NHRA

Indianpolis: Melanie Troxel preview

TROXEL GEARED UP FOR U.S. NATIONALS WITH NEW CAR, OUTLOOK INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 30, 2005) - Melanie Troxel is geared up for the prestigious U.S. Nationals this weekend, her sixth NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event this season for Don Schumacher ...

Published: Sep 2, 2005, 2:39 PM

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TROXEL GEARED UP FOR U.S. NATIONALS WITH NEW CAR, OUTLOOK

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 30, 2005) - Melanie Troxel is geared up for the prestigious U.S. Nationals this weekend, her sixth NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event this season for Don Schumacher Racing in the Skull Gear/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel Dragster.

With Indianapolis Raceway Park just up the road from the Indianapolis home she shares with Funny Car driver and husband Tommy Johnson Jr., the 32-year-old Colorado native is ready for a hometown advantage here this weekend with a new car and new outlook.

Troxel, who returned to the Top Fuel class after a two-year hiatus, has one round win under her belt so far, against the current Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta, at the last race in Memphis. The new car, which was tested by her teammate Tony Schumacher at a match race at Cordova Dragway Park in Illinois last weekend, is ready to go and Troxel is eager to get behind the wheel.

"The U.S. Nationals is the big race of the year," she says. "I'm excited to be racing here. It will be the first time racing here since it became my hometown track. And with that round win in Memphis in the plus column, I'm looking forward to seeing some increased performance.

"I believe we're at that point where we're becoming more competitive," says Troxel, who has qualified for each of the six events, despite some new-team teething problems early on. "We will have a brand-new chassis this weekend and that's just one step closer to making our setup like Tony's, so that will help us share information. That is definitely a good thing, and I'm more than a little excited about driving this car.

"I'm looking forward to making passes in it. Our first pass will be in that Friday night session. Making that initial lap in a new car at night will throw even a little more excitement into it.

"We're looking forward to going out and hopefully throwing down a big number right out of the box."

-dsr-

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