What’s wrong with Jerry Toliver?
Written by David Lamm · October 6, 2004
Jerry Toliver is a widely popular driver with an immense fan following since his days of driving the Mad Magazine Funny Car to the WWF sponsorship he enjoyed a few years ago. With the help of Toyota and Schick, Toliver came back to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and won the season opening K&N Filters Winternationals. Since his win to begin the season, Toliver has had a lackluster performance. So what is wrong with Toliver? How can you go from opening the season with a win to failing to qualify five times this season and out of the top ten in points?
The winners of the NHRA’s season opener, Tony Schumacher, Jerry Toliver and Greg Anderson, all looked like they were well on their way to winning the 2004 POWERade championship. With three races left, Anderson has already clinched his second championship and Schumacher is very close to wrapping up his second as well. Toliver on the other hand could not be more of a polar opposite from the two drivers he shared the winner’s circle with back in February. Toliver sits 12th in the Funny Car standings and other than his season opening win in Pomona, his other highlight was reaching the final round at Houston in April. Toliver has failed to qualify five times and has even been penalized three times at three different race tracks for oil down violations. (The NHRA implemented a stricter rule regarding oil downs to help keep the race day running smoothly and for a better television production.) Toliver advanced to the second round in Joliet, Ill. this past week and it marked the first time he advanced out of the first round since June. So what is wrong with Toliver? How he can light the world on fire in February but then struggle so much the rest of the season?
Toliver is not just sitting by feeling sorry for himself and waiting until next season. He recently hired Norm Grimes as crew chief three weeks ago and it might take a while for Norm and the crew and Toliver himself to get acclimated with each other. Possibly the ills of the past season can be solved with a change of scenery and a change in tuning philosophy. Toliver did put down a good run in his loss in the second round to eventual race winner Del Worsham last weekend, so things might be improving in the Toliver camp. Obviously Toliver has three more races left to try to get back in the NHRA POWERade Top Ten in Funny Car points. Toliver is a good driver that is a welcome addition back to the sport of drag racing. The NHRA needs more personalities like Toliver to keep the fans excited and coming back to the race track. Once Toliver starts winning again it will be a boost for everyone.
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