Troxel sets new personal mark, qualifies No. 2 in Texas

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 21 of 23
O'REILLY NHRA FALL NATIONALS
Texas Motorplex
Dallas, Texas
Race Dates: Oct. 7-9, 2005

DALLAS (Oct. 8, 2005) - It is gearing up to be an extremely successful
weekend for Melanie Troxel and the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel
dragster team. On Friday night she set career-bests in elapsed-time and
speed. She officially became the quickest and fastest female driver in NHRA
history, and she heads into Sunday's O'Reilly Fall NHRA Nationals
eliminations in a strong position to win from the No. 2 qualifying spot -
the highest of her career.

Colorado native Troxel set her career-best speed of 330.31 mph (4.529 ET) in
Friday's first session, then recorded her career-best elapsed time of 4.458
seconds (328.86 mph) in the cooler evening round. Saturday's warmer and
sunnier conditions produced first a tire-smoking 6.754/116.88, followed by a
session-best 4.513/325.61 in the final session.

"We're feeling really confident with how the Skull Gear/Torco Race
Fuels car is running," said Troxel, who was runner-up here in 2000 when she
first drove for Don Schumacher Racing. "Not only did we go out and run that
4.458 pass, but to run a 4.513 in the heat of the day makes us feel real
good going into tomorrow."

Some of her confidence comes from having achieved her highest qualifying
position of the season. "It's so hard to get past first round when you are
running No. 8 or 9," she added. "It's always a close race when you're eighth
or ninth, and you're the first pair out. A lot can be said about qualifying
well and having a few easier rounds, in theory. Not that it always works out
that well."

She's still reeling from the great numbers she and the team, led by crew
chief Richard Hogan, recorded. "It hasn't quite hit me yet. I know I've said
it before, but as much as we've struggled with getting a car that will run
straight down the track and is easy to drive, I'm just as happy with that as
with running the big numbers.

"My absolute number-one goal is to go out and win a race this year. I know
everyone on the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels team is putting in the extra
effort to give us that opportunity. Hopefully we can go out tomorrow and
turn that great qualifying effort into our first win."

Troxel faces Scott Weis in the first round of Sunday's final eliminations.

Note: With her strong effort here, Troxel (unofficially until first round on
Sunday) qualified 14th in points for the $100,000 Budweiser Shootout Top
Fuel bonus race to be held in Las Vegas later this month. She is eligible to
draw for the eighth Wild Card position along with eight other drivers who
qualified in the top 15. The top seven in points are guaranteed a start in
the bonus event.