NHRA
Melanie Troxel Atlanta final report
Atlanta Dragway
Edited: May 16, 2011, 2:52 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
New hope, new sponsor lifts Troxel's Funny Car team
ATLANTA – Melanie Troxel’s first race day of the season was briefer than ideal, but after a slow start to the season just being a part of the elimination rounds at the 31st annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals was a major step in the right direction.
"We made real improvement qualifying the Funny Car this weekend," Troxel said. "We’re seeing a positive change in the chassis. We don’t have it entirely figured out yet, but a least we are not doing the same thing all the time."
Troxel and the ProCare Rx Toyota Funny Car lost in the first round to Jack Beckman when the car’s tires spun off the start. She also fell in the second round of Get Screened America Pro Mod Series racing to Troy Coughlin on a holeshot.
We’re seeing a positive change in the chassis.
Melanie Troxel
Against Beckman, Troxel drove to a 7.755 second lap at 98.98 mph as she smoked and pedaled her way down the Atlanta Dragway track. Beckman ran a solid 4.083 at 311.56 mph. Nevertheless, Troxel said the entire weekend was a lift to the team and a big step forward for the whole program.
"We’ve got a lot of new technology coming to the team," Troxel said. "(R2B2 Racing VP of research and development) John Medlen is a new set of eyes and has a different way of thinking about things. There’s just more good things to come."
In the RoadRage.com supercharged Camaro, Troxel ran a 5.963-second pass at 245.94 mph but it wasn’t enough to overcome a .017-second reaction time by Coughlin and his 6.008-second pass at 248.61 mph.
"The bright side is, we could have left here down as the 18th qualifier," Troxel said. "By luck we got in, won a round, and had a really good number for a blower car in the second round. My hat is off to Troy, he cut a great light.
"It wasn’t our time, but we’d already had a lot of luck come our way during the weekend."
By luck we got in, won a round...
Melanie Troxel
A new associate sponsor, PAETEC, joined Troxel’s Funny Car team this weekend and she said it was fun to show the guests from PAETEC, a nation-wide communications solutions company, all about NHRA drag racing.
"It was a great time for them to see the progress we’ve made," Troxel said. "We’re excited for them to be involved and really glad to show them what drag racing is all about."
Troxel will next race the ProCare Rx Toyota Funny Car at next weekend’s NHRA Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan. The RoadRage.com Camaro will be at the next scheduled Get Screened America Pro Mod Series race, which will be the NHRA SuperNationals, June 3-5, in Englishtown, N.J.
-source: r2b2 racing
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Lucas Oil Racing Atlanta final report
Next article Spenser Massey Atlanta final report
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Troy Coughlin
NHRA heads to Charlotte for Four-wide Nationals
NHRA
NHRA
Charlotte
NHRA heads to Charlotte for Four-wide Nationals
Good, bad and ugly dominate Gatornationals memories
NHRA
NHRA
Good, bad and ugly dominate Gatornationals memories
Wild horsepower at Wild Horse Pass
NHRA
NHRA
Phoenix
Wild horsepower at Wild Horse Pass
Latest news
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
6 h
Max Verstappen slams “unacceptable” bumps at Austin F1 track: “It's out of control”
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
7 h
Kimi Antonelli ready to "finish the job" as first F1 title chance beckons at US GP
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
7 h
How to watch NASCAR at Talladega II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
Peterson Racing addresses online abuse after parting ways with Austin Green
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Talladega II
7 h
Peterson Racing addresses online abuse after parting ways with Austin Green
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe