Sat, 5 Sep 2009, 11:28 PM Troxel Leads R2B2 Racing Team in Indy Day Two

Courtesy of Matthew Brammer

CLERMONT, Ind. -- Melanie Troxel drove her R2B2 Racing VooDoo '63 Corvette Pro Mod into the No. 7 spot after two days of qualifying in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx at the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals. Her teammates Roger Burgess and Raymond Commisso struggled with mechanical problems in the lone qualifying session of the day, leaving Burgess in the No. 3 spot and Commisso at No. 18 and not qualified heading into Sunday and the last chance to make the field at the "Big Go."

Troxel improved on her Friday marks by almost a full tenth of a second with her pass of 6.015 at 241.02 mph.

She said, "Of course we always want to be a little further up into the field, but we improved a lot over yesterday, and the car ran straight down the track. It was a pretty clean run, and if we can continue improving like that, you can't ask for anything more.

"I think the team is definitely pleased with the two runs we've had, and we're hoping to move up more tomorrow," she said.

Burgess was unable to improve on his time of 5.960 from Friday's session because of a broken clutch pedal and currently sits third in the field.

He explained, "When I staged the car, the clutch pedal where it attaches to the bell housing broke, the pedal went to the floor, the clutch engaged and pulled me through the lights, and I immediately clicked the engine off.

"It's a great thing it happened today during qualifying instead of tomorrow during eliminations, because that would have cost us a round. I'm sure Al (Billes, crew chief) and the guys will get everything squared out by tomorrow, and we'll have another chance to move up in the field, and then go rounds," Burgess said.

Commisso's '67 Firebird failed to make the field after only slightly improving from his 6.158-second lap from yesterday to a 6.131 at 241.97 mph today. The bump spot at No. 16 is a 6.120 at 231.95 mph, currently held by Kirk Wilmes. Commisso is sitting at No. 18.

Commisso said, "This is the funny part of drag racing. We tested for three days, put over 25 runs on it then, and the car worked from the first time I dropped the clutch until we buttoned it up in the trailer. It was running really quick to the 330 and to half-track. Then we come to the Big Go here at Indy, twice we drop the clutch, and twice we have an issue with the car. Something is wrong, but Al and the guys will figure it out and we'll use that one qualifier tomorrow and hopefully go right down Broadway.

"If we could have run one of the laps we had put down in testing here today, we would have been leading the pack, so we know we definitely can run the numbers and make the show. I don't know - something got lost between Martin, Michigan where we tested and here at Indy. We don't know what or where it is, is it in the trailer? The lounge? I'm not sure where it is, but hopefully we'll find it and put it back in the car and send it down the track tomorrow," Commisso said.

Racing continues Sunday with one remaining qualifying session scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and the first round of eliminations scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Eliminations conclude Monday.