Tim Wilkerson Racing Notes and Quotes - AAA NHRA FallNationals - Dallas, TX
Posted by: Kelly Topolinski
Tim Wilkerson
Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang
Car No.: FC8
Current points position: No. 4
Notes:
- Tim Wilkerson and the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang Funny Car crew have one previous Dallas nitro Funny Car win (2008 over Tony Pedregon)
- Wilkerson enters the event, the third in NHRA's 2018 Countdown to the Championship playoffs, in the No. 4 position following back-to-back final rounds to start the playoffs. He began the Countdown in the No. 10 position, moved up to No. 6 after his performance in Reading, and then to No. 4 after St. Louis.
- As the driver, tuner, and team owner of the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang Funny Car, Wilkerson is an independent campaigner and one of just two single-car teams in the category to finish in the top 10 in 2017.
- He has finished in the top 10 in 13 of his 22 years as a nitro Funny Car driver, including in each of the most recent 10 years.
- The NHRA FallNationals will be the 490th 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 Dallas
1 win in 1 final round
Won 2008 (defeated Tony Pedregon)
No. 1 in 1998, 2008
Last year: Qualified No. 5, semifinals
Last year: Qualified No. 12, first round
Wilkerson's career stats through 2018 AAA NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis
(most recent event)
489 races
20 wins
22 runner-up finishes
42 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 FallNationals
"We've run well at Dallas before, and if I can get my car to cooperate a little bit more in the middle [of the track], I think we'll be okay. We have to make it a little faster earlier, but we're on the right track, and the team is working so well together. We hurt a motor right before the final two weeks ago in St. Louis, and we didn't have one ready. All the guys pitched in, and man, it went like clockwork. It's pretty cool because we've been racing against people who, on paper, we have no business racing against – and they're not making mistakes against us on accident. We have a good car and they know it. We're not going to let anybody down, we're going to keep working on it and see what we can do this weekend."
NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series
Funny Car Standings
(after AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, Countdown to the Championship race 2 of 6)
1. Robert Hight, 2270
2. J.R. Todd, 2240
3. Courtney Force, 2200
4. Tim Wilkerson, 2196
5. Ron Capps, 2182
6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 2166
7. Matt Hagan, 2144
8. John Force, 2116
9. Jack Beckman, 2113
10. Shawn Langdon, 2086
Race Info
33rd annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals
Texas Motorplex
Ennis, Texas
October 4-7, 2018
Run Schedule (all times ET)
Thursday, October 4
9:00am – Sportsman qualifying and time trials
Friday, October 5
8:00am – Sportsman eliminations
2:15pm – Pro qualifying session 1
5:30pm – Pro qualifying session 2
Saturday, October 6
8:00am – Sportsman eliminations
1:15pm – Pro qualifying session 3
4:30pm – Pro qualifying session 4
Sunday, October 7
9:00am – Top Alcohol and Pro Mod eliminations
10:00am – Pre-race ceremonies
11:00am – Pro eliminations begin, Sportsman eliminations continue
Television Schedule
Qualifying / Saturday – 9 AM-10 AM ET | FS1
Qualifying / Saturday – 5:30 PM-7 PM ET | LIVE | FS2
NHRA Today / Sunday – 1 PM-2PM ET | FS1
Finals / Sunday – 2 PM-5 PM ET | LIVE | FS1
Join the conversation by using #FallNats on social media
**Full results posted throughout the weekend at DragRaceCentral.com**
Photo credit: Auto Imagery