Wilk Readies for Three-Day Home Stand
Posted by: Team Manager Bob Wilber
ST. LOUIS (September 23, 2014) -- With the NHRA Mello Yello tour taking place annually at 24 "neutral sites" spread across the country, there are technically no such things as "home" or "away" games for the participants. But, in reality, many drivers have a hometown near one of the national events on the NHRA campaign, and for Tim Wilkerson it's all about this weekend's AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park, just 95 short miles from his home and shop in Springfield, Ill. Gateway's mailing address may show "Madison, IL" as its official locale but this race is almost universally known as a St. Louis event, and the sight of the Gateway Arch in the background clearly illustrates why.
What's unique about the St. Louis race for Wilk is not restricted to the fact he lives nearby. His primary sponsor, Levi, Ray & Shoup, is also located in Springfield, so the guest list and ticket program for this race include an enormous list of family, friends, neighbors, sponsors, and sponsor clients. It's all rolled into one three-day experience that feels like more than just a home game. It feels like a home stand.
"It's different, I'll give you that," Wilk said. "There's a lot going on, both personally and professionally, and it can get to be a bit of a whirlwind, but it's a privilege to race on the NHRA tour, and when Gateway wasn't on the schedule it honestly wasn't as fun. We have a lot to do in three days, and a lot going on in our pit, in our hospitality center, and in another auxiliary tent LRS rents trackside, so there's never a dull moment.
"Dick Levi will come down on Saturday, and the best days all season are the days Dick is with us. He's been as good of a supporter and partner as there's ever been in this sport, day in and day out for 15 years. He deeply cares about us and he cares about how we do, but he also cares about marketing his company and we do all we can to keep making that one of our top priorities at every race. For St. Louis, though, all the knobs get turned up to 11 and it's all just bigger and more important."
Such would be the case no matter when the St. Louis event was scheduled, but with it now holding a prime spot in the middle of the six-race Countdown playoffs, the excitement levels are pegged on the red line. With two Countdown races now in the book, the various views of potential championship scenarios begin to coalesce, and Wilk is happy with the way his team is functioning.
"St. Louis would be a huge weekend for us if it was in May, but with it right in the middle of the Countdown it's all at a different level, and we're competing hard at playoff time with a huge home crowd pulling for us really hard," Wilk said. "We have great fans wherever we go, and Joliet and Indy are certainly places where we can sense that a bigger portion of the crowd is pulling for us, but St. Louis is kind of off the charts.
"For one weekend, I get to feel maybe a tiny percentage of what John Force feels every day, and it's pretty exhilarating. They're usually about twelve deep at the ropes every day, and they cheer for our warmups like they cheer for the Cardinals. It's great, and it gets us all pumped up. This weekend is the halfway point for the playoffs, so it would be great to give all our Warriors something to really go nuts about. I don't see why we can't. We have a good-running car and my guys are doing great work."
Wilk entered the playoffs in the 10th and final slot, but is currently ninth in the standings after picking up three round wins at the first two Countdown races. He is 12 points behind Del Worsham (8th), 39 behind Tommy Johnson (7th), and 41 behind both Alexis DeJoria and Ron Capps (tied for 5th). John Force is the current points leader, and Wilk trails him by 135. With the bottom half of the top 10 so tightly bunched, there's liable to be quite a bit of shuffling at Gateway this weekend, and Wilk's avid backers will be doing all they can to help him continue to move up.
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