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. ”
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