Tim Wilkerson Pre-Race Package NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol Dragway, Bristol, TN - June 14-16, 2019
Posted by: Kelly Wade
Tim Wilkerson
Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang
Car No.: FC5
Current points position: No. 8
Event-specific Notes:
- Tim Wilkerson has reached the final round twice in Bristol. He was runner-up in both 2010 and 2014.
- Bristol is one of just five racetracks on the tour where Wilkerson has yet to claim victory. He is still in the hunt for wins in Bristol, Pomona, Epping, Brainerd, and Richmond.
- Wilkerson hails from Springfield, Ill., and will be racing for the trophy for longtime sponsor Levi, Ray & Shoup. Wilkerson has been primarily sponsored by LRS for 20 years in one of the longest standing partnerships in current-day NHRA drag racing.
- Wilkerson debuted his brand-new Ford Mustang Funny Car body this season at the Virginia Nationals in Richmond, but he will not be running it in Bristol as it was damaged two races ago in Chicago when he came into contact with the guard wall during eliminations.
- Wilkerson has been a devoted Ford campaigner for 10 years and has claimed 10 of his 20 nitro Funny Car victories piloting a Ford Mustang.
Driver Notes:
- Wilkerson was in the final at Gainesville, Las Vegas, and Atlanta this year. He was the No. 1 qualifier in Las Vegas.
- Team Summit driver Wilkerson, the driver, tuner, and team owner of the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang Funny Car, is an independent driver and the only single-car team in the category to finish in the top 10 in 2018
- The early portion of Wilkerson's career included a successful run as a Top Alcohol Funny Car driver. He earned eight division trophies, one national event win, and was the Division 3 Top Alcohol Funny Car champ in both 1994 and 1995 in the Lucas Oil Series before stepping up to the Pro ranks in Gainesville in 1996.
Quotes:
"I really have a fast car, and I'm happy with how it runs. It shook its tail off in Houston in the first round, and I'm very unhappy about that, so I've been working on figuring out how to make it not do that anymore. It's a little bit tricky because while we're working on that, we're also concentrating on keeping it fast. Anyhow, we're excited for this weekend and getting back to Four-Wide. Winning that race in 2016 was a lot of fun, and it would be really special to get this team and our LRS Ford Mustang to the winner's circle there again."
Wilkerson in Bristol
2 final rounds
Runner-up 2014 (Tommy Johnson Jr.)
Runner-up 2010 (John Force)
In 2018: Qualified No. 13, first round
Career Stats through 2019 Heartland Nationals in Topeka
(most recent Funny Car event)
503 races
20 wins
24 runner-up finishes
44 final rounds
20 No. 1 qualifier awards
Career best e.t.: 3.844 (2017 Phoenix)
Career best speed: 333.74 (2016 Topeka)
Quotes:
"Our LRS Ford Mustang is responding well, and for the most part it's doing what we ask it to do. I'm real happy about that, and I think we'll have a good race out there. We're hoping we can make a really, really good run or two in qualifying to set us up Sunday, and we'll see what we can do from there. That track can be tricky, but we've got a good car, and for the most part we know what to expect with that particular racing surface. It's a neat place, and they've got crazy-good fans out there who just love racing. That makes it a lot of fun."
2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car Standings
(after the NHRA Heartland Nationals, race 10 of 24)
1. Robert Hight (4), 933
2. Tommy Johnson Jr. (1), 725
3. John Force, 681
4. Ron Capps (2), 666
5. J.R. Todd (1), 656
6. Jack Beckman, 645
7. Matt Hagan (1), 612
8. Tim Wilkerson, 556
9. Shawn Langdon (1), 468
10. Bob Tasca III, 455
Race Info
19th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Bristol Dragway
Bristol, Tennessee
June 14-16, 2019
Run Schedule (all times local)
Friday, June 14
10:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman qualifying & time trials begin
4:30 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 1
7:30 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 2
Saturday, June 15
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations begin
1:00 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 3
4:00 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 4
Sunday, June 16
11:00 a.m. – Pre-race ceremonies
12:00 noon – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro eliminations begin,
eliminations for all categories continue
#NHRAonFOX Television Schedule (all times ET)
Qualifying / Friday – 7:30-8:30 PM ET / FS1
Qualifying / Saturday – 10:30 PM-12 AM ET / FS1
Finals / Sunday – 2-5 PM ET / FS1
Join the conversation by using #NHRA #ThunderValleyNats on social media
**Full results posted throughout the weekend at DragRaceCentral.com**
Photo credit: Auto Imagery