Tire smoke slows Troxel in opening round loss to Hawley
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/m_troxel_508502.jpg" alt="m_troxel_508502" align="left"borders="0"/>
It was a bittersweet Sunday afternoon for Melanie Troxel following her opening round loss to teammate Frank Hawley in the Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
She did leave the starting line first – .094 to .119-second – but couldn’t hold off Hawley’s comeback. Her Gotham City Racing Dodge Charger R/T lost traction early in the 1,000-foot run and Hawley’s Rite Aid Pharmacies Dodge Charger R/T took the lead.
Hawley’s car also experienced traction problems farther down-track, but it didn’t keep him from getting the win light in 4.355 seconds at 247.57 mph to her 4.670 at 214.66.
“I was happy to see Frank get into the second round with a very good car,” Troxel said. “He came close to winning the race. Finishing second was great for the team because it’s their first race with Rite Aid as the sponsor.
“I would rather have won, but if I couldn’t, I’d rather lose to Frank.”
Troxel won’t be traveling far for the next race – the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park, Aug. 29-Sept. 1, at Indianapolis is a short drive from her Avon, Ind. home.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/m_troxel_508502.jpg" alt="m_troxel_508502" align="left"borders="0"/>
It was a bittersweet Sunday afternoon for Melanie Troxel following her opening round loss to teammate Frank Hawley in the Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
She did leave the starting line first – .094 to .119-second – but couldn’t hold off Hawley’s comeback. Her Gotham City Racing Dodge Charger R/T lost traction early in the 1,000-foot run and Hawley’s Rite Aid Pharmacies Dodge Charger R/T took the lead.
Hawley’s car also experienced traction problems farther down-track, but it didn’t keep him from getting the win light in 4.355 seconds at 247.57 mph to her 4.670 at 214.66.
“I was happy to see Frank get into the second round with a very good car,” Troxel said. “He came close to winning the race. Finishing second was great for the team because it’s their first race with Rite Aid as the sponsor.
“I would rather have won, but if I couldn’t, I’d rather lose to Frank.”
Troxel won’t be traveling far for the next race – the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park, Aug. 29-Sept. 1, at Indianapolis is a short drive from her Avon, Ind. home.
