Pomona II: Bruce Sarver preview

Sarver, White Cap Toyota Celica Funny Car at NHRA Pomona finale.

WHITE CAP TOYOTA CELICA IN THE TOP FIVE DURING FIRST SEASON - Following its debut at the Winternationals in February, the White Cap Toyota Celica Funny Car has been a top-five car in the Funny Car standings with 1,180 combined points from Bruce Sarver and Gary Scelzi. In its first year of competition, the Celica Funny Car has produced three top qualifying positions (Topeka, Chicago and the October Las Vegas event), and five final-round appearances (Gainesville, Englishtown, Columbus, Seattle and Dallas). The White Cap Toyota Celica Funny Car is the only single-car team in the top five in points this season.

The White Cap Toyota Celica is the first manufacturer-backed import Funny Car in NHRA POWERade Series history. The car was developed using a production Toyota Celica GT-S as the baseline. The project, which began in the fall of 2001, was developed in conjunction with Swift Engineering, Inc., in San Clemente, Calif.

SARVER ALSO FIFTH SINCE MAY DEBUT - In his first race behind the wheel of the White Cap Toyota Celica Funny Car, veteran drag racer Bruce Saver reached the final round in May at Englishtown, N.J. Since that time, the Bakersfield, Calif., native has been in the top five in points in the competitive Funny Car class. In the 16 events Sarver has raced, he has earned 879 points, trailing only Tony Pedregon (1,220), John Force (1,106), Del Worsham (983), and Gary Densham (905).

BRUCE SARVER QUOTES: ON THE FIRST SEASON DRIVING THE WHITE CAP TOYOTA CELICA FUNNY CAR - "It's been a really exciting season with Toyota. Although we haven't reached our top goal of winning a race, we think the car has been the fastest out there on some weekends, as is shown by our five final-round appearances and three low E.T.'s."

THIS WEEKEND'S POMONA FINALE - "Pomona is traditionally one of the quickest tracks in the series. I've won there last year at the Winternationals, and Alan Johnson and the team have a few victories there over the years. If the strange gremlins that have bitten us lately will go away, we have as good a chance at winning as anyone out there. Look at the last race in Las Vegas where we had low E.T. but a strange ignition problem plagued us. At Dallas, a wheelie-bar problem caused a loss in the finals."

OVERALL PROGRAM AND NEXT YEAR'S PROSPECTS - "The program had such a late start that the early part of the year had heavy development. Alan Johnson is true drag-racing genius, and he and the crew have done an amazing job in developing the car. The White Cap Celica gives us great downforce, and the second half of the year has really combined the speed and the consistency. We will shoot for the win this weekend and then start testing with the goal of giving John a run for the championship next year."

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