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NHRA: WWF Racing and Jerry Toliver win back-to-back races at Pomona

7 February 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Sets Career Best Time and Speed - 4.916 Seconds / 313.22 MPH; Takes Lead in NHRA Funny Car Championship Standings

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA. - Jerry Toliver and his World Wrestling Federation Racing brigade stormed into Pomona Raceway with their 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin Funny Car Camaro Chevrolet at the season-opening NHRA AutoZone Winternationals at Pomona (Ca.) Raceway out to defend their winning tradition that began last year. After taking the final funny car battle of the 20th century at the Auto Club NHRA Finals last November; Toliver starts the new millennium the same way taking victory again after defeating Tony Pedregon in the final round in front of his hometown crowd of more than 120,000 spectators.

Toliver qualified in the second position of the 16-car lineup with a career best time of 4.916 seconds at a speed of 310.05 miles per hour to race, No. 15 qualifier, Bob Gilbertson in the first round of eliminations. He motored to his first round win of the year 2000 with an elapsed time of 4.949 seconds at a speed of 306.46 mph to set the pace as the quickest time of the round.

The quarterfinal round of competition had Toliver against Whit Bazemore where he ran a solid time of 4.950-seconds/310.84 mph to defeat Bazemore's slower elapsed time of 4.962 E.T./309.98 mph. The WWF racing team marched into the semi-finals defeating Gary Densham with their best time of the day of 4.934 seconds along with his career best speed of 313.22 mph.

It was 'smackdown' time in the finals as Toliver's crew led by veteran crew chiefs, Dale Armstrong, Terry Manzer and John Stewart who engineered a solid performance that place the now two-time NHRA Funny Car winner back into the center ring of victory lane. On a hole-shot, Toliver reacted quicker at the starting line than his competitor, Tony Pedregon, and by a margin of .051 of a second held the lead the entire way to take the winner's trophy for his second consecutive win at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds to Pedregon's time of 4.929 seconds / 308.35 mph

"Our WWF Racing team was phenomenal and it's a great feeling bringing this win to the World Wrestling Federation, who I feel is the best sponsor in NHRA championship drag racing," said an excited Toliver. "They bring out their people to promote the sport and give Toliver Racing the funding to be competitive. With the WWF support, we have become a formidable team in the research and development area and the results from Sunday's win clearly shows that."

In the NHRA championship point standings, Toliver leads the funny car field after the first episode of 23 national events with 117 points as the series heads next to Phoenix, AZ for the Checkers/Schuck's/Kragen Nationals at the Firebird International Raceway slated to run on February 24 - 27.

JIM EPLER AND THE 'UNDERTAKER' TEAM DEFEATED IN THE FIRST ROUND OF ELIMINATIONS

POMONA, CA. -- Jim Epler and the 'Undertaker" WWF racing team was defeated in the first round of eliminations at the AutoZone Winternationals by Del Worsham. Epler's engine dropped a cylinder around the mid-track point of the quarter mile causing his car to move out of the racing groove resulting in a loss of traction. He ran a time of 5.852 seconds / 170.36 mph to Worsham's quicker time of 5.065 seconds / 300.40 mph.

The 'Undertaker' WWF Racing team is in 10th place in the NHRA championship point standings after the completion of the first of 23 NHRA events with 34 points.

Text Provided by Jay Wells

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.