Melanie Troxel qualifies No. 9 in Pomona NHRA season opener
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES ROUND 1 OF 23 CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals POMONA (CALIF.) RACEWAY RACE DATE: FEB 9-12, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net MELANIE TROXEL QUALIFIES NO. 9 IN SEASON OPENER AT POMONA POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2006) - Melanie Troxel began her first full season of competition in the Top Fuel class of the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series by qualifying the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster in No. 9 for the season-opening CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at the Auto Club Raceway. Breaking in a new chassis, Troxel posted her quickest pass in the final qualifying session, of 4.547 seconds at 323.35 mph. Her previous laps included a 4.632/307.51, a 4.558/327.19 and 6.112/136.47. "The first race of the year is always kind of hectic," said Troxel, who qualified No. 2 at the 2005 finals here and was runner-up finisher, "and this one is no different. We had a few little problems here and there, but we've gotten them all sorted out. We think we found a small problem in the ignition that was giving us some trouble. It may have been why we dropped a cylinder on Friday. "This is a brand-new car. We tested it in Phoenix, but altogether it doesn't have that many passes on it. We had to sort a few things out, but I don't think we've had a bad weekend so far, at all. We were hoping for a little bit more, but we think there is still more in the car. All in all, the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels dragster is running good. We just need to step it up a little bit, then we'll be very competitive on Sunday. "The Skull Gear guys have been great. We are jelling together nicely. Everyone feels pretty good. We would have liked to have come out and run in the 4.40's - that was the goal - but we can't be disappointed with low .50's right now. Troxel will face Clay Millican in the first round of Sunday's eliminations. ***