Troxel grabs No. 4 in Seattle qualifying

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 14 of 23
SCHUCK'S AUTO SUPPLY NHRA NATIONALS
Pacific Raceways
Kent, Wash.
Race Date: July 21-23, 2006


KENT, Wash. (July 22, 2006) - Melanie Troxel drove the Skull Shine/Knoll
Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster into the No. 4 qualifying spot for
Sunday's Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Troxel, who fell to second in the Top Fuel points rankings last weekend in
Denver after leading them through the first 12 events, out-qualified No. 1
in points Doug Kalitta (No. 7), carving her 22-point deficit down to just 20
points, or one round of eliminations.

Three of the four qualifying sessions produced consistent laps of
4.755/319.67 (good for No. 3 at the time), 4.748/318.92 (No. 12), and a
4.610/322.50 (for No. 4). In today's final attempt under hot and somewhat
humid conditions, Troxel lost traction early and coasted to a 8.965/88.39,
but remained in fourth place.

"Actually, I consider this to be a pretty good weekend," she said. "We made
it down the track the majority of the runs, even though they weren't all as
quick as we would like. I think that gives everybody on the Skull Shine team
a lot of confidence, if only because we obtained information about both
lanes.

"In that last session we were trying to move up a spot, trying to run a high
4.50 (-second elapsed time). Sometimes you have to push things to the limit
to find out where that limit is. I feel really good about going into
tomorrow's eliminations."

Troxel will face Denver winner J.R. Todd in first round of eliminations on
Sunday.