TOP FUEL POINTS LEADER TROXEL SET FOR ATLANTA
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus
COMMERCE, Ga. (May 3, 2006) - Top Fuel points leader Melanie Troxel looks to maintain the performance consistency of the Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster she drives for Don Schumacher Racing this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
With five straight NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series final-round appearances to start the season, (six counting the last event in 2005), two victories so far in 2006, one pole position, an 18-4 round win-loss record for the year, a points lead she's held since the first event, and a 139-point margin over the next driver in the standings, Troxel and crew chief Richard Hogan aim to
keep following that path.
"We want to continue our consistency," says Troxel. "That is going to be the important thing in order to hold on to this points lead, or at least maintain it, if we can't build it.
"I think we've been moving in the right direction with our qualifying," she said of struggling to qualify earlier in the season, then nabbing a No. 1 at Bristol Dragway last weekend. "We've improved a lot in the last few races. We just need to keep moving in that direction."
Troxel broke her string of final-round appearances in Bristol with an uncharacteristic red light in the second round. "For me it's going to be nice to be able to go out and start racing again to get this red light out of my mind," she says. "Getting back out there as soon as possible helps.
It's kind of like getting back up on the horse after you fall off.
"I've never run a Top Fuel car at Atlanta Dragway, so this will be a new experience for me. I'm looking forward to it."
MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* Top Fuel points leader by 139 points after Pomona and Las Vegas wins and runner-up finishes in Phoenix, Gainesville, Fla., and Houston
* First NHRA Top Fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season
* Troxel has reached six consecutive final rounds (two wins) dating back to final event of 2005. The string was broken at Bristol Dragway last weekend
* With Tony Schumacher's five straight final-round appearances to end 2005, Don Schumacher Racing has been in 12 consecutive final rounds this season
* 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 once so far, at Bristol Dragway last weekend. 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 points 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 330.31 mph, set in Dallas '05
* In 2005, in 11 races, Troxel had eight round wins
* Troxel is the quickest and fastest female driver in NHRA history, after clocking the 4.458-second pass and 330.31-mph speed in Dallas '05.
Contact: Judy Stropus
COMMERCE, Ga. (May 3, 2006) - Top Fuel points leader Melanie Troxel looks to maintain the performance consistency of the Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster she drives for Don Schumacher Racing this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
With five straight NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series final-round appearances to start the season, (six counting the last event in 2005), two victories so far in 2006, one pole position, an 18-4 round win-loss record for the year, a points lead she's held since the first event, and a 139-point margin over the next driver in the standings, Troxel and crew chief Richard Hogan aim to
keep following that path.
"We want to continue our consistency," says Troxel. "That is going to be the important thing in order to hold on to this points lead, or at least maintain it, if we can't build it.
"I think we've been moving in the right direction with our qualifying," she said of struggling to qualify earlier in the season, then nabbing a No. 1 at Bristol Dragway last weekend. "We've improved a lot in the last few races. We just need to keep moving in that direction."
Troxel broke her string of final-round appearances in Bristol with an uncharacteristic red light in the second round. "For me it's going to be nice to be able to go out and start racing again to get this red light out of my mind," she says. "Getting back out there as soon as possible helps.
It's kind of like getting back up on the horse after you fall off.
"I've never run a Top Fuel car at Atlanta Dragway, so this will be a new experience for me. I'm looking forward to it."
MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* Top Fuel points leader by 139 points after Pomona and Las Vegas wins and runner-up finishes in Phoenix, Gainesville, Fla., and Houston
* First NHRA Top Fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season
* Troxel has reached six consecutive final rounds (two wins) dating back to final event of 2005. The string was broken at Bristol Dragway last weekend
* With Tony Schumacher's five straight final-round appearances to end 2005, Don Schumacher Racing has been in 12 consecutive final rounds this season
* 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 once so far, at Bristol Dragway last weekend. 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 points 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 330.31 mph, set in Dallas '05
* In 2005, in 11 races, Troxel had eight round wins
* Troxel is the quickest and fastest female driver in NHRA history, after clocking the 4.458-second pass and 330.31-mph speed in Dallas '05.
posted by David @ 11:17 PM
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