Memphis more of a test session, says Troxel

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 17 of 23
O'REILLY NHRA MID-SOUTH NATIONALS
MEMPHIS (Tenn.) MOTORSPORTS PARK
Race Dates: Aug. 19-21, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell, 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

MEMPHIS MORE OF A TEST SESSION, SAYS TROXEL

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Aug. 17, 2005) - Melanie Troxel said she will take in a
visit to Beale Street while in Memphis this weekend for the O'Reilly NHRA
Mid-South Nationals. It should relax her before she prepares for the
expected heat at Memphis Motorsports Park's quarter-mile and competing at
night. Her last trip here with NHRA was in 2000, the year she last drove for
Don Schumacher Racing.

Troxel returned to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series' Top Fuel class and
to DSR in Denver this year and will complete the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series driving the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel Dragster
before embarking on a full season schedule in 2006.

"I like Memphis," she said. "It's certainly going to be a change in weather
from Brainerd last weekend," which saw temperatures in the 70s. "It's a neat
town. I enjoy going down to Beale Street, and we've taken the opportunity a
couple of times in the past to go through Graceland."

The team, led by tuner Richard Hogan, has been on a whirlwind country-wide
tour since Denver (Seattle, Sonoma, Calif., Brainerd, Minn., and now
Memphis), with just one weekend off in six weeks to try to regroup and work
out the mechanical glitches they've suffered as a new team. There was never
time for testing and the team will use Memphis as a test session before the
prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indy on Labor Day weekend.

"We need to make the most of the time in Memphis, really have everything
worked out, and get our problems solved," said the 32-year-old Denver
native. "We probably won't get to run the test session at Indy next week
while we change some equipment, so this will kind of be our test session. We
need to make the most of it, really have everything worked out, problems
solved.

"That doesn't mean we won't by going for a win here," she added. "That is
always the No. 1 goal."

While Troxel has qualified for each of the four events so far, mechanical
problems have prevented her from claiming her first round win, but she's
encouraged by the progress the new team has made and is eager to get on the
track in Memphis in the cooler, evening conditions.

"The more runs we can make with the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels dragster,
the more we will learn and the more we'll improve. Once we have the problems
fixed like we know we will, it'll be a whole new car."

SCHEDULE:      
On Friday, Aug. 19, professional qualifying sessions are at 4:30 and 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Aug. 20, pro qualifying sessions continue at 3:30 and 6 p.m. On
Sunday, Aug. 21, pre-race ceremonies are at 2 p.m., and final eliminations
begin at 3 p.m. 

TELEVISION:    
On Saturday, Aug. 20, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of
qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET). On Sunday, Aug. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD
will televise three hours of eliminations at 10 p.m. (ET). Also on Sunday,
Aug. 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly
news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET).

MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* 32 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)
* Runner-up finish best Top Fuel result, in 2000 (Dallas 2)
* Drove limited schedule for Don Schumacher Racing in 2000, her first year
in Top Fuel
* 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 4.576
* Career fastest speed is 326.08 mph

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