Troxel continues quest to return to top in Reading
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 20 of 23 TOYO TIRES NHRA NATIONALS Maple Grove Raceway Mohnton, Pa. Race Date: Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net TROXEL CONTINUES QUEST TO RETURN TO TOP IN READING MOHNTON, Pa. (Sept. 28, 2006) - With four races left in the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Melanie Troxel continues to fight her way back to the top of the standings, as the series returns to the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway this weekend after the event was re-scheduled from two weeks ago because of rain. After leading the point standings through the first 12 events of her first full season competing in Top Fuel, reaching seven final rounds and winning twice, the driver of the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster is in fourth place, 165 points behind leader Doug Kalitta. In front of her are her teammate Tony Schumacher in second and Brandon Bernstein in third. As the season winds down, a variety of weather conditions will play a part in her goal to qualify well and go rounds as she aims to return to the front of the rankings. This weekend's predicted cooler temperatures could help or hinder. "They're saying that temperatures will be in the low 60s on Friday," says Troxel. "Cold weather always makes it a little tricky to tune the cars. It's definitely good for the performance. It could make it tough to get down the track, however, so we're going to have to be on our game." As for having to travel now to four back-to-back venues (Reading, Dallas, Reading, and Richmond, Va., next weekend): "The only down side to Reading being rained out the first time is that this weekend was one of our off weekends," she says. "It's getting late in the year and everybody has been traveling a lot and going to a lot of races and one more weekend away from home I think is hard on everybody involved. "It's tough on everybody, but actually we've been lucky all year long with the weather, so if this is the only rainout we have, then I think we'll be looking good." MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS: * Currently fourth in Top Fuel point standings after 19 events, 165 points behind leader Doug Kalitta * First NHRA Top Fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season (2006) * Troxel has reached six consecutive final rounds (two wins) dating back to the final event of 2005. The string was broken at Bristol Dragway this year * She has now reached seven final rounds in 18 events in 2006 * With Tony Schumacher's five straight final-round appearances to end 2005, Don Schumacher Racing has been in 12 consecutive final rounds * At 2005 Toyo Tires Nationals, she qualified No. 5, lost second round to Morgan Lucas * Was named the first quarter winner of 2006 Driver of the Year voting * Was nominated for Best Driver of the Year and Best Female Athlete of the Year by the ESPYS awards * Was just named a Sportswoman of the Year finalist * Won her first national Top Fuel event in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 12, 2006 * 2006 is her first full season of Top Fuel competition * 34 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) * Has four runner-up finishes in Top Fuel; in 2000 (Dallas 2), 2005 (Pomona 2), Phoenix 2006, Gainesville 2006 * She has qualified No. 1 twice so far, at Bristol Dragway in 2006 and Heartland Park Topeka in 2006. She also has two No. 2s (Dallas '05 and Pomona 2 '05) *Drove limited schedule for Don Schumacher Racing in 2000, her first year in Top Fuel * Rejoined DSR in the 13th event of 2005 (Denver) * Runner-up in Alcohol Dragster in 1999 * Ran limited Top Fuel schedule in 2002 and 2003 * Career quickest elapsed-time in Top Fuel is 4.458 seconds, set in 2005 in Dallas * Career fastest speed is 331.04 mph, set 5/7/06 at Atlanta Dragway * In 2005, in 11 races, Troxel had eight round wins * Troxel is now the quickest and fastest female driver in NHRA history, after clocking the 4.458-second pass and 330.31-mph speed in Dallas in ’05. She has since upped that speed to 331.04 mph WEEKEND SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, Sept. 29, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1 and 4 p.m. SATURDAY, Sept. 30, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. SUNDAY, Oct. 1 Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, Sept. 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 4 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Oct. 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute weekly news magazine show, at 12:30 a.m. (ET). Sunday, Oct. 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, Sept. 29, 7 7:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6 / Transponder 02K (11749.5 MHz, vertical) analog Saturday, Sept. 30, 7 7:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6 / Transponder 02K (11749.5 MHz, vertical) analog Sunday, Oct. 1, 7 7:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6 / Transponder 02K (11749.5 MHz, vertical) analog ***