Tim Wilkerson Notes and Quotes -
NHRA Southern Nationals
Posted by: Kelly Topolinski
Notes:
- Tim Wilkerson raced to the final round in Atlanta in 2017. He most recently won in Atlanta in 2015.
- Wilkerson, the driver, tuner, and team owner of the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang Funny Car, is an independent driver and one of just two single-car teams in the category to finish in the top 10 in 2017
- The NHRA Southern Nationals Powered by Mello Yello will be the 476th race of Wilkerson's career as a nitro Funny Car driver
- The early portion of Wilkerson's career included a successful run as a Top Alcohol Funny Car driver. He earned eight divisional trophies and one national event win in the sportsman ranks before going Pro
Wilkerson in Atlanta
1 win in 2 Atlanta final rounds
Runner-up 2017 (Ron Capps)
Won 2015 (defeated Ron Capps)
No. 1 in Atlanta in 1999, 2008
In 2017: Qualified No. 6, lost in the final round to Ron Capps
Wilkerson's Career Stats through 2018 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte
(most recent event)
475 races
20 wins
19 runner-up finishes
39 final rounds
19 No. 1 qualifier awards
Career best e.t.: 3.844 (2017 Phoenix)
Career best speed: 333.74 (2016 Topeka)
Wilkerson on the NHRA Southern Nationals
I like that race, and I like the track. For a while there, it was a Summit Racing Equipment race, and I don't know if that always made me try harder or what – but it always seemed to be pretty good for us. Atlanta has typically been a lane-choice racetrack. Running well in qualifying and having lane choice has helped me on raceday the last few years I've been there, and I think if I could just get my race-composure back, we'll be okay this time around, too.
We knew this was going to be a tougher year than the last couple-three because the cars are all of a higher quality than they've ever been before.
I can almost compare this year to 2008, a year I did really well. There were a lot of good cars that year, sometimes 20-30 good cars, but we always seemed to run well. I think the level of competition, both tuning- and driving-wise, is better now than it's ever been. There is a different level of competition that there hasn't been in a long time. The cars are a little different than they were 10 years ago, and there are a lot of electronics that didn't used to be there, a lot of widgets and gadgets. If you're not a widget and gadget guy, that could make it tough. The electronics take a lot of the driving and tuning pieces out of it, and they're a little more of a remote control car than they used to be 10 years ago.
There are a few crew chiefs that have been around the block, for lack of a better term, and they've made every team [that they've worked with] better. In the last three to five years, there have been a lot of people who have benefitted from that shared knowledge around the pit area. A single-car team like me, I haven't got that, and it's kind of showing. I'm a little behind the eight-ball, but I'm not an excuse guy. I'm trying my best to get back ahead of the curve, and I really think it's going to be okay.
Race Info
NHRA Southern Nationals Powered by Mello Yello
Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Georgia
May 4-6, 2018
Run Schedule (all times local)
Friday, May 4
8:30 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman qualifying and time trials begin
3:30 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 1
6:45 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 2
Saturday, May 5
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations begin with Stock Eliminator round 1
11:15 a.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 3
2:45 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 4
Sunday, May 6
10:00 a.m. – Pre-race ceremonies
11:00 a.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro eliminations begin,
eliminations for all categories continue
Television Schedule
Friday, May 4, FS1 will televise one hour of LIVE qualifying coverage at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday May 6, FS1 will televise the #NHRAToday program beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Sunday May 6, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage starting at 6:00 p.m.
Photo credit: Auto Imagery