TOLIVER SEEKS STRONG PERFORMANCE IN TEXAS
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259"align="left"borders="0" />
TEMECULA, Calif. (Sept. 17, 2008) – Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driver Jerry Toliver is looking to score his first victory of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series this weekend at the 23rd annual NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex, south of Dallas in Ennis.
He is still chasing that elusive triumph in a season full of hard luck and close calls. Despite these setbacks, Toliver remains fiercely determined to reach the winner's circle before the season ends.
The California native has performed well at the Texas Motorplex in the past, reaching the final round on the first all-concrete drag strip in 2000, the season he racked up a career-best three wins in seven final rounds to finish No. 3 in the Funny Car standings.
"You just have to hold your head up and continue to fight," said Toliver, who enters the race No. 15 in the points. "The Rockstar Energy Drink team is not done by any means. Our Dodge Charger is a good race car and we have all the resources we need to get this car turned around.
"We changed our entire setup at the last event and we missed it by a little bit. But things looked promising. My Don Schumacher Racing teammate Gary Scelzi changed his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car as well, and that team experienced some good results in Concord, N.C., last weekend.
"The bottom line is that all four DSR Funny Cars run basically the same setup now, so we should be able to share information across the board and help each other out.
"The Texas Motorplex is one of my favorite places to race. When owner Billy Meyer built that race track in the mid-1980s it was quite the place. It was the first 'supertrack' in drag racing. Being a former racer himself, Meyer knew what he wanted to get accomplished and he did. The Texas fans are always very enthusiastic and Dallas itself is a fun place to go to. I really enjoy it.
"I'm looking forward to going to Dallas and getting this Rockstar Energy Drink car turned around and putting it in the winner's circle.
"I have to tip my hat to my teammate Jack Beckman. That team has done a phenomenal job with the Valvoline /Mail Terminal Services Dodge. That just shows you that once you get things turned around you can start making some headway. It wasn't too long ago he was in the same boat we're in.
"We're just going to march into Dallas and go some rounds. That's our goal."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car point standings after 19 events in 2008
* Qualified No. 16 at last year's Motorplex event, lost first round
* 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
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259"align="left"borders="0" />
TEMECULA, Calif. (Sept. 17, 2008) – Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driver Jerry Toliver is looking to score his first victory of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series this weekend at the 23rd annual NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex, south of Dallas in Ennis.
He is still chasing that elusive triumph in a season full of hard luck and close calls. Despite these setbacks, Toliver remains fiercely determined to reach the winner's circle before the season ends.
The California native has performed well at the Texas Motorplex in the past, reaching the final round on the first all-concrete drag strip in 2000, the season he racked up a career-best three wins in seven final rounds to finish No. 3 in the Funny Car standings.
"You just have to hold your head up and continue to fight," said Toliver, who enters the race No. 15 in the points. "The Rockstar Energy Drink team is not done by any means. Our Dodge Charger is a good race car and we have all the resources we need to get this car turned around.
"We changed our entire setup at the last event and we missed it by a little bit. But things looked promising. My Don Schumacher Racing teammate Gary Scelzi changed his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car as well, and that team experienced some good results in Concord, N.C., last weekend.
"The bottom line is that all four DSR Funny Cars run basically the same setup now, so we should be able to share information across the board and help each other out.
"The Texas Motorplex is one of my favorite places to race. When owner Billy Meyer built that race track in the mid-1980s it was quite the place. It was the first 'supertrack' in drag racing. Being a former racer himself, Meyer knew what he wanted to get accomplished and he did. The Texas fans are always very enthusiastic and Dallas itself is a fun place to go to. I really enjoy it.
"I'm looking forward to going to Dallas and getting this Rockstar Energy Drink car turned around and putting it in the winner's circle.
"I have to tip my hat to my teammate Jack Beckman. That team has done a phenomenal job with the Valvoline /Mail Terminal Services Dodge. That just shows you that once you get things turned around you can start making some headway. It wasn't too long ago he was in the same boat we're in.
"We're just going to march into Dallas and go some rounds. That's our goal."
JERRY TOLIVER QUICK FACTS:
* No. 15 in Funny Car point standings after 19 events in 2008
* Qualified No. 16 at last year's Motorplex event, lost first round
* 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
