TOLIVER LOOKS TO ROCK THE NEW HOUSE IN CONCORD
<p style="width:150px;float:left;font-weight:bold;padding-right:0px;"><img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259" />
<P>TEMECULA, Calif., (Sept. 8, 2008) – Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driver Jerry Toliver did not qualify for the Countdown to 1 playoffs of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, which begin this weekend at the Inaugural NHRA Carolina Nationals at sparkling new zMaz Dragway @ Concord, but the California native plans to rock the boat for some of the top-10 drivers who will be running for the championship.
The NHRA Carolina Nationals is the first event of the six-race Countdown to 1, which reaches a climactic end in Pomona (Calif.) Nov. 13-16. Over these last half-dozen events Toliver will strive to put the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger in the winner's circle several times and play the spoiler role for some of the teams in the championship hunt, in hopes of helping his Don Schumacher Racing teammates Ron Capps and Jack Beckman, who are vying for the Funny Car crown.
"The race in Concord should be very exciting," said Toliver, No. 15 in the point standings. "I haven't seen the track yet, although I've read all about it and talked to a lot of people about it. I know that it's going to be another one of Bruton Smith's gems on the drag-racing circuit (he currently owns drag strips in Sonoma, Calif., Bristol, Tenn., and Las Vegas); probably even better. Without a doubt, I think Bruton Smith has built the finest motorsports facilities that we race on and he raises the bar every time he builds one. I'm sure he'll raise the bar even more in Concord.
"The track is entirely concrete," added Toliver. "The surface is supposed to be fantastic and extremely smooth, which should provide for some great performances. I'm really excited to see it. I have a lot of friends in the Charlotte/Concord area from the NASCAR industry and I'm hearing from a lot of those guys about how excited they are to be going. I think it will be a big hit. I think it's going to be huge."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car point standings after 18 events in 2008
* 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
* 19th 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Sept. 12 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 13 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Sept. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 4 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog Feed):
Friday, Sept. 12, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Sept. 13, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Aug. 14, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
<p style="width:150px;float:left;font-weight:bold;padding-right:0px;"><img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259" />
<P>TEMECULA, Calif., (Sept. 8, 2008) – Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driver Jerry Toliver did not qualify for the Countdown to 1 playoffs of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, which begin this weekend at the Inaugural NHRA Carolina Nationals at sparkling new zMaz Dragway @ Concord, but the California native plans to rock the boat for some of the top-10 drivers who will be running for the championship.
The NHRA Carolina Nationals is the first event of the six-race Countdown to 1, which reaches a climactic end in Pomona (Calif.) Nov. 13-16. Over these last half-dozen events Toliver will strive to put the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger in the winner's circle several times and play the spoiler role for some of the teams in the championship hunt, in hopes of helping his Don Schumacher Racing teammates Ron Capps and Jack Beckman, who are vying for the Funny Car crown.
"The race in Concord should be very exciting," said Toliver, No. 15 in the point standings. "I haven't seen the track yet, although I've read all about it and talked to a lot of people about it. I know that it's going to be another one of Bruton Smith's gems on the drag-racing circuit (he currently owns drag strips in Sonoma, Calif., Bristol, Tenn., and Las Vegas); probably even better. Without a doubt, I think Bruton Smith has built the finest motorsports facilities that we race on and he raises the bar every time he builds one. I'm sure he'll raise the bar even more in Concord.
"The track is entirely concrete," added Toliver. "The surface is supposed to be fantastic and extremely smooth, which should provide for some great performances. I'm really excited to see it. I have a lot of friends in the Charlotte/Concord area from the NASCAR industry and I'm hearing from a lot of those guys about how excited they are to be going. I think it will be a big hit. I think it's going to be huge."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car point standings after 18 events in 2008
* 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
* 19th 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Sept. 12 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 13 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Sept. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 4 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog Feed):
Friday, Sept. 12, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Sept. 13, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Aug. 14, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET) - Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, horizontal)
