Melanie Troxel made drag racing history during the rain-delayed completion of the 8th Annual O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Tennessee. Just a few weeks following the historic first ever win by a female in NHRA Funny Car history by Ashley Force, Troxel complimented that victory by becoming the second lady driver to score in the category. Troxel’s win was in fact also a history maker as she now becomes the first women in NHRA history to have won in both Top Fuel (4 wins) and in Funny Car. Only 14 drivers in NHRA history have accomplished that feat.

Troxel, driving her ProCare RX sponsored Dodge Charger, denied JFR rookie team member Mike Neff his first win in his second career final round. Troxel won despite tire spin issues when Neff’s Mustang exploded shortly after leaving the starting line.

Melanie’s win marked a strong comeback for her and her team. Coming into the event she had not won a round in three races and had not qualified at four others. She defeated defending POWERade World Champion Tony Pedregon, rival female racer Ashley Force and independent driver Jim Head in earlier competition.

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher earned a category leading third win of the season which allowed him to keep his overall points lead ahead of former Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Antron Brown.  Schumacher’s run of 4.555 at 306.81 in the final against Larry Dixon’s U.S. Smokeless dragster gave him his second win at Bristol Dragway.

Schumacher won from the pole for the 15th time in his career after he recorded a 4.502 to pace the field. He also outran Alan Bradshaw, J.R. Todd and Hillary Will.

Pro Stock’s Dave Connolly return to racing produced his first win of the season in only his 3rd event. Driving the Victor Cagnazzi Racing, Charter Communications Chevy Colbalt, Connolly defeated Pontiac GXP driver Greg Stanfield in the championship final round.

Connolly ran down the fellow G.M. cars driven by Tom Hammonds, Greg Anderson and Ron Krisher in earlier action.

Legendary driver Warren Johnson set both low ET and top speed in Pro Stock when he pushed his Pontiac GXP to new track records during qualifying at 6.674 secs and 207.43 mph.

3X NHRA POWERade champion Greg Anderson advanced to the second round at Bristol and with that assumed the overall points lead, 2 in front of his Summit Racing teammate Jason Line.

The 2008 Jegs Pro Mod Challenge continued at Bristol with that win going to the supercharged ’63 Corvette driven by Steve Engel. Engel ran a final round 6.051 secs at 238.17 mph to beat Mike Ashley who ran 6.244 secs at 231.44 mph.

Texan Josh Hernandez was the quickest PM car at the event running the only “five” at 5.950 secs while pacing the field. Canada’s Ray Commisso set top speed for the Jegs category for the 4th time in 2008 – running 242.32 mph driving his powerful Pontiac Firebird.