Troxel out to win Pomona
DON SCHUMACHER RACING2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 23 of 23
AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NHRA FINALS
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.)
Race Date: Nov. 9-12, 2006
POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 7, 2006) - Melanie Troxel has one goal as the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series comes to a close at this weekend's Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.: to win!
Driving the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster in her first full season of Top Fuel competition, Troxel has left a solid mark on the sport, both on and off the quarter-mile. She led the point standings through the first 12 events, reached a record-setting five final rounds to open a season, won twice, and has been nominated for and received a number of sporting awards for her remarkable accomplishments throughout the year.
While her chances to claim her first world championship have dwindled in the last half of the season, the popular racer and 2006 Pomona season-opener winner would like to complete her exceptional year with book-end victories.
Fourth in the standings, Troxel has an opportunity - although it's a longshot - to move up one spot in the rankings with a strong result this weekend. She trails third-place Brandon Bernstein by 113 points. Doug Kalitta is the leader, 213 markers ahead of Troxel and out of reach, as is her teammate Tony Schumacher in second (168 points ahead.)
"We definitely had a great first season and I would be lying if I didn't say we were a little bit disappointed with the way the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels car has been running the second half of the year," said Troxel. "But I think we still have a good car right now, and we have an opportunity to go out and win the last race of the year.
"It would be great to finish on a high note like that. We're going to go out and do our best to get the job done in Pomona. We won here in the spring, so our agenda is to go out and win the last race of the year.
"We do have an opportunity to move up one spot with the win, but, regardless of that, if we went on to a No. 4 finish in the points this year, my first full season in Top Fuel, I'd still have to say that it's been a great season."
The extra 20 bonus points awarded for a national elapsed-time record could come in handy. "I don't think that our agenda is to go out and try to set a record," said Troxel. "I think it would be great if it happens. Instead, we're going to go out and race smart and the first objective is to get the car out of the trailer and lay down a good number right out of the box. We have to know that we're definitely qualified for Sunday's eliminations, and if the conditions are right, and we have an opportunity to go out and run a big number, then certainly we will try and do that then."
MELANIE TROXEL QUICK FACTS:
* Fourth in Top Fuel point standings after 22 events, 213 points behind leader Doug Kalitta, 113 short of third place * 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 eight final rounds in 22 events in 2006 * Led point standings through first 12 events of 2006 * With Tony Schumacher's five straight final-round appearances to end 2005, Don Schumacher Racing has been in 12 consecutive final rounds * Winner here in season-opening 2006 Pomona 1 * At the 2005 Automobile Club NHRA Nationals, she qualified No. 2, was runner-up to teammate Tony Schumacher * 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 * Received USAC Kara Hendrick Spirit Award * Was named the 2006 Sportswoman of the Year by Women's Sports Foundation * Won her first national Top Fuel event in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 12, 2006. Won again in Las Vegas 1 * 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: THURSDAY, Nov. 9, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m. FRIDAY, Nov. 10, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m. SATURDAY, Nov. 11, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, Nov. 12, Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, Nov. 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Nov. 12, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Nov. 12, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 12:30 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, Nov. 10, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10 R / Transponder 23 K (12160 MHz, vertical) Sunday, Nov. 12 (Saturday late night), 12:30-1 a.m. (ET) Galaxy 10 R / Transponder 23 K (12160 MHz, vertical) Sunday, Nov. 12, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10 R / Transponder 23 K (12160 MHz, vertical)