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TEMECULA, Calif. (June 17, 2008) – Jerry Toliver, driver of the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, will try to build on some of the momentum that's emerged from his performances over the past several races at this weekend's NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.
After setting low elapsed time for the class in qualifying for the season-opener in Pomona, Calif., with a 4.79-second pass (good for only No. 2 because of speed), Toliver and the Rockstar Energy Drink team couldn't catch a break.
Toliver and crew chief Phil Shuler debuted the new, heavier Murf McKinney chassis (mandatory by the NHRA for the Denver event next month) in March at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. A pair of frame-bending wheelstands followed several races later in Bristol, Tenn., and the car was sent back to McKinney's shop for repairs.
The team's fortunes seemed to turn around in Topeka, Kan. Following a fire resulting from an engine explosion during the first round of qualifying, Toliver made his quickest run of the weekend to earn the sixth spot, qualifying in the top half of the 16-car field for the second time this season. In eliminations, he won his first round of the year en route to a quarterfinal finish.
Then, in Joliet, Ill., Toliver recorded his quickest and fastest run of the season with a 4.783/325.77 to qualify No. 7 in the quick half of the field for the second consecutive race and third time in 2008. Despite losing the opening round, Toliver's 2008 fortunes are heading once again towards a spot in the top 10 for the Countdown to the Championship, which begins after the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day.
"The Rockstar Energy Drink car is coming around," said Toliver, who is No. 16 in Funny Car points, "but we need to figure out why the car wants to keep pulling wheelstands. The good thing is that we moved up a spot on the ladder for the U.S. Smokeless Showdown (a $100,000 bonus race at the U.S. Nationals for the eight Funny Car drivers who earned the most points during qualifying over the prior 23 events). We also moved up to within 84 points of the top 10. We keep chipping away a little bit, but we need to go a couple rounds at each race so we're assured we're going to get into that top 10.
"That's the whole deal for me right now for me: focusing on getting the Rockstar Energy Drink car in the top 10 and running good in time for the Countdown to the Championship. We've got to go rounds to achieve that, bottom line. One race doesn't make you or break you. We're not out of the game by any means.
"I love going to Englishtown," added a perpetually upbeat Toliver. "It's a great track and very fast. We should be able to haul the mail there. It's one of our oldest facilities in the sport so it holds a lot great of drag-racing memories."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 16 in Funny Car point standings after 10 events in 2008
* DNQ'd at last year's event in Englishtown
* Made quickest run of the 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's "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
TOLIVER READY TO ROCK BACK INTO THE RHYTHM IN ENGLISHTOWN
TEMECULA, Calif. (June 17, 2008) – Jerry Toliver, driver of the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, will try to build on some of the momentum that's emerged from his performances over the past several races at this weekend's NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.
After setting low elapsed time for the class in qualifying for the season-opener in Pomona, Calif., with a 4.79-second pass (good for only No. 2 because of speed), Toliver and the Rockstar Energy Drink team couldn't catch a break.
Toliver and crew chief Phil Shuler debuted the new, heavier Murf McKinney chassis (mandatory by the NHRA for the Denver event next month) in March at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. A pair of frame-bending wheelstands followed several races later in Bristol, Tenn., and the car was sent back to McKinney's shop for repairs.
The team's fortunes seemed to turn around in Topeka, Kan. Following a fire resulting from an engine explosion during the first round of qualifying, Toliver made his quickest run of the weekend to earn the sixth spot, qualifying in the top half of the 16-car field for the second time this season. In eliminations, he won his first round of the year en route to a quarterfinal finish.
Then, in Joliet, Ill., Toliver recorded his quickest and fastest run of the season with a 4.783/325.77 to qualify No. 7 in the quick half of the field for the second consecutive race and third time in 2008. Despite losing the opening round, Toliver's 2008 fortunes are heading once again towards a spot in the top 10 for the Countdown to the Championship, which begins after the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day.
"The Rockstar Energy Drink car is coming around," said Toliver, who is No. 16 in Funny Car points, "but we need to figure out why the car wants to keep pulling wheelstands. The good thing is that we moved up a spot on the ladder for the U.S. Smokeless Showdown (a $100,000 bonus race at the U.S. Nationals for the eight Funny Car drivers who earned the most points during qualifying over the prior 23 events). We also moved up to within 84 points of the top 10. We keep chipping away a little bit, but we need to go a couple rounds at each race so we're assured we're going to get into that top 10.
"That's the whole deal for me right now for me: focusing on getting the Rockstar Energy Drink car in the top 10 and running good in time for the Countdown to the Championship. We've got to go rounds to achieve that, bottom line. One race doesn't make you or break you. We're not out of the game by any means.
"I love going to Englishtown," added a perpetually upbeat Toliver. "It's a great track and very fast. We should be able to haul the mail there. It's one of our oldest facilities in the sport so it holds a lot great of drag-racing memories."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 16 in Funny Car point standings after 10 events in 2008
* DNQ'd at last year's event in Englishtown
* Made quickest run of the 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's "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
