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Seattle: Jerry Toliver preview

Toliver's Schick Quattro Team Working to Solve New Nitro Rule Funny Cars May Now Use Only 85 Percent of the Power-producing Fuel KENT, Wash., July 22, 2004 - Richard Hogan has been co-crew chief of Jerry Toliver's Schick Quattro/Godsend Toyota ...

Published: Jul 23, 2004, 2:28 PM

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Toliver's Schick Quattro Team Working to Solve New Nitro Rule
Funny Cars May Now Use Only 85 Percent of the Power-producing Fuel

KENT, Wash., July 22, 2004 - Richard Hogan has been co-crew chief of Jerry Toliver's Schick Quattro/Godsend Toyota Celica (with Keith Adams) for four races.

During that time, he's made sometimes subtle changes and sometimes major alterations, all in the quest of consistent performances during the remaining 2004 NHRA POWERade Series schedule. Some have worked; some haven't.

It's just as well, because now he'll start that search all over again because NHRA's new nitromethane rule - limiting the percentage of the Funny Cars' and Top Fuel dragsters' power source to 85 percent - goes into effect for the 17th annual CarQuest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, Friday through Sunday.

"We're back to where we were several years ago when NHRA lowered the amount of nitro to 90 percent from 100," Hogan said, adding he didn't think it would be enough to slow the race cars. "I think every nitro crew chief will do the same thing - increase the fuel volume and the blower overdrive."

There will be other issues to deal with, such as the new racing surface and temperatures expected in the high 80s to low 90s.

"I'm really looking forward to going to Seattle. It's on the west coast," commented Toliver. "I've always liked racing there.

"The new 85-percent rule will present its own set of problems and it will be interesting to see if it will help us or hurt us," he continued. "That's quite a drop. Austin Coil, John Force's crew chief, said that when the rule reducing the percentage from 100 to 90 went into effect, it wasn't as noticeable because a lot of teams were already running below 95 percent. And they had time to test before the season began. Our test run is going to be our first qualifying session Friday.

"Anytime there are major changes made, it's always interesting to see how fast the crew chiefs adapt to the changes."

There are other incentives, too, for the Schick Quattro team. The most important is returning to the top 10. Toliver slipped to 11th Sunday. He's 18 points out of 10th place and 72 out of ninth - with 20 points available for each round win. There are 10 of 23 races remaining.

"We hope this is the time we get our performance turned around," added the Temecula, Calif.-based driver.

Qualifying for the second of three straight Western Swing races is set for Friday at 4 and 7 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 3 p.m. Toliver and crew wind up the three-race grind at Sonoma, Calif., July 30-Aug. 1.

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