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BRAINERD, Minn. -- Don't expect Melanie Troxel to be kicking herself. The fact that she is second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after leading them through the first 12 races is not discouraging to the driver of the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster. The popular 33-year-old racer in her first full season of Top Fuel competition says she's very much OK as the series comes to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway this weekend.
"We're still in a great position," says Troxel, who trails Doug Kalitta by 82 markers, while teammate Tony Schumacher is 44 behind. "We're No. 2 in points. We haven't done very well in the last several races (three first-round losses in the Western Swing - Denver, Seattle, Sonoma, Calif.), but we've been very fortunate that Kalitta has not run away with the points. Certainly, Tony is closing in on us, but to be three-quarters of the way through the season and be second in points is still a great position to be in.
"I think if we're able to step up our program, which I know we're fully capable of doing, we'll be right back in it. We had a bad couple of races, but I think we're ready to rebound and change that.
"Honestly, the Western Swing was not very kind to us. We certainly did not live up to our own expectations.
"I think it's reasonable for any team to hit a slump in their season and I'm just hoping that this weekend off (since the last race of the Western Swing) has given us all some time to recharge our batteries, regroup, and will help us to come back out and hit hard.
"Potentially, Brainerd could be very tricky for the crew chiefs to try and tune to. This will certainly not be an easy event for us, but we're looking forward to getting back out there and changing the direction of our momentum."
MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* Currently second in Top Fuel point standings after 15 events, 82 points behind Doug Kalitta, 44 ahead of Tony Schumacher
* First NHRA Top Fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season (2006)
* Troxel has reached six consecutive final rounds (two wins) dating back to the final event of 2005. The string was broken at Bristol Dragway this year
* She has now reached seven final rounds in 15 events in 2006
* With Tony Schumacher's five straight final-round appearances to end 2005, Don Schumacher Racing has been in 12 consecutive final rounds
* At 2005 Brainerd event, she qualified No. 11, lost first round to Larry Dixon
* Was named the first quarter winner of 2006 Driver of the Year voting
* Was nominated for Best Driver of the Year and Best Female Athlete of the Year by the ESPYS awards
* Won her first national Top Fuel event in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 12, 2006
* 2006 is her first full season of Top Fuel competition
* 33 years old, born Aug. 31, 1972
* Born in Littleton, Colo., lives in Avon, Ind., with husband and Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr.
* Two national event wins in Alcohol Dragster in 1999 (Seattle and Topeka)
* Has four runner-up finishes in Top Fuel; in 2000 (Dallas 2), 2005 (Pomona 2), Phoenix 2006, Gainesville 2006
* She has qualified No. 1 twice so far, at Bristol Dragway in 2006 and Heartland Park Topeka 2006. She also has two No. 2s (Dallas '05 and Pomona 2 '05)
*Drove limited schedule for Don Schumacher Racing in 2000, her first year in Top Fuel
* Rejoined DSR in the 13th event of 2005 (Denver)
* Runner-up in Alcohol Dragster in 1999
* Ran limited Top Fuel schedule in 2002 and 2003
* Career quickest elapsed-time in Top Fuel is 4.458 seconds, set in 2005 in Dallas
* Career fastest speed is 331.04 mph, set 5/7/06 at Atlanta Dragway
* In 2005, in 11 races, Troxel had eight round wins
* Troxel is now the quickest and fastest female driver in NHRA history, after clocking the 4.458-second pass and 330.31-mph speed in Dallas in '05.
She has since upped that speed to 331.04 mph
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 11 -- PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:45 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 12 -- PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Aug. 13 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Aug. 12, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 13, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 13, ESPN2 will televise NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Melanie Troxel: "We're In A Great Position"
BRAINERD, Minn. -- Don't expect Melanie Troxel to be kicking herself. The fact that she is second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after leading them through the first 12 races is not discouraging to the driver of the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster. The popular 33-year-old racer in her first full season of Top Fuel competition says she's very much OK as the series comes to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway this weekend.
"We're still in a great position," says Troxel, who trails Doug Kalitta by 82 markers, while teammate Tony Schumacher is 44 behind. "We're No. 2 in points. We haven't done very well in the last several races (three first-round losses in the Western Swing - Denver, Seattle, Sonoma, Calif.), but we've been very fortunate that Kalitta has not run away with the points. Certainly, Tony is closing in on us, but to be three-quarters of the way through the season and be second in points is still a great position to be in.
"I think if we're able to step up our program, which I know we're fully capable of doing, we'll be right back in it. We had a bad couple of races, but I think we're ready to rebound and change that.
"Honestly, the Western Swing was not very kind to us. We certainly did not live up to our own expectations.
"I think it's reasonable for any team to hit a slump in their season and I'm just hoping that this weekend off (since the last race of the Western Swing) has given us all some time to recharge our batteries, regroup, and will help us to come back out and hit hard.
"Potentially, Brainerd could be very tricky for the crew chiefs to try and tune to. This will certainly not be an easy event for us, but we're looking forward to getting back out there and changing the direction of our momentum."
MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* Currently second in Top Fuel point standings after 15 events, 82 points behind Doug Kalitta, 44 ahead of Tony Schumacher
* First NHRA Top Fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season (2006)
* Troxel has reached six consecutive final rounds (two wins) dating back to the final event of 2005. The string was broken at Bristol Dragway this year
* She has now reached seven final rounds in 15 events in 2006
* With Tony Schumacher's five straight final-round appearances to end 2005, Don Schumacher Racing has been in 12 consecutive final rounds
* At 2005 Brainerd event, she qualified No. 11, lost first round to Larry Dixon
* Was named the first quarter winner of 2006 Driver of the Year voting
* Was nominated for Best Driver of the Year and Best Female Athlete of the Year by the ESPYS awards
* Won her first national Top Fuel event in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 12, 2006
* 2006 is her first full season of Top Fuel competition
* 33 years old, born Aug. 31, 1972
* Born in Littleton, Colo., lives in Avon, Ind., with husband and Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr.
* Two national event wins in Alcohol Dragster in 1999 (Seattle and Topeka)
* Has four runner-up finishes in Top Fuel; in 2000 (Dallas 2), 2005 (Pomona 2), Phoenix 2006, Gainesville 2006
* She has qualified No. 1 twice so far, at Bristol Dragway in 2006 and Heartland Park Topeka 2006. She also has two No. 2s (Dallas '05 and Pomona 2 '05)
*Drove limited schedule for Don Schumacher Racing in 2000, her first year in Top Fuel
* Rejoined DSR in the 13th event of 2005 (Denver)
* Runner-up in Alcohol Dragster in 1999
* Ran limited Top Fuel schedule in 2002 and 2003
* Career quickest elapsed-time in Top Fuel is 4.458 seconds, set in 2005 in Dallas
* Career fastest speed is 331.04 mph, set 5/7/06 at Atlanta Dragway
* In 2005, in 11 races, Troxel had eight round wins
* Troxel is now the quickest and fastest female driver in NHRA history, after clocking the 4.458-second pass and 330.31-mph speed in Dallas in '05.
She has since upped that speed to 331.04 mph
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 11 -- PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:45 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 12 -- PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Aug. 13 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Aug. 12, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 13, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 13, ESPN2 will televise NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
