Melanie Troxel earned her place in history in more ways than one on Sunday at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, NC.

The nitro veteran, who pulled double duty in a Pro Modified car this weekend, became the first female to win in the class which was first introduced to professional drag racing in 1990. She also became the first driver to win in three professional divisions, this after winning in the Top Alcohol Dragster division during the 1990s.

The NHRA first recognized the Get Screened America Pro Modified division as a professional series this year after nine years as an exhibition division. Shelly Payne won an event as an exhibition series.

“I really don’t focus on the female aspect of things, for me winning in four different categories was special,” admitted Troxel.

Melanie Troxel earned her place in history in more ways than one on Sunday at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, NC.

The nitro veteran, who pulled double duty in a Pro Modified car this weekend, became the first female to win in the class which was first introduced to professional drag racing in 1990. She also became the first driver to win in three professional divisions, this after winning in the Top Alcohol Dragster division during the 1990s.

The NHRA first recognized the Get Screened America Pro Modified division as a professional series this year after nine years as an exhibition division. Shelly Payne won an event as an exhibition series.

“I really don’t focus on the female aspect of things, for me winning in four different categories was special,” admitted Troxel.

Troxel soloed to victory when her opponent, Scott Ray, severely damaged his engine in a fiery semi-final explosion and couldn’t make the call in final round.

Troxel will be running a full Funny Car tour in 2011 and her status as a Pro Modified driver remains up in the air as of now.

“I was starting to get nervous because of that about getting a win in before the season ends,” Troxel explained. “I might be back, I just don’t know. I definitely wanted to get a win in. I felt bad for Scott Ray because they had run so good to get to the final.”

If Troxel leaves the GSA Pro Mod division, she does so with an experience unique to any she’s had in drag racing to this point.

“It [learning curve] took a little while because the Pro Modified is it’s own animal,” Troxel explained. “It reacts different. It feels different than either of the nitro cars. It’s a car that no one can come and tell you how to drive. You have to get out there, learn the window. Learn what the car is like. The window in a Pro Modified car is a lot smaller.

“I feel like I can go up there and just about get away with anything in a Funny Car almost on a weekly basis. In a Pro Mod car, with at least one run per weekend, I walk away feeling if I had driven it a little further I would have crashed. That tells you a lot about these cars and the small window you have.”

And with a run of 5.938 seconds at 245.94 mph, Troxel climbed through the window and into the winner’s circle.

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