Morrison – Melanie Troxel, the crowd favorite who was born in Denver and lived in Littleton, Parker, Thornton and Morrison, produced the fastest time in the three-day Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.
Trouble was, Troxel was on the losing end of the event’s biggest upset Sunday. Top fuel’s No. 1 qualifier overpowered the track in the first round of eliminations, smoking her tires early and losing to No. 16 Mike Strasburg.
Troxel, whose qualifying speed was 4.61 seconds at 322.42 mph, went only 6.06 and 213.50 against Strasburg. The Utah resident won in a landslide, despite going just 5.39 at 210.57 – the worst winning run of top fuel’s first round.
“To do that in front of the hometown crowd makes it worse, but I guess it’s better than not qualifying in front of the hometown crowd,” Troxel said. “But we see the potential for the team. We’ve made some huge changes right in the middle of the season, so I understand why we’re struggling to get a good rhythm going.”
Troxel’s husband, Tommy Johnson Jr., lost to Jack Beckman in funny car. It was a quick exit for racing’s quickest couple.
Hines gone too quickly
Defending event pro stock motorcycle winner Andrew Hines, a former Trinidad resident, fouled out in a first-round loss to Karen Stoffer.
Hines qualified No. 2 and easily beat Stoffer to the finish line (7.40 to 7.52) – but seven seconds after he started too early and was immediately disqualified.
Hines was among six riders who fouled in the first round. In the race between No. 8 Eddie Krawiec and No. 9 Peggy Llewellyn, both jumped the start. Krawiec, who is Hines’ Harley-Davidson teammate, advanced because Llewellyn red-lighted first.
Footnotes
John Force Racing’s two participating funny cars, driven by John Force and son-in-law Robert Hight, produced the only 300 mph passes in the division’s first round….Funny car’s Scott Kalitta, who bowed out in the semifinals to Ron Capps, produced an awkward first-round winning pass of 7.03 seconds at 183.32. The relatively slow run was even slower than the guy he was racing, Tony Bartone (7.01 at 233.44), but Kalitta won on a hole shot (quicker start off the line)….Ryan McClanahan of Alta Loma, Calif., appeared in two final rounds in the sportsman divisions. He was runner-up in super stock and stock eliminator, losing to David Bogner in super stock and Gary Stinnett in stock eliminator.
RESULTS at Bandimere Speedway, Morrison
FINAL ORDER
TOP FUEL
1. Rod Fuller. 2. Whit Bazemore. 3. Tony Schumacher. 4. Larry Dixon. 5. David Grubnic. 6. J.R. Todd. 7. Mike Strasburg. 8. Hillary Will. 9. Doug Kalitta. 10. Cory McClenathan. 11. Morgan Lucas. 12. Bob Vandergriff. 13. Melanie Troxel. 14. Brandon Bernstein. 15. Clay Millican. 16. Doug Herbert.
FUNNY CAR
1. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger. 2. Ron Capps, Charger. 3. Scott Kalitta, Toyota Solara. 4. John Force, Ford Mustang. 5. Jeff Arend, Chevy Impala. 6. Tony Pedregon, Impala. 7. Robert Hight, Mustang. 8. Jerry Toliver, Solara. 9. Del Worsham, Impala. 10. Gary Scelzi, Charger. 11. Gary Densham, Impala. 12. Tommy Johnson Jr., Impala. 13. Mike Ashley, Charger. 14. Tony Bartone, Chevy Monte Carlo. 15. Jim Head, Solara. 16. Kenny Bernstein, Charger.
PRO STOCK
1. Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus. 2. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt. 3. Kenny Koretsky, Cobalt. 4. Warren Johnson, Pontiac GTO. 5. Greg Anderson, GTO. 6. Richie Stevens, Stratus. 7. Jeg Coughlin, Cobalt. 8. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt. 9. Jim Yates, GTO. 10. Max Naylor, Stratus. 11. Jason Line, GTO. 12. Greg Stanfield, GTO. 13. Justin Humphreys, GTO. 14. Erica Enders, Stratus. 15. Larry Morgan, Stratus. 16. Dave Connolly, Cobalt.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
1. Matt Smith. 2. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki. 3. Chip Ellis. 4. Matt Guidera. 5. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson. 6. Geno Scali, Suzuki. 7. Antron Brown, Suzuki. 8. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki. 9. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson. 10. Michael Phillips, Suzuki. 11. Peggy Llewellyn. 12. Chris Rivas. 13. Craig Treble, Suzuki. 14. Hector Arana. 15. Steve Johnson, Suzuki. 16. Mike Berry, Suzuki.
FINALS
TOP FUEL
Rod Fuller, 4.683 seconds, 312.93 mph., def. Whit Bazemore, 4.770, 308.35.
FUNNY CAR
Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.932, 312.86, def. Ron Capps, Charger, 5.001, 307.86.
PRO STOCK
Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 7.132, 192.47, def. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 16.720, 48.95.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
Matt Smith, Buell, 7.400, 177.81, def. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, foul.
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
David Rampy, Bantam Roadster, 8.690, 112.59, def. Will Hatcher, Dragster, foul.
SUPER STOCK
David Bogner, Dodge Daytona, 10.535, 128.22, def. Ryan McClanahan, Chevy Cobalt, 9.001, 138.00.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Gary Stinnett, Chevy Camaro, 11.534, 112.93, def. Ryan McClanahan, Pontiac Firebird, 11.005, 120.61.
SUPER GAS
Kevin Moore, Chevy Roadster, 10.534, 148.62, def. John Steffen, Chevy Corvette, 10.497, 141.39.
SUPER STREET
John Dexter, Chevy Camaro, 11.515, 133.57, def. Troy Grant, Chevy II, 11.533, 123.17.
