<img src="http://gallery.nitromater.com/files/6/5/m_troxel06.jpg" alt="m_troxel06" align="left"borders="0"/>
SOMONA, Calif. -- Melanie Troxel is enjoying the challenge and the competition the Top Fuel class of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series provides her and the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels team as she fights for her first Top Fuel championship this season.
After leading the points through the first 12 races, she finds herself 40 markers behind Doug Kalitta heading into the 15th of 23 events this weekend at the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. Brandon Bernstein and her DSR teammate Tony Schumacher are also breathing down her neck (103 and 110 points behind, respectively). Undaunted, Troxel and the year-old team continue to work towards a turnaround following four consecutive early-round losses as they search for that solid summer tune-up.
In this three-race Western Swing, mile-high Denver and Seattle produced temperatures in the 90s, resulting in many teams struggling for performance. The weather for this weekend's Sonoma, Calif., event might also call for heat. "It was looking as though it was going to be very hot here this weekend," says Troxel, a Colorado native. "That is a concern for us. We still don't have a solid, hot weather tune-up. We really don't have any choice but to keep working at it. We're just going to keep plugging away until we get a tune-up that works in the heat because even if it turns out to be a little cooler here this weekend, we know we'll have plenty of other events where it will be hot yet this year.
"I said it before, and I hope that it's true, that we are making some progress. We went down the track three out of the four runs in qualifying in Seattle and qualified No. 4. I think we're moving in the right direction; we just haven't gotten the whole package together just yet."
As for her competition, including Kalitta, who easily could have earned a greater points lead, except for his two semifinal finishes and a second-round loss in the last three races. "It has seemed that Doug hasn't been as dominant as he was for three or four races," adds Troxel. "That certainly has helped us out. Tony Schumacher (Seattle winner) and the U.S. Army team are making a hard charge right now. You don't know at this point of the year who's going to be there at the end of the season to have a shot at that championship.
"We're just going to do the best we can to work on our program."
Troxel, who qualified No. 10 here last year in her second race for Don Schumacher Racing and lost the first round to Scott Kalitta, enjoys her visit to the wine country. "It's beautiful up here," she says. "We always enjoy coming up and doing some wine tasting." And, as for the racing, "It does sound like the temperatures are supposed to be a little cooler than we thought they were going to be. That certainly will help us."
MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* Currently second in Top Fuel point standings after 14 events, 40 points behind Doug Kalitta
* 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 13 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
* 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, July 28 < PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 29 < PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 10 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 30 < Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon.
TELEVISION: Saturday, July 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).
Troxel Staged for Sonoma Success
SOMONA, Calif. -- Melanie Troxel is enjoying the challenge and the competition the Top Fuel class of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series provides her and the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels team as she fights for her first Top Fuel championship this season.
After leading the points through the first 12 races, she finds herself 40 markers behind Doug Kalitta heading into the 15th of 23 events this weekend at the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. Brandon Bernstein and her DSR teammate Tony Schumacher are also breathing down her neck (103 and 110 points behind, respectively). Undaunted, Troxel and the year-old team continue to work towards a turnaround following four consecutive early-round losses as they search for that solid summer tune-up.
In this three-race Western Swing, mile-high Denver and Seattle produced temperatures in the 90s, resulting in many teams struggling for performance. The weather for this weekend's Sonoma, Calif., event might also call for heat. "It was looking as though it was going to be very hot here this weekend," says Troxel, a Colorado native. "That is a concern for us. We still don't have a solid, hot weather tune-up. We really don't have any choice but to keep working at it. We're just going to keep plugging away until we get a tune-up that works in the heat because even if it turns out to be a little cooler here this weekend, we know we'll have plenty of other events where it will be hot yet this year.
"I said it before, and I hope that it's true, that we are making some progress. We went down the track three out of the four runs in qualifying in Seattle and qualified No. 4. I think we're moving in the right direction; we just haven't gotten the whole package together just yet."
As for her competition, including Kalitta, who easily could have earned a greater points lead, except for his two semifinal finishes and a second-round loss in the last three races. "It has seemed that Doug hasn't been as dominant as he was for three or four races," adds Troxel. "That certainly has helped us out. Tony Schumacher (Seattle winner) and the U.S. Army team are making a hard charge right now. You don't know at this point of the year who's going to be there at the end of the season to have a shot at that championship.
"We're just going to do the best we can to work on our program."
Troxel, who qualified No. 10 here last year in her second race for Don Schumacher Racing and lost the first round to Scott Kalitta, enjoys her visit to the wine country. "It's beautiful up here," she says. "We always enjoy coming up and doing some wine tasting." And, as for the racing, "It does sound like the temperatures are supposed to be a little cooler than we thought they were going to be. That certainly will help us."
MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* Currently second in Top Fuel point standings after 14 events, 40 points behind Doug Kalitta
* 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 13 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
* 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, July 28 < PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 29 < PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 10 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 30 < Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon.
TELEVISION: Saturday, July 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).
