R2B2 Racing/R2B2 Motors U.S. Nationals Qualifying Round up
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/m_troxel_508502.jpg" alt="m_troxel_508502"align="left"borders="0" />Troxel celebrates birthday with No. 6 qualifying start at U.S. Nationals
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 31, 2008 -- Melanie Troxel received an excellent birthday present Sunday when qualifying concluded for Monday's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Her 4.117-second elapsed time run on Saturday night put her sixth in the Funny Car starting line-up.
With crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald making tune-up and chassis changes, the new R2B2 Racing Dodge Charger R/T responded with one of its best performances in several outings.
She also added a 4.205-second time Sunday in the heat of the day.
"We had a good showing on my birthday weekend," said Troxel, from nearby Avon, Ind. "Just qualifying for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals was a good birthday present, but, for the first time in quite a while, I feel we have a racecar that can win the race. That would make it a great birthday weekend."
She races Ron Capps (No. 11, 4.144 seconds) in the opening round.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/FranH.jpg" alt="FranH" align="right"borders="0"/>
Frank Hawley earns U.S. Nationals start in Rite Aid Dodge Charger R/TINDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 31, 2008 -- One run was all Frank Hawley and the R2B2 Racing Rite Aid Dodge Charger R/T team needed Sunday to guarantee themselves a starting position for Monday's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the sport's premier race.
Crew chief Aaron Brooks made the call and the car responded with a 4.172-second elapsed time at 297.68 mph. The effort was 12th-quickest and sends Hawley against Robert Hight (No. 5, 4.114 at 297.48), in the first round.
"We are very happy to be racing in the U.S. Nationals," said Hawley, who is making his first U.S. Nationals driving appearance since 1991. "The car was doing some things that Aaron didn't expect, but he had a good tune-up for Sunday.
"I think we have a car that can run with anyone else. I think we are really good . . . but so are the 15 other guys."
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/p_Llewellyn_853141.jpg" alt="p_Llewellyn_853141" align="left"borders="0"/>Peggy Llewellyn improves to 7.062 seconds at Indy to start 14th
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 31, 2008 -- Peggy Llewellyn accomplished the first goal on her Mac Tools U.S. Nationals to-do list Sunday when she secured the 14th starting position for Monday's race.
Llewellyn, of San Antonio, Texas, posted her quickest qualifying elapsed time -- 7.062 seconds at 185.59 mph -- in the day's first session aboard the R2B2 Motors Buell prepared by Matt Guidera's Rocklin Racing team.
During the three days of qualifying, Llewellyn said the team changed her riding style to make it compatible with the motorcycle's tune-up.
"We get to play on Monday. We have been fine-tuning the rider and the motorcycle during qualifying," said Llewellyn, who has ridden sparingly in 2008. "We have a good tune-up and we are going into Monday with the attitude that we are in it and we can win it."
She had run 7.604 seconds in Saturday night's final run.
"Qualifying has helped our confidence," she noted. "When I adapted to the change in my riding style, the bike responded perfectly, and that was what we needed. We really are excited about competing in the U.S. Nationals."
Her first-round opponent is Andrew Hines, the No. 3 qualifier at 6.9669 seconds at 191.08 mph.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/m_troxel_508502.jpg" alt="m_troxel_508502"align="left"borders="0" />Troxel celebrates birthday with No. 6 qualifying start at U.S. Nationals
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 31, 2008 -- Melanie Troxel received an excellent birthday present Sunday when qualifying concluded for Monday's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Her 4.117-second elapsed time run on Saturday night put her sixth in the Funny Car starting line-up.
With crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald making tune-up and chassis changes, the new R2B2 Racing Dodge Charger R/T responded with one of its best performances in several outings.
She also added a 4.205-second time Sunday in the heat of the day.
"We had a good showing on my birthday weekend," said Troxel, from nearby Avon, Ind. "Just qualifying for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals was a good birthday present, but, for the first time in quite a while, I feel we have a racecar that can win the race. That would make it a great birthday weekend."
She races Ron Capps (No. 11, 4.144 seconds) in the opening round.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/FranH.jpg" alt="FranH" align="right"borders="0"/>
Frank Hawley earns U.S. Nationals start in Rite Aid Dodge Charger R/TINDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 31, 2008 -- One run was all Frank Hawley and the R2B2 Racing Rite Aid Dodge Charger R/T team needed Sunday to guarantee themselves a starting position for Monday's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the sport's premier race.
Crew chief Aaron Brooks made the call and the car responded with a 4.172-second elapsed time at 297.68 mph. The effort was 12th-quickest and sends Hawley against Robert Hight (No. 5, 4.114 at 297.48), in the first round.
"We are very happy to be racing in the U.S. Nationals," said Hawley, who is making his first U.S. Nationals driving appearance since 1991. "The car was doing some things that Aaron didn't expect, but he had a good tune-up for Sunday.
"I think we have a car that can run with anyone else. I think we are really good . . . but so are the 15 other guys."
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/p_Llewellyn_853141.jpg" alt="p_Llewellyn_853141" align="left"borders="0"/>Peggy Llewellyn improves to 7.062 seconds at Indy to start 14th
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 31, 2008 -- Peggy Llewellyn accomplished the first goal on her Mac Tools U.S. Nationals to-do list Sunday when she secured the 14th starting position for Monday's race.
Llewellyn, of San Antonio, Texas, posted her quickest qualifying elapsed time -- 7.062 seconds at 185.59 mph -- in the day's first session aboard the R2B2 Motors Buell prepared by Matt Guidera's Rocklin Racing team.
During the three days of qualifying, Llewellyn said the team changed her riding style to make it compatible with the motorcycle's tune-up.
"We get to play on Monday. We have been fine-tuning the rider and the motorcycle during qualifying," said Llewellyn, who has ridden sparingly in 2008. "We have a good tune-up and we are going into Monday with the attitude that we are in it and we can win it."
She had run 7.604 seconds in Saturday night's final run.
"Qualifying has helped our confidence," she noted. "When I adapted to the change in my riding style, the bike responded perfectly, and that was what we needed. We really are excited about competing in the U.S. Nationals."
Her first-round opponent is Andrew Hines, the No. 3 qualifier at 6.9669 seconds at 191.08 mph.
