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DSR Adds Rockstar And Toliver To Nhra Funny Car Team Roster In 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 21, 2008) – Jerry Toliver will drive the Rockstar Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, beginning at the Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 7-10, 2008, it was confirmed today by team owner Don Schumacher.

A native of California, Toliver returns to his first full year of NHRA
Funny
Car competition since 2004. The popular, articulate and outgoing racer
skipped the 2005 and 2006 seasons and ran all but four national events
in
2007 under his own banner with Rockstar backing.

Rockstar, Inc., maker of Rockstar Energy Drink, returns as Toliver’s
primary
sponsor on the Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, a major associate sponsor on
the
NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge driven by Ron Capps, and as an associate sponsor
on
the rest of the Don Schumacher Racing teams.

Phil Shuler, who, along with Todd Okuhara in 2007, tuned the Mail
Terminal
Services Dodge for Jack Beckman and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge for Gary
Scelzi,
was named crew chief.

“Rockstar had expressed a desire to expand their operation and their
footprint in the NHRA,” said Toliver, “and they had a conversation with
Don
some time ago regarding Don Schumacher Racing. In 2007, Rockstar and I
were
looking for new and better ways to improve our entire program and, of
course, we decided going to Schumacher Racing was certainly going to
help us
in performance as well as being able to get the brand out there in a big
way
with all the other associates and teams we would be working with.

“We feel that Rockstar will have a much bigger footprint, a lot more
visibility, and if we get the performance up to a level that I’m
absolutely
confident will happen, Rockstar will certainly get the return on their
investment that they’re looking for.

“Don’s got a great winning history,” continued Toliver, whose NHRA
career
record shows five wins in 10 final rounds since 1998. “He’s done a great
job. He’s built this organization over the last 10 years from one team
to
what it is today. To succeed in the real world, as in NHRA, you need all
the
help you can get and all the resources you can muster. With Schumacher
Racing we have all the help and all the resources I think we need to
have in
order to make this car a championship contender.”

“It is truly exciting to help synergize Jerry Toliver with Don
Schumacher
Racing, which now will generate massive brand visibility for us in all
the
right ways,” said Jason May, Executive Vice President – Marketing,
Rockstar,
Inc. “Don is a legend, he has an amazing presence within the sport, and
has
the top talent in the pits, which we need to propel Toliver onto the
podium
this year. Additionally, we are excited for our associate sponsorship of
the
dynamic drivers on Don’s roster. Rockstar is very proud of this
opportunity
to sponsor some of the world?s most talented drivers. We are looking
forward
to a fruitful and exciting season, to say the least.”

Said team owner Don Schumacher: “I’ve always said that NHRA drag racing
needs personalities and characters in its driver lineup. And Jerry
Toliver
certainly fits that bill. He is also a veteran businessman and a
talented
race-car driver. He understands how this sport and business work, from
every
aspect, and that is a major asset to our team.

“We welcome Rockstar to DSR and, working together with Jerry and Phil
Shuler, we promise we’ll do our best to provide all the necessary
resources
for the Rockstar Dodge Charger R/T team to be a championship contender.”

Rockstar is the world’s most powerful energy drink. Enhanced with the
the
potent herbal blends of Guarana, Ginkgo, Ginseng and Milk Thistle,
Rockstar
is scientifically formulated to provide an incredible energy boost for
those
who lead active and exhausting lifestyles?from athletes to rock stars.

Since its introduction in 2001, when Rockstar created the first 16-ounce
energy drink, the brand has experienced phenomenal growth year after
year
and firmly established itself as a major player in the beverage
industry.

JERRY TOLIVER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

* Named Car Craft Magazine “Person of the Year” in 2000 for his
contributions to drag racing.
* Enjoyed his best season the same year, winning three events in seven
final-round appearances, finishing a career-best third in the point69-91
standings.
* Finished in the Top 10 in the points standings twice (third in 2000,
eighth in 1999).
* Returned to competition in 2007 after a two-year hiatus, qualifying in
the
top half of the field twice and setting top speed of the event in Denver
(319.60 mph)
* Has five national event wins in 10 final rounds, since 1998, and a
career
round win-loss record of 69-91

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