Wilkerson and Team LRS arrive in Brainerd with support from Circle K, a new chassis, and renewed determination
Posted by: Kelly Topolinski
SPRINGFIELD, IL. (August 16, 2017) – Tim Wilkerson is more comfortable than ever in the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang, and it shows. As the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series returns to Gainesville for this weekend's 48th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Wilkerson fully intends to continue bettering his program.
Gainesville Raceway is special to Springfield, Illinois-based Wilkerson – it is where he made his debut in an NHRA nitro Funny Car in 1996 – and he is eager to return to the facility on the heels of a charging performance at the Arizona Nationals.
"This is really an exciting time for us," said Wilkerson, who won Gainesville in 2010 and was low qualifier there in 2004. "I do wish I could have gone one more round there in Phoenix. I wanted to be in the semifinals badly, but that's okay. Six runs in a row now we've had a pretty good car."
'A pretty good car' is putting it lightly. Wilkerson efficiently recovered from a slight blunder in his first pass in Phoenix, and from there he built upon the sturdy foundation laid at the season-opening Winternationals two weeks prior. Three times in the past two events, Wilkerson has reset his career best elapsed time in the Levi, Ray & Shoup Funny Car. His career best currently stands at 3.844-second with a best speed set in Topeka last season at 333.74 mph.
The forecast for the weekend in Gainesville is clear and cool, which could easily translate to another group of very quick and fast passes. Wilkerson, though, isn't only excited about the opportunity to go fast on the racetrack. He is just as thrilled to reconnect with longtime sponsor and friend Dick Levi.
"Oh yeah, it's going to be a great time," said Wilkerson. "We'll have Dick Levi there and all the people from Diversified Yacht Services, and we've got a brand new hospitality trailer to make it really special. We're going to look like a shiny new penny with our new crew uniforms and everything. If our Levi, Ray & Shoup Funny Car is fast, I'll be pretty happy.
"I'm excited to get there. We'll have completely different atmospheric conditions in Gainesville because it's a sea level track. Usually it's hot and sticky at the Gatornationals, but it looks like that might not be the case this time. It's been a long time, but I think we know how to win there. The way these cars are now, though, anything can happen. We'll see."
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Tim Wilkerson
Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang
Car No.: FC9
Wilkerson in Brainerd
1 final round
Runner-up in 2003 (Gary Densham)
No. 1 qualifier in 2004
Last year: Qualified No. 10, lost in the second round to Del Worsham
Updated Career Stats heading into Brainerd, race 17 of 24
No. 8 in Funny Car standings
461 races
771 rounds
20 wins
19 runner-up finishes
39 overall final rounds
19 No. 1 qualifier awards
Career best e.t.: 3.844 (2017 Phoenix)
Career best speed: 333.74 (2016 Topeka) |
Race Info
36th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Brainerd International Raceway
Brainerd, Minnesota
August 17-20, 2017
Run Schedule (all times CT)
Thursday, August 17
9:30 am - Sportsman qualifying
Friday, August 18
9:15 am - Sportsman qualifying
2:45 pm - Pro qualifying session 1
5:30 pm - Pro qualifying session 2
Saturday, August 19
9:15 am - Sportsman eliminations
12:45 pm - Pro qualifying session 3
3:45 pm - Pro qualifying session 4
Sunday, August 20
11:00 am - Eliminations
Television Schedule (all times ET)
(According to NHRA.com, August 16, 2017)
Friday, Aug. 18, FS1 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 19, FS1 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 20, FS1 will televise three hours of live finals coverage starting at 2 p.m.
Brainerd International Raceway Funny Car Track Records
3.822-second, 333.82 mph
Photo credit: Auto Imagery