JOLIET, Ill. – After Friday it looked like Ashley Force would become the first woman in NHRA history to qualify No. 1 in Funny Car. Only Melanie Troxel – the only other woman currently competing in the category - could beat her. On her last chance, Troxel did it.
TOPEKA, Kan. – It must have felt a bit like proving themselves all over again.
In 2006, Melanie Troxel reached a stunning nine final rounds with two wins in her first year of fulltime competition in Top Fuel, good enough for a fourth-place finish on the year. Then she followed that with another two-win season in 2007, firmly establishing herself as a contender in Top Fuel.
Meanwhile Dave Connolly, one of the youngest drivers on the NHRA POWERade Series Pro Stock circuit, quickly picked up a good reputation as one of the fastest leavers at the starting line – drawing comparisons to established starting-line dominator Jeg Coughlin. After finishing 18th in the points his first season on the road, Connolly turned in four consecutive top 5 finishes – three of which were third-place seasons.
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Melanie Troxel became the first woman in NHRA history to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car when she raced to the Funny Car victory Sunday at the O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
Tony Schumacher and Dave Connolly also won in their respective categories at Bristol Dragway in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event.
Troxel, who earned five Top Fuel victories prior to switching to Funny Car this season, joined her husband Tommy Johnson as one of 14 drivers in NHRA history to earn victories in both nitro categories when she powered her ProCare Rx Dodge Charger to a 5.066 at 310.27 to defeat rookie Mike Neff in the final round. She is the second female to win in Funny Car in NHRA history, following Ashley Force’s gender-breaking victory last month in Atlanta.
Anderson, Ellis also lead on first day of quals
MADISON, Ill. – Melanie Troxel’s black clouds lifted literally and figuratively during Friday qualifying at Gateway International Raceway.
Troxel drove her ProCare Rx Dodge Charger to a 4.802-second pass at 327.59 mph to lead the NHRA POWERade Series Funny Car field into the second day of qualifying at the O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol after early morning thunderstorms.
Her Dodge started to skate on the track but Troxel never lifted off the throttle for her best run of the year, after making the field only twice in six races so far this season.
© 2010 Backstretch Motorsports. All rights reserved.
A member of the Thunder Lounge Community.
Join me in the community today!
