TOLIVER TAKES NO. 7 IN SONOMA QUALIFYING
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259" align="right"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2008) – Jerry Toliver qualified in the top half of the Funny Car field for the second straight event today at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. Toliver guided the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T into the No. 7 position with a run of 4.136 seconds at 298.34 mph during the second session on Friday. It's the fifth time this season that Toliver will enter Sunday's eliminations from the top half of the field.
He also made runs of 5.780/115.62 (No. 15), 4.643/185.95 (No. 7), and a 4.247/289.94 (No. 7) in the final session. After turning the corner with the setup on the Rockstar Energy Drink car last weekend in Seattle, he is poised to start winning rounds on race day.
"We're pleased with our qualifying effort here this weekend," said Toliver, who came into this weekend No. 16 in the Funny Car point standings. "It's a tricky race track up here in Sonoma. It's been hot. Last night were the best conditions and we were the second pair out and I think if we would have been further back and been able to watch a few cars go down the track we probably could have improved on that 4.13.
"All in all, I'm very pleased, we're in the top half of the field, and that's the important part," said the California native. "More important than anything is we're in the show. We got down the track on three of four runs. The Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge went out there and spun the tires on the third run, so the boys backed it down and we got down the track on that fourth lap in the heat of the day. We're looking good going into tomorrow and I'm pretty excited."
Toliver will square off against No. 10 qualifier Melanie Troxel in round one of Sunday's eliminations.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259" align="right"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2008) – Jerry Toliver qualified in the top half of the Funny Car field for the second straight event today at the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. Toliver guided the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T into the No. 7 position with a run of 4.136 seconds at 298.34 mph during the second session on Friday. It's the fifth time this season that Toliver will enter Sunday's eliminations from the top half of the field.
He also made runs of 5.780/115.62 (No. 15), 4.643/185.95 (No. 7), and a 4.247/289.94 (No. 7) in the final session. After turning the corner with the setup on the Rockstar Energy Drink car last weekend in Seattle, he is poised to start winning rounds on race day.
"We're pleased with our qualifying effort here this weekend," said Toliver, who came into this weekend No. 16 in the Funny Car point standings. "It's a tricky race track up here in Sonoma. It's been hot. Last night were the best conditions and we were the second pair out and I think if we would have been further back and been able to watch a few cars go down the track we probably could have improved on that 4.13.
"All in all, I'm very pleased, we're in the top half of the field, and that's the important part," said the California native. "More important than anything is we're in the show. We got down the track on three of four runs. The Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge went out there and spun the tires on the third run, so the boys backed it down and we got down the track on that fourth lap in the heat of the day. We're looking good going into tomorrow and I'm pretty excited."
Toliver will square off against No. 10 qualifier Melanie Troxel in round one of Sunday's eliminations.
