It's ready, set, go for Troxel in Dallas

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. 6, 2005) - Melanie Troxel would like not only to repeat her Top
Fuel runner-up finish at the Texas Motorplex in 2000, the last year she
drove for Don Schumacher Racing, at this weekend's O'Reilly NHRA Fall
Nationals, but go one better.

Troxel, who re-joined the DSR team in Denver this year to drive the Skull
Gear/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel entry, has the car and talent to accomplish
that feat, as she demonstrated in Chicago last week, where she ran an
elapsed time (4.527 seconds) in first round of eliminations, second only to
her teammate and Top Fuel points leader Tony Schumacher (4.526). Schumacher
went on to win the event and is close to clinching his third Top Fuel
championship.

With three races left in the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Troxel
and crew chief Richard Hogan are seeing progress in the team that was put
together in a matter of weeks before it debuted in Denver in July.

"I'm really excited now about going to these last three races and building
some momentum with the performance that we're seeing out of the Skull
Gear/Torco Race Fuels car," said Troxel. "I've had good luck in Dallas, and
we're excited about the track and the reground surface. If we get decent
weather here, the potential is there to run some really big numbers, and now
we have the car to do that.

"I think we can really make some good ground on our plans as a team just
moving forward in our performance.

"On top of that, I think we have a shot at winning races right now, and
we're all looking forward to that."

SCHEDULE:      
On Friday, Oct. 7, professional qualifying sessions are at 4:30 and 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 8, pro qualifying contginues at at noon and 3 p.m. On
Sunday, Oct. 9, pre-race ceremonies are at 10 a.m., final eliminations begin
at 11 a.m.
 
TELEVISION:     
On Saturday, Oct. 8, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights
at 4 p.m. (ET). On Sunday, Oct. 9, ESPN2 will televise three hours of final
eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).

MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* 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)
* 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 4.509 seconds, set this year
in Reading, Pa.
* Career fastest speed is 326.95 mph, set at '05 Chicago 2
* So far, in 2005, after eight races, Troxel¹s highest qualifying position
is No. 5, and she has three round wins
* Troxel is now the quickest female in NHRA history, after clocking the
4.509-second pass in Reading.

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