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Brainerd: Melanie Troxel preview

MELANIE TROXEL: "WE'RE IN A GREAT POSITION" BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 9, 2006) - Don't expect Melanie Troxel to be kicking herself. The fact that she is second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after leading them through ...

Edited: Aug 10, 2006, 3:28 AM

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MELANIE TROXEL: "WE'RE IN A GREAT POSITION"

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 9, 2006) - Don't expect Melanie Troxel to be kicking herself. The fact that she is second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after leading them through the first 12 races is not discouraging to the driver of the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster. The popular 33-year-old racer in her first full season of Top Fuel competition says she's very much OK as the series comes to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway this weekend.

"We're still in a great position," says Troxel, who trails Doug Kalitta by 82 markers, while teammate Tony Schumacher is 44 behind. "We're No. 2 in points. We haven't done very well in the last several races (three first-round losses in the Western Swing - Denver, Seattle, Sonoma, Calif.), but we've been very fortunate that Kalitta has not run away with the points. Certainly, Tony is closing in on us, but to be three-quarters of the way through the season and be second in points is still a great position to be in.

"I think if we're able to step up our program, which I know we're fully capable of doing, we'll be right back in it. We had a bad couple of races, but I think we're ready to rebound and change that.

"Honestly, the Western Swing was not very kind to us. We certainly did not live up to our own expectations.

"I think it's reasonable for any team to hit a slump in their season and I'm just hoping that this weekend off (since the last race of the Western Swing) has given us all some time to recharge our batteries, regroup, and will help us to come back out and hit hard.

"Potentially, Brainerd could be very tricky for the crew chiefs to try and tune to. This will certainly not be an easy event for us, but we're looking forward to getting back out there and changing the direction of our momentum."

-credit: dsr

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