TROXEL GRABS NO. 4 IN SEATTLE QUALIFYING

Seattle, Saturday - Melanie Troxel drove the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster into the No. 4 qualifying spot for Sunday's Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Troxel, who fell to second in the Top Fuel points rankings last weekend in Denver after leading them through the first 12 events, out-qualified No. 1 in points Doug Kalitta (No. 7), carving her 22-point deficit down to just 20 points, or one round of eliminations.

Three of the four qualifying sessions produced consistent laps of 4.755/319.67(good for No. 3 at the time), 4.748/318.92 (No. 12), and a 4.610/322.50 (for No. 4). In today's final attempt under hot and somewhat humid conditions, Troxel lost traction early and coasted to a 8.965/88.39, but remained in fourth place.

"Actually, I consider this to be a pretty good weekend," she said. "We made it down the track the majority of the runs, even though they weren't all as quick as we would like. I think that gives everybody on the Skull Shine team a lot of confidence, if only because we obtained information about both lanes.

"In that last session we were trying to move up a spot, trying to run a high4.50 (-second elapsed time). Sometimes you have to push things to the limit to find out where that limit is. I feel really good about going into tomorrow's eliminations."

Troxel will face Denver winner J.R. Todd in first round of eliminations on Sunday.