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PHOENIX, Ariz. (Feb. 24, 2008) - Jerry Toliver suffered an early exit in the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car at the NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway today. The driver of one of the four Funny Car entries from Don Schumacher Racing lost a close battle to rival energy drink-sponsored driver Tommy Johnson Jr. during the first round of eliminations.
Toliver left the starting line hard, but the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T shook the tires early, forcing him to pedal the throttle to regain traction. By that time, Johnson had driven by him, taking the win with a 4.834-second elapsed time at 310.63 mph to Toliver's 5.067/280.14.
"Everything was going great," Toliver explained, "but the car rattled and I pedaled it and tried to chase him down, but he was long gone. It shook about a second into the run and I slapped the throttle pretty quick and it responded and hooked up and I was chasing after him. But when he hit the 1000-ft. mark I thought there was no sense chasing this guy down and hurting parts and wasting stuff, so I just clicked it off. Not a whole lot to it. She rattled, I pedaled her, and I didn't catch him.
"It's early in the season and I have nothing but praise and confidence in my guys. The whole Rockstar Energy Drink group is a great team and we'll get it together. It's early in the season and unfortunately we've gone out in the first round two races in a row. But we'll go to Gainesville and see what happens. It's just part of racing."
Toliver is 14th in the point standings, with 68 markers.
Next up is the 39th annual NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 13-16.
FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS, after two events:
1. Robert Hight, 189 (runner-up today)
2. Jack Beckman, 162 (winner today)
3. Cruz Pedregon, 147
4. John Force, 110
5. Gary Scelzi, 104
6. Scott Kalitta, 86
7. Tommy Johnson Jr., 85
8. Gary Densham, 84
Ashley Force, 84
10. Bob Bode, 83
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14. Jerry Toliver, 68
TOLIVER SUFFERS EARLY EXIT IN PHOENIX
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Feb. 24, 2008) - Jerry Toliver suffered an early exit in the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car at the NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway today. The driver of one of the four Funny Car entries from Don Schumacher Racing lost a close battle to rival energy drink-sponsored driver Tommy Johnson Jr. during the first round of eliminations.
Toliver left the starting line hard, but the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger R/T shook the tires early, forcing him to pedal the throttle to regain traction. By that time, Johnson had driven by him, taking the win with a 4.834-second elapsed time at 310.63 mph to Toliver's 5.067/280.14.
"Everything was going great," Toliver explained, "but the car rattled and I pedaled it and tried to chase him down, but he was long gone. It shook about a second into the run and I slapped the throttle pretty quick and it responded and hooked up and I was chasing after him. But when he hit the 1000-ft. mark I thought there was no sense chasing this guy down and hurting parts and wasting stuff, so I just clicked it off. Not a whole lot to it. She rattled, I pedaled her, and I didn't catch him.
"It's early in the season and I have nothing but praise and confidence in my guys. The whole Rockstar Energy Drink group is a great team and we'll get it together. It's early in the season and unfortunately we've gone out in the first round two races in a row. But we'll go to Gainesville and see what happens. It's just part of racing."
Toliver is 14th in the point standings, with 68 markers.
Next up is the 39th annual NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., March 13-16.
FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS, after two events:
1. Robert Hight, 189 (runner-up today)
2. Jack Beckman, 162 (winner today)
3. Cruz Pedregon, 147
4. John Force, 110
5. Gary Scelzi, 104
6. Scott Kalitta, 86
7. Tommy Johnson Jr., 85
8. Gary Densham, 84
Ashley Force, 84
10. Bob Bode, 83
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14. Jerry Toliver, 68
