TOLIVER DETERMINED TO TURN THE CORNER IN SONOMA
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259"align="right"borders="0" />
TEMECULA, Calif. (July 22, 2008) – Jerry Toliver enters this weekend's FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway with the realization that he has to win rounds on race day if he is to contend for the Funny Car championship. The driver of the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is confident that his team has turned the performance corner following his No. 6 qualifying effort in Seattle last weekend.
Only four races remain until the cut-off point for the Countdown to the Championship for the top 10 in the point standings following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis Labor Day weekend. The Funny Car points battle is tight and he is only 133 markers out of the top 10 with 16 rounds of racing (20 points per round win) remaining to make the elite field.
"We've got a god hot rod right now," said Toliver, who enters Sonoma ranked No. 16. "The guys found something in Seattle and the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge has really responded. Sonoma should be hot and greasy; it usually is this time of year.
“Infineon Raceway is a fantastic facility and it's fun to go there. But Sonoma is just another race on the tour. I don't care where we go. I just want to have success and get this Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge turned around and get in the winner's circle. We've got to do that. I don't care whether it's Sonoma, Brainerd, Reading or Indy.
"I like Sonoma because I have a lot of family up there and it's going to be fun. But it's down to brass tacks now for the Rockstar Energy drink team and it's time to get serious and get going."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 16 in Funny Car point standings after 14 events in 2008
* DNQ'd (No. 17) at last year's race in Sonoma
* Made quickest run of the 2008 season in Joliet, Ill., 4.783 seconds
* Debuted new sponsor Rockstar Energy Drink at 2007 Las Vegas event
* Qualified second at 2008 season-opening Winternationals, tying for No. 1 with the quickest Funny Car run of the weekend (4.790 seconds)
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing for the 2008 season
* No. 19 in 2007 Funny Car point standings after running limited schedule (19 races)
* Returned to Funny Car competition in 2007 after two-year hiatus with new sponsor Rockstar Energy Drink
* Qualified in the top half of the field twice last season; had top speed of the event in Denver
* Made Funny Car debut in 1998 running 12 races with sponsorship from MAD Magazine
* Earned first Funny Car national event win over John Force at 1999 NHRA Finals at Pomona
* Won five races in 10 career final rounds as driver
* Won seven races in 14 final rounds as a team owner
* First top-10 season finish in 1999 (eighth)
* Finished career-high No. 3 in Funny Car points in 2000 with career-best three wins in seven final rounds
* Named Car Craft Magazine "Person of the Year" in 2000 for his contributions to drag racing
* Debuted WWF Get R.E.A.L (Respect, Education, Achievement, Leadership) National Youth Education Program in 2001
* Nephew of drag racing pioneers and Hall of Fame members, Art and Jack Chrisman
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259"align="right"borders="0" />
TEMECULA, Calif. (July 22, 2008) – Jerry Toliver enters this weekend's FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway with the realization that he has to win rounds on race day if he is to contend for the Funny Car championship. The driver of the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is confident that his team has turned the performance corner following his No. 6 qualifying effort in Seattle last weekend.
Only four races remain until the cut-off point for the Countdown to the Championship for the top 10 in the point standings following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis Labor Day weekend. The Funny Car points battle is tight and he is only 133 markers out of the top 10 with 16 rounds of racing (20 points per round win) remaining to make the elite field.
"We've got a god hot rod right now," said Toliver, who enters Sonoma ranked No. 16. "The guys found something in Seattle and the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge has really responded. Sonoma should be hot and greasy; it usually is this time of year.
“Infineon Raceway is a fantastic facility and it's fun to go there. But Sonoma is just another race on the tour. I don't care where we go. I just want to have success and get this Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge turned around and get in the winner's circle. We've got to do that. I don't care whether it's Sonoma, Brainerd, Reading or Indy.
"I like Sonoma because I have a lot of family up there and it's going to be fun. But it's down to brass tacks now for the Rockstar Energy drink team and it's time to get serious and get going."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 16 in Funny Car point standings after 14 events in 2008
* DNQ'd (No. 17) at last year's race in Sonoma
* Made quickest run of the 2008 season in Joliet, Ill., 4.783 seconds
* Debuted new sponsor Rockstar Energy Drink at 2007 Las Vegas event
* Qualified second at 2008 season-opening Winternationals, tying for No. 1 with the quickest Funny Car run of the weekend (4.790 seconds)
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing for the 2008 season
* No. 19 in 2007 Funny Car point standings after running limited schedule (19 races)
* Returned to Funny Car competition in 2007 after two-year hiatus with new sponsor Rockstar Energy Drink
* Qualified in the top half of the field twice last season; had top speed of the event in Denver
* Made Funny Car debut in 1998 running 12 races with sponsorship from MAD Magazine
* Earned first Funny Car national event win over John Force at 1999 NHRA Finals at Pomona
* Won five races in 10 career final rounds as driver
* Won seven races in 14 final rounds as a team owner
* First top-10 season finish in 1999 (eighth)
* Finished career-high No. 3 in Funny Car points in 2000 with career-best three wins in seven final rounds
* Named Car Craft Magazine "Person of the Year" in 2000 for his contributions to drag racing
* Debuted WWF Get R.E.A.L (Respect, Education, Achievement, Leadership) National Youth Education Program in 2001
* Nephew of drag racing pioneers and Hall of Fame members, Art and Jack Chrisman
