Seattle: Jerry Toliver Saturday notes

Rain Douses Toliver's Hopes at Seattle
ROCKSTAR Funny Car Driver Bumped from Field by NHRA Rule

KENT, Wash., July 21, 2007 -- Rain Saturday limited qualifying for Sunday's Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals to one run and Jerry Toliver's ROCKSTAR Energy Drink Toyota Solara experienced mechanical trouble en route to a 5.595-second, 221.49 mph effort. And it put him 15th place, for awhile.

"We got bumped," said Toliver. "NHRA' rules for one qualifying run provide for the top 10 to be in the starting lineup if they didn't run quick enough. The three drivers who were not qualified all were added to the field, one of them at our expense. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is.

"And it's disappointing because we thought we would definitely improve our time in the second session, but it was rained out."

A faulty air bottle didn't react to the timers, Toliver said, "and it retarded the magnetos and slowed us down. There's not much more for us to do but go on to Sonoma (Calif.) and get ready for next week's race.

The FRAM-Autolite Nationals begin Friday at Infineon Raceway.

-credit: jtr