This is the Stattmann Baby!!  Time to Scatt a little bit.

If I wore hats, they’d be off to Melanie Troxel.

She’s the points leader in the NHRA Top Fuel category and, now, the first woman named the quarterly Driver of the Year.

Melanie DESERVED the honor after two victories in the first five races of the season and six straight final round appearances dating back to last year.

Troxel isn’t an overnight success and that’s the point here.

She was on the sidelines for two years taking rides here and there in challenged equipment from teams with little resources.  No one wanted to take advantage of her obvious talents. 

Now all the owners and sponsors who passed on giving her a chance can worry about her beating their teams while she represents the sport of NHRA drag racing to the rest of the motorsports world.

The Driver of the Year award has been around for forty years and Melanie is the first woman to win something.  And she made the giant step for womankind by winning and not playing the gender card.  She’s just good.

Troxel may not become Driver of the Year but she’s proved that true gender diversity in the winner’s circle is happening in drag racing and no where else.

Peace…