TOLIVER LOOKING FOR HOT WEATHER TUNE-UP

Jerry Toliver is frustrated with the performance of his Schick Quattro-sponsored Toyota Celica so far this season. The Temecula, Calif. driver, bummed about the team's success in its last three events - successive stops at Atlanta, Chicago and Topeka, Kan. - is nonetheless refreshed as a second three in a row begins with the Pontiac Excitement Nationals, June 11-13, at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio.

"It was a grueling three races," Toliver recalled, "and the first time our team experienced it. The guys were tired. They went back to the shop in Santa Maria (Calif.) and regrouped. We know what we need to do to get better and I think we'll show it at Columbus.

"I'm still a firm believer that we are a better team than what we showed over our last three races," continued Toliver. "We are into the hot weather part of the schedule and we don't have a combination for humid conditions and hot, slippery race tracks yet." (Jeff Leonard photo) [6-12-2004]

FORCE FACTS

Did you know: John Force has won at least one race at every track that presently plays host to an NHRA POWERade Series event and at three tracks that previously were part of the series, Sanair Dragstrip in Montreal, State Capitol Dragway in Baton Rouge, La., and Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va....John is one of only three Funny Car drivers to

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have broken the 4.80-second barrier at National Trail Raceway, considered one of the most challenging tracks in the series. The others to have accomplished that feat are former teammate Tony Pedregon, the track record holder at 4.780 seconds, and current points leader Whit Bazemore....John is hoping to extend to 333 his record-setting qualifying streak. The last time he failed to put a Castrol GTX Funny Car in the field was Oct. 31, 1987 at Pomona, Calif. One of the closest calls in that streak came in the 2000 Pontiac Excitement Nationals when John qualified only 15th after experiencing problems with a new body and its attending hardware....look for the Castrol GTX Start Up award which recognizes the driver with the best reaction time in each of the four professional categories at each of the 23 races in the NHRA POWERade Series....while John is seeking his third win of the current campaign, his 21-year-old daughter, Ashley, will be driving the Mattel Toy Store dragster in a Lucas Oil Series event at Rusk, Texas. [6-12-2004]