Troxel advances to second round at U.S. Nationals

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
U.S. NATIONALS
INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK
ROUND 18 OF 23
Race Dates: Sept. 2-5, 2005


TROXEL ADVANCES TO SECOND ROUND AFTER DEFEATING THE OTHER KALITTA

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 5, 2005) - Melanie Troxel notched her second Top Fuel
round win of her short 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season today,
dismissing her second Kalitta in two races. Two weeks ago in Memphis she
disposed of Doug Kalitta in the first round, today it was Scott Kalitta in
the opening stanza of the prestigious U.S. Nationals.

No. 10 qualifier Troxel took the win light with a stout 4.591-second elapsed
time at 320.58 mph to Scott Kalittaıs tire-smoking 12.557/76.10, which
buoyed the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel Dragster teamıs spirits and
prepared them well for their second-round match-up against Doug Herbert.

Perhaps the Avon, Ind., resident was over-excited by the performance of her
new car in the opener after struggling during qualifying, and was eager to
score her first second-round win of the season. Whatever the cause, Troxel
shot off the line with a reaction time of minus-.181 of a second, fouling
out and allowing Herbert to garner the victory.

³We struggled through qualifying,² she said, ³and we werenıt quite sure what
to expect first round, so we were thrilled to finally get the car to the
finish line and run a respectable number that was right there with everyone
else. We kind of felt like we had something to work with.

³We went up there for the second round. I wasnıt really trying to do
anything out of the norm, so Iım not quite sure why I left so early. It
wasnıt even a close red light (.000 is perfect); it was way, way early. The
car smoked the tires after that, which doesnıt make me feel much better, but
weıre going to come out to test tomorrow, make as many laps as we can and
see if we can get a little better handle on the car and head to the next
race.²

Next up is the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pa., Sept. 16-18, 2005.