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Honey, can you put gas in my Funny Car?
NHRA duo is racing’s first couple; drag races in Sonoma this weekend
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CommentMelanie Troxel and husband Tommy Johnson Jr. accelerate their marriage a quarter-mile at a time.
Troxel and Johnson Jr. are professional drag racers.
Troxel and Johnson Jr. are professional drag racers.
Troxel drives a Top Fuel dragster and Johnson Jr. pilots a Funny Car — both in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Both race this weekend at Infineon Raceway in the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals.
Troxel is second in the championship points while Johnson Jr. is seventh in his class.
Troxel is second in the championship points while Johnson Jr. is seventh in his class.
Point for Troxel.
Troxel has a top speed of 330.31 and Johnson Jr. has topped out at 331.45.
Troxel has a top speed of 330.31 and Johnson Jr. has topped out at 331.45.
Point for Johnson Jr.
Though the fastest couple in drag racing don’t race head to head on the quarter-mile, they are on rival teams.
Johnson Jr. races for Don Prudhomme and Troxel is on Don Shumacher’s team. Both drivers know they can’t discuss set-ups of their rigs with one another, but they do talk about driver strategy.
“We don’t talk about the cars but we do talk about strategy as a driver and focus and getting up for a race and track conditions,” Johnson Jr. said. “We talk a lot about racing. It’s your life so it’s hard not to talk about it.”
Troxel added they try to talk about more than just their jobs and maintain some type of normalcy. She doesn’t offer up advice but information sharing with what works for them is common. Johnson Jr. says he’ll make a suggestion every now and then but “as a smart husband, I don’t offer up too much, I let her ask.”
Both are thankful they’re not in the same class so as to not add any more potential problems.
“Yeah, that’s an understatement,” Johnson Jr. said. “At first we thought it would be cool. But we’ve realized as competitive as we are, it’s better we’re in separate classes. It’s more of a fun rivalry.”
Troxel added that one day she would like to run Funny Cars but that her team is doing so well that it won’t be “any time soon.”
“I’ve always wanted to race in that class, not necessarily against Tommy,” Troxel said. “I have a newfound respect for how hard that would be. It’s always a trick with our relationship. It’s changed a lot this year with all the success. We have competitive personalities. It’s been tough to deal with it. Racing in the same class would make that 10 times harder. It would be tough on our relationship.”
Johnson Jr.’s chip is that he’s the faster one, though he admits that his days are numbered, “she’ll get me.”
The couple isn’t only competitive at the track, they also face off in regular daily activities like golf and video games.
“We’re always trying to win all the time,” Troxel said.
Johnson Jr. used to drive Top Fuel dragsters and is only the second person to win a world championship in both Funnys and Top Fuel. He can’t decide what’s more fun to drive. With Funnys, the driver has more of a challenge in keeping the car straight on the quarter mile, among other things. With Top Fuel, it’s faster and more of a thrill.
Johnson Jr. admitted this season has been extra hard in particular because of his wife’s growing success and notoriety — partly due to her being a female in a male-dominated sport. But Troxel isn’t just good for a girl, she was the first NHRA Top Fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season (2006). Because of her strong performances she was nominated for two ESPY awards: Best Female Athlete and Best Driver.
“It’s not that you’re jealous of the other person’s success, you just want it for yourself,” Johnson Jr. said. “The hardest part was she was having a really great season and leading it. I was thrilled for her. But I’m having a great season too, and the media attention on her, being a woman, don’t forget about the men too! It’s tough at times. We’ve learned to deal with it well and be supportive of each other. It’s like any husband and wife. It’s a learning experience.”
Despite the rivalry of their teams, both drivers are welcomed into one another’s pits when at the track. Johnson Jr. and Troxel understand the issues of confidentiality and when the best times to visit are and aren’t.
Johnson Jr. likes to watch his wife race but feels uneasy at times since he has no control over what happens. He doesn’t get to watch her race as often as he would like since he’s also there to do his job and has to concentrate on making sure he’s ready for his rounds.
The NHRA is on a western swing after having races in Denver and Seattle. The heat has hindered both drivers’ performance but they’re making adjustments to the tune up and hoping the heat wave simmers down this weekend.
“There’s a little worry coming to Sonoma with the heat,” Johnson Jr. said. “It won’t be the end of all evil (if it’s hot). We’re hoping for a little reprieve, even the low 90s would feel good now. The weather gods haven’t been good to us.”
Troxel added, “I don’t think we’re making any big changes (for Sonoma). The car’s just been a little bit slower. We think we have a good baseline, just keep tweaking the set-up we have.”
Troxel is hoping to regain the points lead from Doug Kalitta and put up a strong fight for a world championship in her first full Top Fuel season.
“We can certainly get that points lead back,” Troxel said. We’re just going to have to do a better job of going rounds. We didn’t need to win the race, but we need to do well in rounds. Our hot weather tune-up is getting better. Just keep working on that ‘til we get better at it. There’s no magic change we can make.”
Though the fastest couple in drag racing don’t race head to head on the quarter-mile, they are on rival teams.
Johnson Jr. races for Don Prudhomme and Troxel is on Don Shumacher’s team. Both drivers know they can’t discuss set-ups of their rigs with one another, but they do talk about driver strategy.
“We don’t talk about the cars but we do talk about strategy as a driver and focus and getting up for a race and track conditions,” Johnson Jr. said. “We talk a lot about racing. It’s your life so it’s hard not to talk about it.”
Troxel added they try to talk about more than just their jobs and maintain some type of normalcy. She doesn’t offer up advice but information sharing with what works for them is common. Johnson Jr. says he’ll make a suggestion every now and then but “as a smart husband, I don’t offer up too much, I let her ask.”
Both are thankful they’re not in the same class so as to not add any more potential problems.
“Yeah, that’s an understatement,” Johnson Jr. said. “At first we thought it would be cool. But we’ve realized as competitive as we are, it’s better we’re in separate classes. It’s more of a fun rivalry.”
Troxel added that one day she would like to run Funny Cars but that her team is doing so well that it won’t be “any time soon.”
“I’ve always wanted to race in that class, not necessarily against Tommy,” Troxel said. “I have a newfound respect for how hard that would be. It’s always a trick with our relationship. It’s changed a lot this year with all the success. We have competitive personalities. It’s been tough to deal with it. Racing in the same class would make that 10 times harder. It would be tough on our relationship.”
Johnson Jr.’s chip is that he’s the faster one, though he admits that his days are numbered, “she’ll get me.”
The couple isn’t only competitive at the track, they also face off in regular daily activities like golf and video games.
“We’re always trying to win all the time,” Troxel said.
Johnson Jr. used to drive Top Fuel dragsters and is only the second person to win a world championship in both Funnys and Top Fuel. He can’t decide what’s more fun to drive. With Funnys, the driver has more of a challenge in keeping the car straight on the quarter mile, among other things. With Top Fuel, it’s faster and more of a thrill.
Johnson Jr. admitted this season has been extra hard in particular because of his wife’s growing success and notoriety — partly due to her being a female in a male-dominated sport. But Troxel isn’t just good for a girl, she was the first NHRA Top Fuel driver to reach the final round in the first five events of a season (2006). Because of her strong performances she was nominated for two ESPY awards: Best Female Athlete and Best Driver.
“It’s not that you’re jealous of the other person’s success, you just want it for yourself,” Johnson Jr. said. “The hardest part was she was having a really great season and leading it. I was thrilled for her. But I’m having a great season too, and the media attention on her, being a woman, don’t forget about the men too! It’s tough at times. We’ve learned to deal with it well and be supportive of each other. It’s like any husband and wife. It’s a learning experience.”
Despite the rivalry of their teams, both drivers are welcomed into one another’s pits when at the track. Johnson Jr. and Troxel understand the issues of confidentiality and when the best times to visit are and aren’t.
Johnson Jr. likes to watch his wife race but feels uneasy at times since he has no control over what happens. He doesn’t get to watch her race as often as he would like since he’s also there to do his job and has to concentrate on making sure he’s ready for his rounds.
The NHRA is on a western swing after having races in Denver and Seattle. The heat has hindered both drivers’ performance but they’re making adjustments to the tune up and hoping the heat wave simmers down this weekend.
“There’s a little worry coming to Sonoma with the heat,” Johnson Jr. said. “It won’t be the end of all evil (if it’s hot). We’re hoping for a little reprieve, even the low 90s would feel good now. The weather gods haven’t been good to us.”
Troxel added, “I don’t think we’re making any big changes (for Sonoma). The car’s just been a little bit slower. We think we have a good baseline, just keep tweaking the set-up we have.”
Troxel is hoping to regain the points lead from Doug Kalitta and put up a strong fight for a world championship in her first full Top Fuel season.
“We can certainly get that points lead back,” Troxel said. We’re just going to have to do a better job of going rounds. We didn’t need to win the race, but we need to do well in rounds. Our hot weather tune-up is getting better. Just keep working on that ‘til we get better at it. There’s no magic change we can make.”
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