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Melanie Troxel is the only woman in NHRA history to win races in both Top Fuel and Funny Car, a feat that places her among the sport’s most versatile and formidable drivers—and she got there by building her own damn engine in high school.

EARLY YEARS

Born August 31, 1972, in Littleton, Colorado, Melanie Troxel grew up with nitromethane in her veins. Her father, Mike Troxel, was the 1988 Top Alcohol Dragster world champion, and her mother, Barbara, was an accomplished airplane mechanic who worked on the race team. While other teenage girls were obsessing over prom dresses, Troxel was spending her childhood at the track, soaking up everything about straight-line racing from her parents. A former cheerleader at Bear Creek High School, she graduated in 1990—but not before making her racing debut at age 16 at Bandimere Speedway in a car powered by an engine she built herself as a high school project. That kind of hands-on, grease-under-the-nails approach would define her entire career.

OTHER INTERESTS

When she’s not strapped into a 10,000-horsepower missile on wheels, Troxel is an avid fitness enthusiast who takes training seriously. Her hobbies include snowboarding and golf, both of which require the kind of focus and precision that translate well to racing. She also owned a specialty automotive tool shop that supplied tools to race teams and machine shops—because apparently, she wasn’t busy enough already. It’s the kind of entrepreneurial spirit you’d expect from someone who learned to wrench from her airplane-mechanic mother.

EARLY SUCCESS

After her high school racing debut, Troxel took a year off to help with her father’s racing operation before returning with renewed focus. In 1997, she attended Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School and earned her Alcohol Funny Car license. From there, she hustled to find a ride—not easy for a young woman in a male-dominated sport. She won two national events in Alcohol Dragster before making the leap to the professional ranks. In 2005, she joined Don Schumacher Racing for the second time in her Top Fuel career at the Denver event, setting the stage for what would become a historic run. Her first full season in Top Fuel came in 2006, and it was nothing short of a breakout year.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2006: Became the first driver—male or female—to appear in five consecutive championship finals to start a season, a record that still stands[1].
• 2006: Won two Top Fuel events at Pomona and Las Vegas, becoming the fourth woman to claim the title at Pomona[2].
• 2006: Finished fourth in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series points standings in her first full Top Fuel season[3].
• 2006: Named Individual Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation[4].
• 2006: Clocked a career-best speed of 331.04 mph, earning ESPY nominations for “Best Female Athlete” and “Best Driver”[5].
• 2007: Won Top Fuel event at St. Louis, bringing her total to three Top Fuel victories after 13 final round appearances[6].
• 2008: Won the Funny Car race at the O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee, becoming the first female driver and 14th overall to win in both nitro classes[7].
• 2015: Recruited by drag racing legend Don Garlits to race an electric dragster in pursuit of a 200 mph quarter-mile run on battery power[8].

INSPIRATIONS

Troxel’s biggest inspiration was her father, Mike Troxel, who died in 2000 from cancer. His influence shaped not only her racing career but her work ethic and determination. Growing up watching him compete and learning the mechanics of drag racing from both him and her mother gave her a foundation that few racers—male or female—could match. After his death, she took time to grieve and refocus, but his legacy remained the driving force behind her return to competition and her relentless pursuit of success on the track.

REPUTATION

Officially recognized as the quickest and fastest woman in her sport, Troxel is a favorite of millions of drag racing fans. She’s respected not just for her speed but for her technical knowledge—this is a woman who built engines, owned a tool supply business, and earned her place through sheer competence. Her 2006 season, in which she made history with five consecutive finals, earned her widespread recognition beyond the drag racing world, including those ESPY nominations. She was married to fellow drag racer Tommy Johnson Jr. from 2003 to 2009, and the two lived in Avon, Indiana, during their marriage. Her ability to compete at the highest level in multiple classes—Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Modified—sets her apart as one of the most versatile drivers in NHRA history.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of the most recent information available, Troxel is currently inactive from regular NHRA competition. Her involvement in the 2015 electric dragster project with Don Garlits suggests an interest in the future of drag racing technology, but no confirmed plans for competition beyond 2025 have been publicly announced.

REFERENCES

Melanie Troxel – Wikipedia
Melanie Troxel – Sportswomen of Colorado
One on One with Melanie Troxel – Drag Race Central
Melanie Troxel Interview | 100 Wins by Women – YouTube
From Muldowney to Zetterström, the history of female NHRA Top Fuel drivers – NHRA
Troxel Wins Top-Fuel Event – Los Angeles Times
Drag racer Troxel makes own history – Los Angeles Times
Troxel tops Funny Car at Thunder Valley – ESPN
Melanie Troxel Biography – San Diego State University
Built for speed – Madison Park Times
Quest For 200 – BangShift.com
NHRA: Melanie Troxel becomes latest woman to win – Autoweek