NHRA POWERade Series driver Melanie Troxel, who has advanced to a Top Fuel-best eight final rounds this season, has been honored by Billie Jean King’s Women’s Sports Foundation as its “Sportswoman of the Year,” it was announced today.

Past Sportswoman of the Year Award winners include a who’s who of the greatest female athletes of all-time, from Annika Sorenstam and Juli Inkster to Sarah Hughes and Michelle Kwan to Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.

Troxel, who drives the Skull Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels dragster for Don Schumacher Racing, is the first auto racer to win the award.

“For more than a quarter century, women have not only been competing, but winning, at the highest levels of NHRA POWERade Series drag racing,” NHRA President Tom Compton said. “This honor serves to validate that performance and it further strengthens NHRA’s leadership position as it relates to women in motorsports.”

Eight women have won POWERade Series events, six have won events in Top Fuel and two have won POWERade Series world championships (three each by Shirley Muldowney in Top Fuel and Angelle Sampey in Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Troxel will join the nine other finalists at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City Monday, Oct. 16, for the WSF Awards Dinner, where Troxel will be introduced as the Sportswoman of the Year.

The other finalists include: Annika Sorenstam (Golf), Amelie Mauresmo (Tennis), Cindy Klassen (Speedskating), Janica Kostelic (Skiing), Jessica Long (Swimmer), Chellsie Memmel (Gymnastics), Sanya Richards (Track & Field), Laurie Stephens (Skiing), and Hannah Teter (Snowboarder).

“It’s really an honor for me to be named the Sportswoman of the Year against a field of such high achievers in a variety of sports,” said Troxel, who was earlier this year recognized for her breakout season with ESPY nominations for Best Driver and Best Female Athlete. “To be the first race-car driver to win this award, to be recognized among these outstanding female athletes, is personally rewarding to me. It also indicates the continuing growth of awareness of the unique sport of drag racing with all sports fans.”

roxel, 33, set an NHRA record for the most consecutive final round appearances (five) to open a season in Top Fuel. The quickest (4.458 seconds) and fastest (331.04 mph) female racer in NHRA history, she is trying to join legendary Shirley Muldowney as the only women in NHRA history to win a Top Fuel world championship title. Muldowney earned three during her driving career, the last coming in 1982.Troxel led the NHRA POWERade Series standings through the first 12 events of the 23-event season and is currently in fourth place. She sits 172 points off the pace set by Doug Kalitta with two events remaining.

The Denver native now calls Avon, Ind. home.

Melanie Troxel, 2006 Highlights:

* NHRA POWERade Series Top Fuel points through first half of 2006 season; currently in fourth place, 150 points behind Doug Kalitta.

* Named the first quarter Driver of the Year by a distinguished panel of auto racing journalists, beating out NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson and IRL’s Helio Castroneves.

* She is the first woman to be selected as a quarterly winner for the prestigious Driver of the Year in the 40-year history of the award

* Set NHRA record for most final rounds to open a season (five)

* Has advanced to a Top-Ful best eight final rounds in 20 starts

* Has earned two victories: CARQUEST Winternationals at Pomona, Calif. and SummitRacing.com Nationals, Las Vegas

* Became the first female in nine years (Cristen Powell, 1997) to win a Top Fuel event

* She has earned two No. 1 qualifying positions: O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn. and the O’Reilly Summer Nationals at Topeka, Kan.

* She is one of eight women in NHRA history to earn a national event victory in a professional category

* She is one of six women in NHRA history to earn a victory in Top Fuel

* She is the quickest and fastest woman in NHRA history with a career-best time of 4.458 seconds, and a career-best speed of 331.04 mph

* She is seeking to become the first female in Top Fuel to win a POWERade Series world championship in a quarter century (Shirley Muldowney, 1982).

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