Denver's own Melanie Troxel picked the perfect race to lead the Top Fuel qualifying field, racing to the top of the 28th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Friday night with a 4.610 at 322.42 mph. Troxel, who hails from the Denver suburb of Littleton, Colo., used the last pass of the day to set her mark, joining Funny Car's Robert Hight, Pro Stock's Allen Johnson, and Pro Stock Motorcycle's Matt Smith on Bandimere Speedway's provisional low qualifier podium.

Qualifying in the top half of the field only four times in 12 races this year, Troxel's blast was the most impressive of the day, even though Johnson thrilled race sponsor Mopar with his track record of 7.032 in his Dodge Stratus. Hight was the quickest of both Funny Car sessions, settling in for the night with a 4.862, while Smith starred again in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a 7.376.

The last four cars in Top Fuel had to wait out a 10-minute rain delay and perhaps that gave Troxel and crew chiefs John Stewart and Lance Larsen just enough time to fine-tune their set-up. The waiting was well worth it as Troxel's Vietnam Veterans/POW-MIA dragster managed to nudge into the No. 1 slot by five- thousandths of a second.

Qualifying continues on Saturday with two more session. Final eliminations are on Sunday.

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THE Vietnam Veterans of America was founded in 1978 and is the only Vietnam Veterans organization congressionally chartered and exclusively dedicated to Vietnam-era veterans and their families. www.vva.org

The National League of POW-MIA Families group was incorporated in the District of Columbia on May 28, 1970. Voting membership is comprised solely of the wives, children, parents and other close relatives of Americans who were or are listed as prisoners of war, missing in action, killed in action/body not recovered and returned. www.pow- miafamilies.org

The Vietnam Veterans/POW-MIA dragster is made possible by the generosity of Evan Knoll's Torco Race Fuels (www.torco.com) and Forrest Lucas' (Lucas Oil Products).

Fans of the Vietnam Veterans/POW- MIA Dragster presented by Torco Race Fuels and Lucas Oil Products may now purchase t-shirts online at www.torco.com. One hundred-percent of the proceeds related to Evan Knoll's memorial tribute, driven by Melanie Troxel will be donated to approved Vietnam Veterans and POW-MIA groups.