TOLIVER PREPARED TO MAKE PUSH TOWARD TOP 10 IN SEATTLE
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259" align="right"borders="0"/>
TEMECULA, Calif. (July 15, 2008) – Rockstar Energy Drink Dodger Charger R/T Funny Car driver Jerry Toliver knows he needs to start winning rounds if he is to get into the top 10 and battle for a Funny Car crown this year. The Countdown to the Championship playoffs for the top 10 in points begins following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend, and this weekend's 21st Annual NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways is the first of the last five events remaining before the Countdown kicks in.
Toliver moved up to No. 15 in the rankings last weekend at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver but still remains 116 points behind Don Schumacher Racing teammate Jack Beckman, who sits in the No. 10 spot. With 20 points awarded for each round win, Toliver is just over five rounds out of the top 10 and he's both confident and determined that the Rockstar Energy Drink team can make up the ground by Indianapolis.
"Seattle is going to be a very fast track, especially because we'll be back near sea level after racing in the mile-high altitude in Denver," said Toliver. "It's a great town with great fans and we love to go up there during the Western Swing (Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif.). It's always a lot of fun."
Last year's Seattle event was hampered by rain which caused cancellation of three out four pro qualifying sessions. The NHRA used a rain-out rule that automatically seeded the top 10 drivers into the 16-car field. Toliver, who was qualified No. 15 after one session, was pushed back to No. 17 after the ruling and didn't make the show.
"Unfortunately, we were bumped out of the field due to the NHRA's top-10 rain rule and we had a good running race car so we were very upset," said Toliver. "Hopefully the rain will stay away this year and we'll be able to get the race in and put on a good show for those folks.
"We're going to work hard in the short time between Denver and Seattle and, let me tell you, this is going to be a different car. The conditions should be right and the Rockstar Energy Drink Funny Car should shine."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car point standings after 13 events in 2008
* Did not qualify at last year's race in Seattle due to the NHRA top-10 rain rule
* 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
* Nineteenth 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 15, 2008) – Rockstar Energy Drink Dodger Charger R/T Funny Car driver Jerry Toliver knows he needs to start winning rounds if he is to get into the top 10 and battle for a Funny Car crown this year. The Countdown to the Championship playoffs for the top 10 in points begins following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend, and this weekend's 21st Annual NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways is the first of the last five events remaining before the Countdown kicks in.
Toliver moved up to No. 15 in the rankings last weekend at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver but still remains 116 points behind Don Schumacher Racing teammate Jack Beckman, who sits in the No. 10 spot. With 20 points awarded for each round win, Toliver is just over five rounds out of the top 10 and he's both confident and determined that the Rockstar Energy Drink team can make up the ground by Indianapolis.
"Seattle is going to be a very fast track, especially because we'll be back near sea level after racing in the mile-high altitude in Denver," said Toliver. "It's a great town with great fans and we love to go up there during the Western Swing (Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif.). It's always a lot of fun."
Last year's Seattle event was hampered by rain which caused cancellation of three out four pro qualifying sessions. The NHRA used a rain-out rule that automatically seeded the top 10 drivers into the 16-car field. Toliver, who was qualified No. 15 after one session, was pushed back to No. 17 after the ruling and didn't make the show.
"Unfortunately, we were bumped out of the field due to the NHRA's top-10 rain rule and we had a good running race car so we were very upset," said Toliver. "Hopefully the rain will stay away this year and we'll be able to get the race in and put on a good show for those folks.
"We're going to work hard in the short time between Denver and Seattle and, let me tell you, this is going to be a different car. The conditions should be right and the Rockstar Energy Drink Funny Car should shine."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car point standings after 13 events in 2008
* Did not qualify at last year's race in Seattle due to the NHRA top-10 rain rule
* 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
* Nineteenth 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
