Like the blur Melanie Troxel’s 330-mph car becomes, her dream of becoming the next Shirley Muldowney is fast approaching reality.
A year ago the Denver native was stuck in the pits at National Hot Rod Association events, offering support to husband Tommy Johnson Jr. while yearning for a chance to rocket down the quarter-mile in a top fuel dragster.
Today, Troxel is on pace to become the first woman to win the championship in drag racing’s fastest and most glamorous division since three-time champion Muldowney did it in 1982.
Five races into the 23-race season, Troxel – who learned to drive at Morrison’s Bandimere Speedway – has appeared in every final round, winning two events, and has built a whopping 156-point lead over her nearest competitor. Troxel, 33, has a series-best record of 17-3.
“A lot of people ask about the role Shirley played in women in drag racing, and nobody can replace Shirley,” Troxel said from the Avon, Ind., home she shares with Johnson, a funny car driver. “She has a special place in this sport just because she was a trailblazer.”
But Muldowney isn’t cheering for Troxel. The First Lady of Drag Racing is a team and sponsor representative for the StriVectin-SD team’s Dave Grubnic, who is second to Troxel this season. Muldowney values the extra challenge she faced while being a pioneer female owner-driver. Troxel has the advantage of driving for Don Schumacher Racing, which has produced the series champion the past two seasons.
“It’s hard to tell somebody that I’m not rooting for Melanie, because I’m not,” said Muldowney, who owned her championship teams in 1977, 1980 and 1982. “I have to look at her as just a competitor. She’s done a good job in the car, but she’s had a lot of luck, too. But you take it any way you can get it. When you wind up with the win, most of the time it’s deserving.”
Record racing
Winning the top fuel title would solidify Troxel as one of the sport’s all-time best female drivers, but Troxel’s accomplishments are far more than just a “girl thing.”
Troxel became the first top fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season last Sunday at The Strip in Las Vegas. Despite suffering cylinder failure in her final-round pass against Grubnic, Troxel defeated him for her second victory of the season and her career.
Troxel is one round short of matching her teammate, two-time defending top fuel champion Tony Schumacher, for consecutive appearances in the finals. Schumacher’s record is seven, and Troxel has six dating to the last event of 2005, the year she made her season debut at her Bandimere home track. Her next opportunity is at Powerade Drag Racing Series event April 28-30 in Bristol, Tenn.
“It’s amazing the difference a year makes,” Troxel said. “In June of last year I didn’t think I was going to be driving anything in 2005, and very nervous if I would have anything in 2006.
“To get this caliber of car was huge. My goal was to be in the hunt for the championship in 2006. It’s just an incredible situation, and we’re very grateful to be in this position.
“It’s something that you dream about, something I did when I set out doing this when I was 16. Having the points lead going to every event, we’re just enjoying every moment.”
Bandimere to big time
Troxel is the daughter of Mike and Barb Troxel. Mike, a former top-alcohol driving champion, died in 2000 of cancer.
“I know her dad will be very proud of her sticking with it and reaching her goal,” Barb Troxel said from her home in Littleton. “We started racing two years after we got married (in 1969). This is a family adventure. The kids were raised basically at the track and we were all involved.”
Michelle Troxel, who is five years older than Melanie, never got interested in race cars. But Melanie couldn’t wait for her Sweet 16 – the age at which youngsters back in the day could begin driving on an NHRA-sanctioned track. Kids today can begin competing at age 8 in the junior dragster series.
“I had to be 16, and it didn’t come soon enough,” Melanie said.
She competed on local, regional and national circuits, and eventually landed in alcohol dragsters with the help of her father. She finally got her big break in 2000, when Don Schumacher asked her to drive the Exide dragster.
Troxel qualified for 10 races a year in 2000 and 2002 and eight in 2003. She did not compete in 2001 or 2004 when she lacked a sponsor. She had been runner-up in two races, and her record was 24-26 when Don Schumacher hired her again last June.
“I knew what kind of driver and what kind of a person Melanie was,” Don Schumacher said. “Great person, great personality, does a great job out here. The sport and Melanie deserved to be back out here together. I’m just tickled to be able to bring her back out and have her come out and do what she loves to do, and that’s win races and challenge for the championship.”
Troxel takes great pride in leading top fuel, which has become more competitive the past few years.
“John Force isn’t dominating anymore, and other teams are sharing in the wins,” Troxel said. “Lots of great teams are out there right now, so yeah, it makes you feel extra good about the accomplishment.”
John Bandimere Jr., whose father founded the Morrison track, used to work with Mike Troxel in the auto- parts business.
“I held Melanie when she was just a tiny baby, so we’ve known her and her family for a long time,” Bandimere said. “For her to be able to move from the high school program here in Denver to the sportsman stuff, and hang in there to the point her dream becomes a reality, it’s really rare.
“So I can’t begin to tell you how proud and excited we are for her and her team. Hopefully this will continue, because it would really be something to see her win the championship.”
In the driver’s seat
After five of 23 events, Denver native Melanie Troxel is on pace to become the first woman to win the NHRA top fuel title since Shirley Muldowney in 1982. Troxel, who has been to the final round in a record six consecutive races dating to the final event of 2005, has a huge lead in the points. Here’s a look:
Pos. Driver Points Points back Make of car
1. Melanie Troxel 483 – Hadman
2. David Grubnic 327 156 Attac
3. Larry Dixon 297 186 McKinney
4. Brandon Bernstein 289 194 McKinney
5. Morgan Lucas 281 202 Hadman
6. Doug Kalitta 273 210 Attac
7. Rod Fuller 268 215 Hadman
8. Doug Herbert 263 220 McKinney
9. Tony Schumacher 247 236 Hadman
10. Cory McClenathan 226 257 Hadman
Staff writer Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
