track this year; and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Hector Arana, who began his record-setting, world-championship-winning season with his first Gatornationals win last year. They’ll be joined by all the stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series....(courtesy SEMA)

Ford plans to re-introduce its 5.0L V8 in the 2011 Mustang GT, offering an update to the iconic engine with increased horsepower and fuel economy.

Using enhanced variable camshaft timing, four-valve per cylinder heads and an all-aluminum block, the new 5.0 will make 412 hp and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. Mated to an automatic six-speed transmission, the engine is expected to help the 2011 Mustang deliver 25 highway miles per gallon and 17 in the city.

Knowing that customers would use the GT for club-racing, autocross and other grassroots motorsports, Ford V8 Engine Programs Manager Mike Harrison says the development team also optimized the engine for factors including windage and oil drainback under high-speed cornering conditions.

They also kept weight down, with the engine weighing 430 lbs. shipped, a weight savings of more than 20% from the previous 5.0, according to Ford.

This is the same team also responsible for developing the new 6.2L V8 for the Super Duty and Raptor (including the 500hp Baja 1000 Raptor R race engine) and a 7.0L, 800hp V8 for the Don Bowles Mustang drag-racing car.

Other upgrades to the 2011 Mustang include an available Brembo 14-inch brake package, an enhanced rear lower control arm and a stiffened rear sway bar.

For businesses that make and sell parts for the Mustang and the previous generations of 5.0, Ford's timing is perfect.

"With a little more than 300 hp and compared to the likes of the SRT-8 and Camaro, the Mustang has lost its edge," says Anthony Coles, managing director of marketing/product development for Mustangs Unlimited, a brick-and-mortar and online retailer in Georgia and Connecticut. "Ford really needed to do something more than a styling facelift to slug it out with GM and Chrysler."

Coles says his shop's 5.0 parts sales have leveled off over the past couple of years, but still account for the majority of '74–present parts sales.

"The new 5.0 'Coyote' program will breathe some much-needed excitement into the latest Mustang offering and, ultimately, will result in renewed excitement for aftermarket parts sales," Coles adds. "My 2007 GT is looking more and more ready to be traded in come next year."