TOLIVER MISSES THE FIELD AT THE INAUGURAL CAROLINAS NATIONALS
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 13, 2008) -- Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge
Charger R/T Funny Car driver Jerry Toliver is more than impressed with
zMaz Dragway @ Concord, the spectacular new facility north of Charlotte,
N.C. But his joy over competing at one of the finest drag strips ever
built turned to disappointment today after he was unable to qualify for
the Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals.
Toliver and 21 other excellent Funny Car drivers attempted to make it
into the 16-car field. After losing traction in the first session
(6.313/94.74), his quickest pass of 4.180 seconds at 297.35 mph on Friday
evening wasn't good enough to earn him a spot, and as track and air
conditions heated up, it became even more difficult. His final two passes
today produced a 4.240/295.66 and a tire-smoking 6.372/105.39.
"I feel really bad for the Rockstar guys and I'm extremely frustrated,"
said Toliver, who entered the event No. 15 in the points. "We're just
struggling. We tested in between races and changed the whole setup on the
Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge Charger, but we got behind in qualifying on
that first lap on Friday and that hurt us. We ran OK with that 4.18, but
if we would have run that on our first attempt we could have improved on
that last night and that could have gotten us in the show.
"The conditions just weren't there today. We got behind the 8-ball and we
just could never get back in front of it. The competition in Funny Car is
incredible and it's very close. But the race track just wasn't there for
us today for qualifying. It was extremely hot and we just couldn't run
well enough to get in the show."
Despite not making the show, Toliver was awed by his first visit to zMax
Dragway. "It's a great facility, it's fantastic," he said. "I don't like
it very much right now. But Bruton Smith has built a beautiful track,
it's a gorgeous facility, and I wish we could be racing here tomorrow."
The next race for Toliver and the Rockstar Energy Drink team will be the
NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas, Texas, Sept. 19-21.
-credit: dsr
