Tim Wilkerson Notes and Quotes - Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals - Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis - Aug. 28 - Sept. 2, 2019
Tim Wilkerson
Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang
Car No.: FC5
Current points position: No. 10
Event-Specific Notes:
- Tim Wilkerson and the Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang Funny Car crew have one previous U.S. Nationals nitro Funny Car win (2003 over Johnny Gray)
- His first nitro Funny Car final took place there in 1997. Whit Bazemore took the win.
- Wilkerson enters the event in the No. 10 position in the Funny Car standings. Indy is the final race of the regular season before the Countdown to the Championship field is set.
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.
Wilkerson at the U.S. Nationals
1 win in 3 final rounds
Runner-up 1997* (Whit Bazemore)
Won 2003 (defeated Johnny Gray)
Runner-up 2012 (Mike Neff)
No. 1 qualifier 1998
Last year: Qualified No. 5; second round
*Wilkerson's first nitro Funny Car final
Wilkerson's career stats through 2019 NHRA Northwest Nationals, Seattle
(most recent event)
510 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)
Quote:
"Right now, I'm so focused on trying to figure out why my car is being so cantankerous. I'm going to ignore that this is Indy and try to figure out what I need to do to get my car down the track and win some rounds. If we can do that, the points will take care of themselves. This Ford Mustang is a good car, we just have a little bit of a mystery on our hands. Hopefully, we get it figured out and make up some ground, and then we have a good car through the Countdown. But right now, we're just keeping our heads down."
2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car Standings
(after Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, race 17 of 24)
1. Robert Hight, 1,397*
2. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,218*
3. John Force, 1,199*
4. Ron Capps, 1,171*
5. Jack Beckman, 1,098*
6. Matt Hagan, 1,047*
7. Bob Tasca III, 1,038*
8. J.R. Todd, 981*
9. Shawn Langdon, 914*
10. Tim Wilkerson, 824
*Clinched berth in NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship
Race Info
65th Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals
Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianolis
Brownsburg, Indiana
August 28 – September 2, 2019
Run Schedule (all times local)
Wednesday, August 28
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman qualifying and time trials begin
(Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, Super Comp only)
Thursday, August 29
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman qualifying and time trials continue
(Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, Super Comp, Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Comp)
Friday, August 30
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations begin, including Hemi Challenge
5:45 p.m. – Factory Stock Showdown qualifying session 1
7:15 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 1
Saturday, August 31
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations continue
12:00 p.m. – Factory Stock Showdown qualifying session 2
1:15 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 2
3:20 p.m. – Factory Stock Showdown qualifying session 3
4:15 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 3
6:40 p.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations continue
Sunday, September 1
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations continue
12:30 p.m. – Factory Stock Showdown round 1
1:15 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Qualifying session 4
3:20 p.m. – Factory Stock Showdown round 2
4:15 p.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Qualifying session 5
6:45 p.m. – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations continue
Monday, September 2
10:00 a.m. – Pre-race ceremonies
11:00 a.m. – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro eliminations begin, eliminations for all categories continue
#NHRAonFOX Schedule (all times ET)
Qualifying / Sunday – 2-4 PM ET / FS1
Qualifying / Sunday – 4-6 PM ET / FS1 / LIVE
Finals / Monday – 11 AM-1 PM ET / FS1 /LIVE
Finals / Monday – 1-4 PM ET / FOX / LIVE
Event hashtags: #USNats and #BigGo
**Full results posted at DragRaceCentral.com**
Photo credit: Auto Imagery
