Troxel tops Funny Car field at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Melanie Troxel became the first female driver and 14th overall to win in both nitro classes, beating Mike Neff in the Funny Car final Sunday night in the rain-delayed O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Troxel, a five-time winner in Top Fuel, won with a backpedaling 5.06-second run after Neff’s Mustang fireballed at 400 feet at Bristol Dragway.

The final was the first between two drivers without a previous win in the class since Gary Clapshaw edged Gary Densham in 1995 in Memphis.

Troxel beat Ashley Force in the second round in the first all-woman pairing in Funny Car eliminations. They are the only female event winners in Funny Car history.

Earlier, Tony Schumacher won the Top Fuel division, beating Larry Dixon with a 4.555-second pass at 306.81 mph. Schumacher, the defending POWERade Series champion, has three wins this season in the U.S. Army dragster.

In Pro Stock, Dave Connolly beat Greg Stanfield on a final-round holeshot.

NHRA-Thunder Valley Nationals results

Sunday at Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.

Final Order

Top Fuel

1. Tony Schumacher. 2. Larry Dixon. 3. Brandon Bernstein. 4. Hillary Will. 5. J.R. Todd. 6. Antron Brown. 7. Troy Buff. 8. Doug Kalitta. 9. Alan Bradshaw. 10. Rod Fuller. 11. Cory McClenathan. 12. Doug Herbert. 13. Bob Vandergriff. 14. David Grubnic. 15. Morgan Lucas. 16. Todd Paton.

Funny Car

1. Melanie Troxel, Dodge Charger. 2. Mike Neff, Ford Mustang. 3. Robert Hight, Mustang. 4. Jim Head, Toyota Solara. 5. Ashley Force, Mustang. 6. Ron Capps, Charger. 7. Tim Wilkerson, Chevy Impala. 8. Cruz Pedregon, Impala. 9. Del Worsham, Impala. 10. Tony Pedregon, Impala. 11. Gary Scelzi, Charger. 12. Bob Tasca III, Mustang. 13. Gary Densham, Impala. 14. Jerry Toliver, Charger. 15. John Force, Mustang. 16. Tony Bartone, Chevy Monte Carlo.

Pro Stock

1. Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt. 2. Greg Stanfield, Pontiac GXP. 3. Ron Krisher, Cobalt. 4. V. Gaines, Dodge Stratus. 5. Greg Anderson, GXP. 6. Johnny Gray, Stratus. 7. Mike Edwards, GXP. 8. John Nobile, Stratus. 9. Warren Johnson, GXP. 10. Todd Hoerner, Stratus. 11. Jason Line, GXP. 12. Tom Hammonds, Cobalt. 13. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt. 14. Jim Yates, GXP. 15. Allen Johnson, Stratus. 16. Max Naylor, Stratus.

Finals

Top Fuel

Tony Schumacher, 4.555 seconds, 306.81 mph., def. Larry Dixon, 4.958, 253.37.

Funny Car

Melanie Troxel, Dodge Charger, 5.066, 310.27, def. Mike Neff, Ford Mustang, 6.471, 146.21.

Pro Stock

Dave Connolly, Chevy Cobalt, 6.731, 204.70, def. Greg Stanfield, Pontiac GXP, 6.717, 204.42.

Super Stock

Jim Harrington, Chevy Camaro, 9.785, 137.32, def. Michael Iacono, Camaro, foul.<

Stock Eliminator

Anthony Fetch, Chevy Camaro, 11.534, 109.64, def. Peter Biondo, Camaro, 10.586, 123.78.

Super Comp

Mike Robilotto, Dragster, 8.910, 168.85, def. Franklin Di Bartolomeo, Dragster, 8.942, 169.06.

Super Gas

Ray Connolly, Chevy Corvette, 9.911, 161.46, def. Mike Ruff, Chevy Nova, 9.918, 141.08.

Point Standings

Top Fuel

1. Tony Schumacher, 726. 2. Antron Brown, 595. 3. Larry Dixon, 561. 4. Rod Fuller, 466. 5. Hillary Will, 455. 6. Cory McClenathan, 450. 7. Brandon Bernstein, 427. 8. Doug Kalitta, 384. 9. David Grubnic, 360. 10. Doug Herbert, 343.

Funny Car

1. Tim Wilkerson, 552. 2. Ashley Force, 529. 3. Cruz Pedregon, 477. 4. Robert Hight, 473. 5. John Force, 408. 6. Tony Pedregon, 404. 7. Mike Neff, 383. 8. Ron Capps, 360. 9. Gary Densham, 356. 10. Del Worsham, 338.

Pro Stock

1. Greg Anderson, 561. 2. Jason Line, 559. 3. Kurt Johnson, 545. 4. Jeg Coughlin, 530. 5. Allen Johnson, 461. 6. V. Gaines, 460. 7. Mike Edwards, 443. 8. Greg Stanfield, 401. 9. Warren Johnson, 355. 10. Ron Krisher, 327.