Tim Wilkerson Notes and Quotes - Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals - Maple Grove Raceway - September 12-15, 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 Shelby Mustang Funny Car crew have one previous Maple Grove nitro Funny Car win (2003 over Cruz Pedregon)
- Wilkerson reached the final round in Reading last season and came up just one win light short of his 21st career nitro Funny Car win
- Wilkerson enters the event, the first in NHRA's 2019 Countdown to the Championship playoffs, in the No. 10 position
- 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
- Wilk has finished in the top 10 in 14 of his 22 years as a nitro Funny Car driver, including in each of the most recent 11 years.
Driver Notes:
- Wilkerson was in the final at Gainesville, Las Vegas, and Atlanta this year. He was the No. 1 qualifier in Las Vegas.
- 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 NHRA Nationals in Reading
1 win in 2 final rounds
Runner-up 2018 (J.R. Todd)
Won 2003 (defeated Cruz Pedregon)
Last year: Qualified No. 2; final round
Wilkerson's career stats through 2019 Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis
(most recent event)
511 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:
"We're happy to be able to get in there again, and now we have to keep beating on the drum. We haven't had a whole lot of luck lately, but this is the right time for it to turn around. The first part of the year has been up and down, but we've had a lot of new things we've been working with, including this great new Ford Mustang Funny Car body. We're about to turn the corner, and hopefully, in the Countdown we'll really shine. Last year, we took off when we got into those last six races. Hopefully, we can win some rounds and get ourselves up in the middle. If we can do that, we'll have a real chance to fight for the championship."
2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car Standings
(after NHRA U.S. Nationals, race 18 of 24)
1. Robert Hight, 1,481*
2. John Force, 1,376*
3. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,269*
4. Jack Beckman, 1,259*
5. Ron Capps, 1,234*
6. Matt Hagan, 1,165*
7. Bob Tasca III, 1,116*
8. J.R. Todd, 1,095*
9. Shawn Langdon, 997*
10. Tim Wilkerson, 863*
*Clinched berth in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship
Race Info
35th annual Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals
Maple Grove Raceway
Reading, Pennsylvania
September 12-15, 2019
Run Schedule (all times ET)
Thursday, September 12
10:00am – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman qualifying begins
Friday, September 13
9:00am – Lucas Oil Series Sportsman eliminations begin
2:00pm – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 1
5:00pm – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 2
Saturday, September 14
12:45pm – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 3
3:00pm – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro qualifying session 4
Sunday, September 15
11am – Mello Yello Drag Racing Series eliminations begin, eliminations for all other categories continue
#NHRAonFOX Schedule (all times ET)
Qualifying / Friday – 6:30-8:30 PM ET / FS1
Qualifying / Saturday – 9-10 PM ET / FS2
Finals / Sunday – 2-5 PM ET / FS1
Event hashtags: #ReadingNats #NHRACountdown
**Full results posted at DragRaceCentral.com**
Photo credit: Auto Imagery
