Toliver Finishes Good Weekend with Quarterfinal Final Finish at Finals Jerry Toliver wore a satisfied, albeit tired smile Sunday afternoon at the Fairplex in Pomona. He qualified 11th, defeated Kenny Bernstein in the first round and lost a close race to eventual Funny Car winner Robert Hight in the quarterfinals of the season-ending Auto Club Finals. It was the kind of performance he coveted for most the past few months and the showing provided a big confident boost for Toliver’s ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car team as it begins its three-month hiatus. “I’ve said all along that we started late and it took us a long time to catch the group,” said Toliver. “These are all professional teams. Imagine the New York Yankees not going to spring training with any players and then pick from the players that are left in the league and come out and fight with the other teams. You are way behind, even if you had the players, you still aren’t in shape or ready to go. “I’m proud of this team. The car performed like a bracket car this weekend. We made it down the track on five our six laps within three-hundredths of a second. We have a good program going into next year and we have a crew that works together and can accomplish the goals we need to. It gives us a big boost. We can start with everyone else . . . we can practice and we can test and come out fighting.” Toliver had solid qualifying runs of 4.869, 4.852 and 4.820 seconds, the latter 11th quickest. On Sunday, he ousted Kenny Bernstein in the first round – 4.871 at 322.34 mph to 4.915 at 316.75 – in the battle of energy drinks before squaring off against Hight. Toliver was timed in 4.839 seconds, 323.58 “So the end result was that it was a big day for ROCKSTAR,” said Toliver. “We are looking good going into next year. We have a good handle on the race car.” The next race is the Winternationals, Feb. 7-10, at Pomona. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
Toliver Squares Off against Bernstein in First Round POMONA, Calif., November 3, 2007 -- An exuberant Jerry Toliver celebrated his 4.820-second qualifying run Saturday afternoon after he put his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara solidly into the starting lineup at No. 11 for Sunday's Auto Club Finals. "It was a relief," he said. "This was the second race in a row I watched as we got bumped out of the lineup and we bumped back in. Our team did not fold. I was happy we did it at Pomona, our home track and in front of our hometown fans. I can't wait until Sunday." Toliver's 4.820-second elapsed time at a fast 326.24 mph puts him opposite Kenny Bernstein in Sunday's opening round. Bernstein (No. 6, 4.804 at 322.190 mph) in the first round. # # # |
ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Stops Clock in 4.869 Seconds POMONA, Calif., Nov. 1, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver opened qualifying Thursday with a solid 4.869-second run at 320.36 mph to grab ninth place for Sunday's Auto Club Finals. He has three more attempts (one Friday and two Saturday) to improve the elapsed time. "That was a good start for us," he said. "It is nice to be among the top 16 after the first run. We'll try to get after it a little more Friday to see if we can move up." |
Toliver Ready to Say Goodbye to 2007 Jerry Toliver comes to the Auto Club Finals at Pomona, Calif., intent on qualifying well and winning elimination rounds on Sunday. It doesn’t matter that this is the culmination of the 23-race 2007 NHRA POWERade Series season, either. His pre-event ambitions always remain the same. Perhaps the best part for the veteran driver of the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car is there won’t be another race until the Winternationals, Feb. 7-10, 2008. “I love racing at Pomona,” said Toliver. “I’ve won three times there and would like to make it four, but, honestly, I am ready for this year to end. We are looking forward to next season. We will have three months to prepare for it and we will be starting it with everyone else. “We have been qualifying for races but we just haven’t been able to get any luck on race day. We can’t seem to get past first round no matter what happens in the other lane. I am extremely frustrated with it and I want to apologize to all our fans.” The popular driver from Temecula, Calif., announced his new racing program at the season-opening Winternationals and made his first competitive appearance in early April, four races behind his rivals. “Our new season starts Monday,” added Toliver. “We definitely plan to regroup and focus on getting ready to run all 24 races. This team is a lot better than we’ve looked.” Toliver has become a regular in the starting 16 over the last half of the year. “That is just half the weekend’s work,” he said. “Winning rounds is the other . . . and we will do more of that in 2008.” About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Schedule: Saturday, Nov. 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., ET # # # |
Tony Pedregon Defeats Toliver En Route to ACDelco Nationals Win LAS VEGAS, October 28, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver went into Sunday's ACDelco Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with intending to put a crimp in Tony Pedregon's Countdown to One title aspirations, but his opportunity ended when the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara's rear tires lost traction. The tire smoke ended his run, forcing Toliver to shut off the power and coast to the finish line in 8.532 seconds at 96.62 mph. Pedregon, meanwhile, had issues of his own but clicked on the win light with a run of 5.431 seconds at 251.53 mph. Toliver and the team are preparing for the 2007 NHRA POWERade Series finale -- the Auto Club Finals, Nov. 1-4 at Pomona, Calif. "We're still hungry for round wins," said Toliver, "and we have a chance to win four more on Sunday." # # # |
Tony Pedregon First-round Foe at Las Vegas LAS VEGAS, October 27, 2007 -- After watching several drivers bump him from the starting lineup, Jerry Toliver responded by bouncing one of them in Saturday's final qualifying run for Sunday's ACDelco Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Toliver drove the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car to a time of 4.833 seconds at 318.54 mph, putting him 15th overall. He races Tony Pedregon (No. 2, 4.770 at 314.09) in the opening round. Toliver's previous best was 4.846 at 319.52. "I was sitting in the car watching, knowing it was my last (qualifying) shot," Toliver said, "and it was nerve racking. To make things worse, I stopped the car on the track after the run and I didn't know what I ran. I finally saw (track announcer) Alan Reinhardt and he gave me the thumbs up. "We had 25 Funny Cars here and it was tough. There were several good cars that didn't qualify. We are very happy the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota was one of them. We are looking forward to the race." # # # |
ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Funny Car Runs 4.846 Seconds LAS VEGAS, October 26, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver drove his way into the Funny Car field Friday night as qualifying began for Sunday's ACDelco Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Toliver's 4.846-second time at 319.52 mph in the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara put him 13th going into Saturday's two sessions when the 16-car field will be set. "We had clutch issues again on our first lap but we fixed them," he said. "We had a soft tune-up on our second run because we wanted to make sure we got it down the track and into the field. We are right there. There are 25 cars here. We should've run better but we're sure we will make that up Saturday." # # # |
Jerry Toliver Working on 2008 Combination; Wants Solid Finish for 2007 The 2007 NHRA POWERade Series season is ending, but Jerry Toliver’s approach is races at Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif., provide an early start to the 2008 campaign. Toliver is pleased with the performance improvements of his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car and he goes into this weekend’s ACDelco Nationals intent on continuing that trend. “Based on what we have been doing in qualifying at the last five races, we have a good shot at qualifying in the top half of the field,” said Toliver, of Temecula, Calif. “We feel we are a top-eight (qualifier) car and we think we’ll be in good shape at Vegas.” Toliver is returning to the site of his first start with a new car and team. That was at The Strip in April. This time around he arrives with a race car that definitely is capable of winning rounds on Sunday. Toliver acknowledges that he could be a factor in the Countdown to 1 final segment of the championship format but he has no favorites. Four drivers – Tony Pedregon, Gary Scelzi, Robert Hight and Ron Capps – are the only ones in contention. “I am out here to win rounds and races,” he said. “I’m racing the guy in the other lane, so if I should run up against any of them, I want to beat them. Every round win now is just as important to our team as the first one. “The car’s performance is improving and we are running out of races, but we are getting a good start on next year.” The Auto Club Finals – Pomona, Calif., Nov. 1-4 – is last call for the 2007 season. For the fans who are looking ahead, the Carquest Winternationals begins the 24-race 2008 campaign on Feb. 7. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Schedule: Saturday, Oct. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 10 p.m.-midnight, ET # # # |
ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Smokes Tires RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 7, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver was perplexed following an opening-round loss Sunday in the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia The result enabled Gary Densham to cruise to the win in 5.234 seconds, 279.21 mph. Toliver's ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Solara coasted across in 11.637 seconds, 78.33 mph. "It was extremely disappointing because we had consistent qualifying runs and felt we could win some rounds," said Toliver. "We believe we could have beaten his 5.23, but. obviously, we won't know. We hadn't smoked the tires once during the weekend. We can't give up laps like that." The team returns to competition at Las Vegas, Oct. 26-28. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink - Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Consistent on Saturday at Richmond RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 6, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver and the ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car crew were elated with the car's consistency during its two qualifying runs Saturday for Sunday's Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park. Toliver's quickest -- 4.859 seconds at 305.70 mph -- put him 10th overall on a day that featured early clouds and turned into hot sunshine. He added a tire-spinning 4.878 and 302.28 in the hotter session. "We made two good laps and are getting the car dialed into the racetrack," Toliver said. "We are pleased because the car is moving good early in the run. Our 60-foot and 330-foot times were among the top three on both (Saturday) runs. We need to pick up the performance in the middle of the run and slow it down at the other end. It sounds easy, doesn't it. "The bottom line is we have a good car for race day. The lanes are about the same, which is good because we don't get to pick the lane." Toliver races Gary Densham (No. 7, 4.838 at 305.70 mph) in the opening round. # # # |
ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Runs 5.018 Seconds Despite Early Shutoff RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 5, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver said his 5.018-second time in his only Friday qualifying run wasn't as good as it should've been, but he was nonetheless pleased to be solidly in the field at No. 9. Toliver's ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota spun the tires and Toliver aborted the run as the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals got underway at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie. His speed was 253.66 mph. He made only one run due to an afternoon rain storm. Track conditions made it "difficult to see," said Toliver. "I really couldn't see much past half-track because the lights were glaring off the track. I shut it off when it spun the tires and we weren't going anywhere. "We have a good race car, though. We had the best 60-foot time on that run and we were third at 330 feet. We are in a good spot and we should be able to pick it up Saturday. We are looking forward to it." Two runs are scheduled to set the field for Sunday's eliminations. # # # |
CONFIDENT TOLIVER SEEKING RACE Jerry Toliver is on a mission. His goal is to win at least one of three remaining NHRA POWERade Series races this season. After missing the first four races, the garrulous Toliver and the determined crew of his ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car began playing catch-up in terms of competitive performances. And now they have pulled even with them in this highly unpredictable category. No driver has dominated this Countdown to the Championship, creating a very compelling race to the finish line. First up is the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park this weekend. Eight drivers have won races and three are tied with a trio of victories this year. The level playing field, plus the fact Toliver believes his team has “found the comfort level, performance-wise,” boosts his confidence. “We were right there with the guys in the other lane at the last few races before our car spun the tires,” Toliver said. “If we can get the racing gods to grant us a little luck, we could be on our way to a win. I think it is going to be an interesting three races. We aren’t in championship contention, but we sure can get in the way of those that are. “We want to turn things around, starting with round wins and adding them up to four on Sunday. I’m not that familiar with the Richmond track because this is only the second race since NHRA started racing there again. Toliver started 16th at Dallas and gave No. 1 qualifier Tim Wilkerson a battle until half-track when the Toyota’s tires lost traction. “We know we’ll have good racetracks at the last two races – Las Vegas and Pomona (Calif.),” continued Toliver, “and that will help some of the better-performing cars. We’ll be getting after them. Our primary focus is to get a win for ROCKSTAR and AutoZone, and if we race the guys who are running for the championship – and beat them – that will help us accomplish our goal.” About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Saturday, Oct. 6, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 7-8 p.m., ET # # |
Tire Spin Helps Sideline Toliver at Fall Nationals Jerry Toliver’s first-round experience Sunday in the O’Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex was, as Yogi Berra has said, “déjà vu all over again.” Toliver’s ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car put up a good fight for the first three seconds of the quarter-mile run before the tires spun and took away any chance of winning the race against Tim Wilkerson. “We were ahead at half-track,” Toliver said. “The car shook and skated around and as I was thinking about whether to lift, the tires spun and Wilkerson went by me so I shut if off. This is the same thing that happened last week (at Memphis). “We are frustrated, but we will keep our noses to the grindstone and keep going for a win. We have three more races to go this season.” Next up is the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Richmond, Va., Oct. 5-7. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Solara Runs 4.911 Seconds DALLAS, Sept. 22, 2007 -- It was white-knuckle time for Jerry Toliver on a hot Saturday at the Texas Motorplex. # # # |
ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Qualifies 15th ENNIS, Texas, Sept. 21, 2007 -- Crew chief Dale Armstrong knew Jerry Toliver's Friday night run wasn't going to be a good one even before starting the engine at the Texas Motorplex starting line. # # # |
TOLIVER BELIEVES ROCKSTAR FUNNY For much of this 2007 NHRA POWERade Series season, Jerry Toliver felt like he was sparring with his Funny Car rivals. There was that late beginning to the season and always, it seemed, the role of playing catch-up. But not anymore. Now he's ready to put on the gloves and go for that drag racing knockout - a race victory. "We're not worrying about qualifying anymore," said the driver of the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara. "Now we want to qualify in the top half of the field. In the last two races, the guy who beat us got to the semifinals and finals (respectively). We want to do that, too." His next opportunity unfolds this weekend with the running of the 22nd O' Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in nearby Ennis. It is the 20th of 23 events this year. "I am excited to be going to Dallas," continued Toliver. "I am looking forward to racing there. We have a good race car. Dale (Armstrong, crew chief) and Rick Cassell (assistant crew chief) are working well together. I keep saying the team is coming together and, in reality, it is. The team continues to get better and better. "It's going to be hot this weekend and we have pretty good hot-weather setup." Toliver was runner-up in the 2000 fall race at the Motorplex. He qualified 12th at Memphis last week and squared off against Jack Beckman in the first round. Beckman won and went on to finish second - by one-thousandth of second. "We are going to start picking up those round wins," Toliver said, "and the Motorplex is a good place to start." The last three series stops are at Richmond, Va. (Oct. 7), Las Vegas (Oct. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink - Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Schedule: Saturday, Sept. 22, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 10 p.m.- midnight, ET Sunday, Sept. 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD eliminations, 7-10 p.m., ET # # |
Loss of Traction Costs Toliver in Opening Round at Memphis MEMPHIS, Sept. 16, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver’s race against Jack Beckman Sunday was a good one for the first 660 feet of the quarter-mile in the opening round of the Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park. “We were going good in the first half of the track when the car went over the bump in right lane, we spun the tires, the engine dropped a cylinder and he zipped by us,” related Toliver. His ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car slowed to 5.310 seconds at 203.37 mph while Beckman -- the eventual race runner-up -- stopped the timer in 4.854 seconds at 312.57 mph. “We had a good weekend,” Toliver continued. “The car is running better, we qualified better and I’m excited about going to Dallas next week.” The Fall Nationals event unfolds at Texas Motorplex, in Ennis, near Dallas, Friday through Sunday. # # # ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Partner On Jerry Toliver’s Toyota Solara Funny Car Jerry Toliver was all smiles Friday when AutoZone logos were added to his ROCKSTAR Toyota Solara Funny Car. “ROCKSTAR is available in AutoZone stores now,” said Toliver. “It is a Coke-distributed product and AutoZone sells Coke products. We have a promotional program planned for 2008. We will have point-of-sale materials in all the AutoZone stores. “We are extremely proud to have brought AutoZone back into drag racing.” Toliver made the announcement in Memphis, the home of AutoZone. “There are a lot of drag racing fans who are do-it-yourselfers when it comes to working on their cars, and we are going where our customers are,” said Tami Presley-Shull, AutoZone manager of merchandising. “We think we have three great brands here with NHRA, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink and AutoZone.” About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
Toliver's ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone Toyota Qualifies 12th
MEMPHIS, Sept. 15, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver's 4.887-second run Friday night was his Mid-South Nationals qualifying best and he begins Sunday eliminations from the No. 12 position at Memphis Motorsports Park.
Toliver did run 4.90 in Saturday's qualifying wrap-up, a time, he said, "could have been better except we spun the tires, the engine dropped a cylinder and moved toward the wall, so I shut it off," he said. He squares off against Jack Beckman (No. 5, 4.832 at 313.07) in the first round of eliminations.
"Once again, we are proud of our new association with AutoZone. We are in their hometown and we qualified for the race. That is the first step toward winning the race," said Toliver. "Anyone in Funny Car can win this race and we have a good race car. We think our ROCKSTAR Energy Drink/AutoZone hot rod is ready to win one. We are pretty excited."
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Toliver Qualifies ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Eighth; Friday was not one of those "regular days" at the track for Jerry Toliver and the ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota Solara Funny Car team. Most important was the official welcoming of ROCKSTAR partner AutoZone to the team prior to qualifying for Sunday's Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park. And then there was the black widow spider incident. It could be said Toliver was "bitten" by the unwelcome spider, but only figuratively. He was denied an elapsed time by the spider that inadvertently crawled onto one of the starting line timing lights. The timer didn't begin when Toliver left the starting line, but at the 330-foot mark. His elapsed time was 3.80 seconds . . . and was disallowed. However, the ROCKSTAR/AutoZone Toyota rebounded on the second run, posting a time of 4.887 seconds at 304.80 mph, good enough for eighth place in the top 16. "That was a good lap," said Toliver, "but we lost a little (time) because we were overcautious on the tune-up. But we went down the racetrack for the second straight time and now we have a pretty good race car." Two more qualifying runs are on the Saturday docket that will set the field for Sunday's eliminations. # # # Jerry Toliver can now make it 1001 ways. And it could well be a real first. He was denied an elapsed time by a black widow spider. Really. It happened in Friday’s first qualifying session He didn’t lose any race, but was denied an elapsed time in Friday’s first qualifying session of the O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park “A black widow spider crawled onto the staging light before the run and the light didn’t About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Schedule: Saturday, Sept. 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 10 p.m.- midnight, ET Sunday, Sept. 16, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD eliminations, 7-10 p.m., ET |
Enthusiastic Toliver Likes Improvements 20th O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals Only five races remain on the 2007 NHRA POWERade Series schedule and Jerry Toliver wants to make the most of them. He watched with pride and relief as his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara Funny Car team became competitive in a tough category after a late start to the season. The proof is in the performances, and Toliver wants to build on that them, including his latest at the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. "Coming out of Indy, we are extremely excited about the performance potential of our race car," said Toliver. "We qualified in the middle of the pack - ninth - in tough conditions while some of the best cars didn't qualify. Only seven-hundredths of a second separated the low qualifier from 16th. "Right now, Funny Car is probably the most competitive class in NHRA racing. On any given day, any car can either qualify number one or not qualify . . . it's that close." Toliver, with wily veteran crew chief Dale Armstrong constantly improving the car's elapsed times, believes he's now capable of challenging for race victories. He hopes to prove it during the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park, Friday through Sunday. "I think we have an extremely competitive car going into Memphis," Toliver said. "We have caught up with the pack and now I'm looking forward to moving up to the top half of the pack. Maybe we can play spoiler to the drivers remaining in NHRA's Countdown to the Championship. "I think we are capable of qualifying number one at Memphis. It wouldn't surprise me because this team is that close and that good." The ROCKSTAR Toyota recorded its best time of the Indy weekend (4.797 seconds at 320.81 mph) in Friday night's opening session at Indianapolis, vanquishing yet another trouble spot. "We knew it could run better," continued Toliver, who returned to Funny Car competition when the season was five races old. "The more laps we make, the more we learn. And we learned something during our Friday night run that will help us keep improving. There's a lot more performance left in this car." Toliver said Armstrong ironed out problems in the clutch area and "the results should get better and better." "I really happy with the way the car keeps improving," he concluded. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink - Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Schedule: Saturday, Sept. 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 10 p.m.-
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ROCKSTAR, AutoZone Become Partners MEMPHIS, Sept. 14, 2007 – ROCKSTAR Energy Drink, primary sponsor of Jerry Toliver’s Toyota Solara Funny Car, and AutoZone, the nation’s largest retailer and distributor of auto parts, are proud to announce a partnership that returns AutoZone to NHRA drag racing. Toliver, a veteran Funny Car driver from Temecula, Calif., said, “The entire ROCKSTAR team and I are very excited to have AutoZone as our new partner. I’m calling out to all the NHRA fans to Get in the Zone and shop at AutoZone for all their automotive needs.” The new-look to Toliver’s Solara will be unveiled Friday afternoon at Memphis Motorsports Park prior to the beginning of the NHRA Mid-South Nationals. About AutoZone: As of May 5, 2007, AutoZone sells auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories through 3,881 AutoZone stores in the United States and 110 AutoZone stores in Mexico and also sells the ALLDATA brand automotive diagnostic and repair software. On the web, AutoZone sells diagnostic and repair information and auto and light truck parts through www.autozone.com. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink: Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. |
Toliver Loses Close One at U.S. Nationals
Jerry Toliver came close to picking up an opening-round Funny Car win over Tony Pedregon in Monday's opening round of the Mac Tools U.S. National at O'Reilly Raceway Park, but he arrived at the finish line four-hundredths of a second too late. "That was disappointing," said Toliver, driver of the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara, "but I am very proud of the crew. We showed we are coming together as a team. It doesn't happen over night." Toliver, who qualified ninth, stopped the clock in 4.954 seconds at 313.00 mph but failed to catch Pedregon, who won with a 4.944 at 270.16 mph. "We are in better shape then we have ever been as a team and we are looking ahead to our next race in Memphis (Sept. 14-16)," he added. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink - Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
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ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Runs Best of 4.797 Seconds INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 2, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver's solid qualifying
run of 4.797 seconds Friday night was his quickest of five sessions
and puts him ninth in the Funny Car starting order for Monday's
Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. # # # |
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Friday's 4.797-second Time Best Run Thus Far CLERMONT, Ind., Sep. 1, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver didn't improve on
his Friday night qualifying time of 4.797 seconds, but the performance
did keep him solidly in the starting lineup at No. 9 following Saturday's
two runs in the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. # # # |
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ROCKSTAR Toyota Funny Car Posts Sixth-quickest Time CLERMONT, Ind., Aug. 31, 2007 -- The test session Jerry Toliver
and the ROCKSTAR Toyota Solara recently put in paid off handsomely
Friday in the Funny Car team's first qualifying run for Monday's
53rd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. # # # |
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Toliver Believes ROCKSTAR
Energy Drink Sure, it looks easy from the grandstands . . . NHRA Funny Cars blasting from the starting in a deafening roar and crossing the finish line 1320 feet later in a little more than four and one half seconds at speeds in excess of 325 mph. That’s the spectators’ viewpoint, but not so with Jerry Toliver, crew chief Dale Armstrong and crew. They’ve been doggedly piecing together the performance of the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara for four-plus months now and are beginning to see the rewards of their determination. “We are making good progress,” said Toliver. “We qualified in the top half of the field at Brainerd (Minn.) last week and now we are looking forward to continuing our success at Maple Grove (Raceway) this weekend.” The Toyo Tires Nationals runs Friday through Sunday, the 17th stop on NHRA’s POWERade Series schedule but just the 13th for Toliver, who finalized the sponsorship agreement as the season began and missed four races. “Everybody had a head start on us but we are very happy with where we are right now,” added Toliver, who started eighth at Brainerd. “Dale and the guys are making a ton of power and right now we have to learn how to control it.” That is much better than trying to make horsepower. “Our performance definitely is taking a turn for the better. I’m confident and feel good about our chances at Maple Grove. We are already making the turn, but when we make the complete turn we’ll be running with the leaders instead of the middle of the pack.” Toliver believes his 4.834-second qualifying effort would’ve been better had he not been the first car out for Saturday’s best session. “We wanted to be safe and get down the track,” he recalled. “We weren’t able to watch other cars go down the track and make tune-up changes. We had the potential to run a high 4.70 or low 4.80, and that’s good to know, too.” Those are the kinds of numbers Armstrong wants to produce this weekend, along with some round wins on Sunday. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Times: # # # |
Tire Spin Slows ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota There are many ways to lose Sunday elimination rounds in NHRA Funny Car competition. Sunday it was tire spin that ended Jerry Toliver's day in the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. Paired against Tommy Johnson Jr. in the first round, Toliver's ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara bolted from the starting line, only to lose traction as it headed for the finish line. Johnson was the winner in 4.858 seconds at 317.64 mph to Toliver's 6.900 at 120.31 mph. "We continue to make performance improvements," said Toliver. "We qualified well (eighth) and we like what we see, but that result wasn't what we expected." Toliver returns to competition Friday in the Toyo Tires Nationals, Aug. 17-19, in Reading, Pa. # # # About Rockstar Energy Drink - Developed
to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting
lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors.
You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and
Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the
United States. |
ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Runs 4.843 Seconds BRAINERD, Minn, Aug. 11,
2007 -- Jerry Toliver's quickest run in the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink
Toyota Solara Funny Car Saturday on a tricky Brainerd International
Raceway racing surface put him eighth in the starting line-up
for Sunday's Lucas Oil Nationals. He was timed in 4.843 seconds
at 317.19 mph. # # # |
Jerry Toliver Ready for ‘Gremlin Free’ Race at Brainerd Some days things don’t go as planned. Sometimes those days happen much too frequently. Ask Jerry Toliver, the veteran Funny Car driver who returned to NHRA POWERade Series competition this year after a two-year hiatus. Since his inaugural race in April, crew chief Dale Armstrong and the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara team have been “fighting gremlins,” said Toliver. “It’s been one after another. But things are looking good now.” Armstrong and his henchmen had time to scrutinize the car and components in the past week. “They went through everything,” Toliver added, “and we think we got all the bugs out.” They’ll get their first test Friday when qualifying gets underway for Sunday’s Lucas Oil Nationals. It’s the first of two successive events leading up to the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, Aug. 31-Sept. 3, but a far cry from the just-completed string of six races in six weeks. “That six-week deal wore out everybody,” Toliver said. “We are looking forward to going to Brainerd and getting back on the track. I think our performance will finally be where we want it to be. Dale and the guys discovered an electrical problem that had been affecting the way the car ran. We hope there will be no more unforeseen problems for the rest of the season.” This event is the 16th of the season, but just the 10th for Toliver. His best qualifying effort was fourth, at Denver, and he picked up his first 2007 round win at Denver. “All the guys who began testing in January have a lot more runs than we do, but we’re getting better,” he said. “I think we are now capable of running with the pack. If we can get our Friday night tune-up working, we’ll be fine.” The only night qualifying run is important because it traditionally produces the best Funny Car elapsed times. Sessions are scheduled for 3:30 and 6:15 Friday and noon and 2:45 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Times: |
Toliver, ROCKSTAR Funny Car
Crew Jerry Toliver and the crew of his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara Funny have been exterminating gremlins lately, and they hope they’ve eradicated all of them. “We finally solved a problem that troubled us at Seattle (July 22) and at Infineon Raceway,” Toliver said Sunday, but it was one day too late for him to run well enough to qualify for Sunday’s FRAM Autolite Nationals. “We had a systems failure and the guys took apart our ignition box, looking for the gremlin that affected our qualifying at Seattle and Sonoma. “Dale (Armstrong, crew chief) and the crew cut apart everything in the MSD box and finally traced it to a piece of rubber that was used as insulation. It turned out there was carbon in the rubber and it was enough to conduct four volts of electricity. That was enough to start the timers that set off the engine retarders.” Other than that, Toliver said he ran the fifth-quickest elapsed time in Saturday’s first qualifying session and was No. 11 in the final session, “but it was too late because we missed the important Friday night session and there was no way we could recover.” Toliver’s best qualifying time was 5.068 seconds at 298.60 mph, putting him 17th, one place away from the starting berth. “We will run well when we get rid of all the gremlins,” continued Toliver. “All our guys are working hard and are dedicated. Sooner or later, we’ll get through this.” This event ended a string of six successive races. The teams next weekend off before returning to competition in the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 10-12. About Rockstar Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
Toliver Looking for Good Things from ROCKSTAR Funny Car at FRAM Autolite Nationals The traditional NHRA Western Swing - races at Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif. - comes to an end with the FRAM Autolite Nationals, Friday through Sunday, at Infineon Raceway, and Jerry Toliver, for one, is quite happy to bid it adieu. At the same time, there have been some good things to remember - like qualifying fourth at Denver in a season's best performance and claiming his first 2007 round win in the mile-high air. But there was misfortune, too, like his venture into the sand trap at Denver that damaged one of his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara Funny Car bodies (one of his parachutes didn't open). And last week at Seattle, Toliver qualified 15th in a rain-plagued two days of qualifying . . . only to get bumped from the field by NHRA's rain-qualifying rule that seeds top 10 drivers into the line-up if they weren't qualified after only one run. "We are starting to get a complex,"
said Toliver with a laugh. "On the good side, Dale (Armstrong,
team crew chief) and I feel our car is ready to make a serious impact
on the Funny Car field. We had a fluke mechanical malfunction in
our only qualifying run at Seattle. Otherwise, we felt the car would' Armstrong, a tuning wizard with a passel of victories to his credit, has transformed the car's performance to the point where he and Toliver are confident it can consistently make the starting 16. "We had a power issue at Denver and we solved it," added Toliver, "not only in Denver, but everywhere." Multiple round wins and, perhaps, a race victory appear to be in the team's future. This is the 15th of 23 POWERade Series events - and sixth in succession. Anything can happen. One thing certain is Toliver, Armstrong and the crew have forged ahead after getting a late start to their 2007 campaign and the car's potential will be seen on the race tracks. "At some point," said Toliver, "the breaks are going to go our way. If, or when, that happens . . . look out." About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink - Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Times: Saturday, July 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD, qualifying highlights, 6-7:30 p.m., ET Sunday, July 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD, final eliminations, 7-10 p.m., ET # # # |
Toliver’s ROCKSTAR Funny Car Begins Showing Potential When it comes to talking the talk, Jerry Toliver is one of the best. And now, the loquacious Funny Car driver is beginning to walk the walk . . . at least as far as the performance of his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara is concerned. Toliver told anyone who’d listen that it wouldn’t take long for his new team to begin running competitive elapsed times and speeds and become a consistent member of the 16-car starting line-up. The team, led by Dale Armstrong, one of the sport’s foremost nitromethane tuners, displayed some of its potential at Denver in the high altitude last weekend. Now both Toliver and Armstrong are looking forward to taking their performance to the next level which, in this case, happens to be sea level. The event, the team’s fifth in as many weeks, is the Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals at Pacific Raceways in nearby Kent, Friday through Sunday. The power issues that hobbled them earlier seemed to have been cured at Denver, where Toliver posted the event’s fastest speed, 319.60 mph, and fourth-quickest qualifying time, 4.893 seconds. “We zeroed in on the power issues and fixed them,” said Toliver, who qualified a season-best fourth and scored his first round win for ROCKSTAR. “Now we have some power . . . and that was at Denver. We are constantly refining the program and I think we have caught the pack that was ahead of us. We are definitely looking forward to going to Seattle.” Toliver’s 4.893-second, 319.60-mph qualifying run was an eye-opener for his peers. The speed was more than two miles an hour faster than any other Funny Car and was better than all but two Top Fuel speeds. “Seattle is a sea level track and we will be running better there,” said Armstrong, who guided Toliver to three victories in four finals and third place in 2000 – his finest POWERade Series finish. “I think our Friday night qualifying program is way better than it was before.” The Friday night session has become the most important of the four qualifying runs because it offers optimum summertime conditions that usually aren’t prevalent during the day. Toliver returned to racing this year after a three-year absence. The team got a late start and didn’t make its debut until the fifth race but has been improving with each recent outing. This is the fifth of six straight races. The team moves to Sonoma, Calif., next week before getting time to replenish parts supplies for back-to-back races at Brainerd, Minn., and Reading, Pa. About ROCKSTAR Energy Drink – Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in six amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb, Guava and Pomegranate at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. Television Times:Saturday, July 21, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD, qualifying highlights, 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m., ET Sunday, July 22, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD, final eliminations, 7-10 p.m., ET |
Toliver’s ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Gets First Round Win in Quarterfinal Finish Jerry Toliver and the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink
Toyota Solara Funny Car team really earned their first POWERade
Series round victory in the Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere
Speedway Sunday. They did a very good job, because Toliver got
his first 2007 win light against Jim Head in the first round. Toliver
won with an elapsed time of 5.156 seconds at 293.28 mph to 7.015
at 128.91 mph and advanced to the quarterfinals. # # # |
New ROCKSTAR Toyota Solara Body Arrives Just in Time DENVER, July 14, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver experienced
the high of qualifying fourth overall -- his best this season --
and the low of running into the sand trap at the end the track --
all in several seconds in Saturday's final run at Bandimere Speedway. # # # |
Toliver Gives Cruz Pedregon Tough Race at Bristol BRISTOL, Tenn., July 8, 2007 -- Jerry Toliver
gave Cruz Pedregon a serious challenge Sunday in the opening round
of the O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at a hot Bristol Dragway. # # # |
ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Runs 4.894 Seconds BRISTOL, Tenn., July 7,2007 -- Jerry Toliver was smiling after Saturday's nervous fourth qualifying session for Sunday's O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at hot, humid Bristol Dragway. He accomplished two goals -- running well in the Friday night qualifying session and making the starting line-up. He put the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara into the top 16 with his best lap of 4.894 seconds at 309.98 mph under the lights and it held up for 15th. He meets Cruz Pedregon (No. 3, 4.831 at 316.60) in the first round. "It's great to be in the show," said Toliver. "The car performed very well this weekend in difficult conditions. The weather was hot and the track was slippery," said Toliver. "And those are the same conditions we will be getting on race day." He wouldn't be there if not for his stellar Friday night run. But he did have to watch three drivers who weren't qualified make their final attempts before his run during Saturday's last session. "I was nervous watching them," he said. "It was quite a relief when it was over." Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in five amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb and Guava at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
TOLIVER PLEASED WITH PROGRESS OF ROCKSTAR FUNNY CAR TEAM A nitromethane-guzzling, supercharged NHRA Funny Car motor is estimated to have between 7000 and 8000 horsepower, so when Jerry Toliver says his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara Funny Car needs to make more power, he’s likely to get a glance of disbelief from, say, a NASCAR fan. But it isn’t always the number of horses that determine the outcome of a race. It’s how they are applied to the racing surface and where. This week’s applications will be at Bristol Dragway for the O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals, Friday through Sunday. So one of crew chief Dale Armstrong’s chores is to find an application that will quicken the Solara’s pace through the middle of the track. “The good thing is,” said Toliver, “that we are zeroing in on our issues. Right now we have a good hot-race-track conditions race car that has been running right in the middle of the pack. And that is good.” Toliver believes his Funny Car is beginning to display the kinds of performances that are necessary to contend for race wins. The team did get a late start – Toliver announced the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink sponsorship at the season’s first race – and it is taking time to get all the parts and pieces moving in the same direction. The driver from Temecula, Calif., says his team “needs to pick up our Friday night qualifying performances so we can get in the show on that run. You usually can’t get in the show on Saturday’s warmer runs during the summer. For example, 15 of the top 16 ran their best times Friday night (last weekend at Norwalk, Ohio).” So did Toliver, but his 4.893-second elapsed time was 18th best. However, in Saturday’s hottest session, Toliver’s 4.925-second run was seventh quickest – right in the middle of the pack. “We are still playing catch-up,” Toliver said. “Everything is going well. We have a good system on parts and the guys are jelling as a team. It’s just a matter of time. There are so many factors. “There’s no magic to this.” Bristol qualifying unfolds Friday at 5:30 and 8 p.m. and Saturday at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Developed to increase the recovery
time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR
Energy Drink is available in five amazing flavors. You can
find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb and Guava at convenience
and grocery retail outlets across the United States. # # # |
Toliver Misses Norwalk Starting Lineup; Adds Rick Cassell to Crew Jerry Toliver and the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solar Funny Car team were working diligently Sunday in their Summit Motorsports Park pit area, preparing for the O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals, Friday through Sunday at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway. They continue making progress in their quest for competitive elapsed times and starting positions in NHRA POWERade Series competition. “We know what the problems are,” said Toliver. “We need to make more power in certain areas of the track.” Just like putting together a competitive Funny Car team, the solutions take time to achieve. “We’re getting there,” added Toliver. “Dale (Armstrong, team crew chief) and the guys have been getting closer with the tune-ups. We are looking forward to going to Bristol.” Toliver didn’t qualify for the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Norwalk, but he did run his best elapsed time (4.893 seconds) in Friday night’s all-important qualifying session. As it turned out, that was two-hundredths of a second off the No. 16 time of 4.873 seconds. The Bristol stop is the third in the team’s six races in six weeks. Rick Cassell Joins ROCKSTAR Team as Assistant Crew Chief Rick Cassell, a veteran tuner, joined the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink team as assistant crew chief, Toliver announced. “Rick adds another set of eyes and new ideas to our team,” said Toliver. “He is going to help Dale in several different areas, including the computer data area.” Cassell, of Thiensville, Wis., has worked with several different race teams over the past 17 years. “Having the opportunity to work with Dale was one reason I joined this team,” Cassell said. “You can’t get a much better teacher.” Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in five amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb and Guava at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States. |
Jerry Toliver’s ROCKSTAR Funny Car Team Keeps Getting Better Jerry Toliver is pleased to report his ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Funny Car team’s search for quicker elapsed times is yielding results, results that should be good enough to put him solidly in the 16-car starting lineup. His first opportunity to test that theory comes this weekend with the Pro Care Rx SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. The ebullient Toliver coaxed talented and highly-respected tuner Dale Armstrong out of retirement to lead his Toyota Solara team to on-track success. Despite a late start, this team is getting better with each race. “We were very, very pleased with the results from testing at Chicago (June 11),” said Toliver, “and we look forward to applying them at Englishtown. I keep saying it is laps, laps, laps, and the more laps we get on the car the better we are getting. I know this team is better than what it looks like on paper right now, and I’m hoping we’ll start making some headway and go some rounds on race day.” The team joined the series in the fifth race and Toliver has qualified twice in five outings. He earned his first starting position in two years at St. Louis, 14th with a best of 4.966 seconds, and came back to qualify 12th at Topeka, 4.903 seconds. “The biggest problem we were having was in the first 330 feet of the run,” Toliver said. “From halftrack on we were running right with the others. We were giving up some ground there and that’s what we worked on and where we got better. “Dale and I are very pleased. This is a very competitive class. If you are off a little bit, you don’t qualify, and some of the top drivers have been off and they don’t qualify . . . like Ron Capps, Robert Hight and Mike Ashley.” Capps is the current point leader, Hight is second and Ashley fourth. “We have good race-day setup right now and we are probably right in the middle of the pack,” added Toliver. “With what we found at Chicago, we should move up. We’ll see what happens and get after it at Englishtown. I’ve done well there before. It’s a great race track and they have a great fan base.” Developed to increase the recovery time of those
who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink
is available in five amazing flavors. You can find Original,
Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb and Guava at convenience and grocery
retail outlets across the United States. # # |
Toliver Plans Test Session Monday after Missing Field at Route 66 Raceway Jerry Toliver and the ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Funny Car team will be testing at Route 66 Raceway Monday as they continue perfecting their competitive combination. It is a duty, Toliver believes, that will yield positive results. Unhappy with the way the car had been performing, crew chief Dale Armstrong opted to make some combination changes and the car responded, going down the track on both Saturday qualifying runs – 5.042 seconds at 305.70 mph and the 4.895 at 297.88 mph. “We changed some things in the clutch department and jacked some more power into it,” said Toliver. “Our car is running great in the second half of the track but we ran into a problem with it slowing down since a test session we had in Atlanta. So we are retracing our steps to fix what we changed earlier.” Toliver missed the starting lineup for the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals on a very unpredictable Route 66 Raceway racing surface. “The bottom line is that if you miss the Friday night qualifying session, you are toast,” he said of qualifying. “It’s a problem and I hope NHRA is going to address it. Funny Car is extremely competitive. It’s just hard to qualify. If you don’t get in Friday night you can pretty much kiss it off.” Toliver’s 4.895 run might
have been put him into the top 16, but the engine expired several
hundred feet shy of the finish line. The bump spot was 4.861
secons. The team is preparing for six races in six weeks that begins at Englishtown, N.J., June 22-24. Developed to increase the recovery time of those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles, ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in five amazing flavors. You can find Original, Sugar Free, Juiced, Zero Carb and Guava at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States.
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