WITH A STOUT HOT ROD UNDER HIM, TOLIVER LOSES CLOSE FIRST-ROUND MATCH-UP IN MEMPHIS
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259" align="right"borders="0"/>
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sept. 28, 2008) – With the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car demonstrating a resurgence in performance this weekend at the 21st annual NHRA Mid-South Nationals, driver Jerry Toliver lost an extremely close race in the opening round of eliminations at Memphis Motorsports Park.
After making his best qualifying effort since the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season opener in February and planting the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge solidly in No. 2, the California native met up against No. 15 qualifier Cruz Pedregon, a contender in the Countdown to 1 playoffs. Both cars left the starting line side-by-side and remained tight to the finish line, where Pedregon nipped Toliver for the win. Toliver recorded an elapsed time of 4.143 seconds at 298.21 mph to Pedregon's 4.131/297.94, the margin of victory a mere 14 feet.
"That was an extremely frustrating race," said Toliver, who is not a Countdown to 1 contender and remains No. 15 in the points. "The Rockstar Energy Drink car was a good hot rod all weekend. The bottom line is that we just got beat today. Those Pedregon guys took a shot at it and they got it. They were No. 15 qualifier and there's no reason in hell we should have lost that race. We made a good run and the Rockstar Energy Drink team did its job. The car fell off a little bit from yesterday and we got beat. I'm just ready to get to the next race and run again."
The next event for Toliver and the Rockstar Energy Drink team will be the 3rd annual NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va. Oct. 10-12.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_toliver_112259.jpg" alt="j_toliver_112259" align="right"borders="0"/>
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sept. 28, 2008) – With the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car demonstrating a resurgence in performance this weekend at the 21st annual NHRA Mid-South Nationals, driver Jerry Toliver lost an extremely close race in the opening round of eliminations at Memphis Motorsports Park.
After making his best qualifying effort since the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season opener in February and planting the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge solidly in No. 2, the California native met up against No. 15 qualifier Cruz Pedregon, a contender in the Countdown to 1 playoffs. Both cars left the starting line side-by-side and remained tight to the finish line, where Pedregon nipped Toliver for the win. Toliver recorded an elapsed time of 4.143 seconds at 298.21 mph to Pedregon's 4.131/297.94, the margin of victory a mere 14 feet.
"That was an extremely frustrating race," said Toliver, who is not a Countdown to 1 contender and remains No. 15 in the points. "The Rockstar Energy Drink car was a good hot rod all weekend. The bottom line is that we just got beat today. Those Pedregon guys took a shot at it and they got it. They were No. 15 qualifier and there's no reason in hell we should have lost that race. We made a good run and the Rockstar Energy Drink team did its job. The car fell off a little bit from yesterday and we got beat. I'm just ready to get to the next race and run again."
The next event for Toliver and the Rockstar Energy Drink team will be the 3rd annual NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va. Oct. 10-12.
