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TIM WILKERSON WINS DEWALT CAROLINA NATIONALS
“It was tremendous pressure today,” said Wilkerson. “It was a crazy, crazy day. It started out pretty good and we went down the track just like I wanted to. From there it kind of went bizarre. Force had me beat (before he crossed the centerline) and he ambushed me last week. It looks like I just need to qualify No. 8. I won Indy out of the No. 8 spot too. That is what I am going to do for the rest of the year, qualify No. 8.”
The quick turnaround for the live national Fox broadcast had Wilkerson’s team working at a break-neck pace. He was short-handed due to a few absences from regular crew members as well as some injuries during the event.
“It was a tough day and we barely made it through the rounds in the semis and the finals,” said Wilkerson. “Capps sent me a text saying they would wait for me in the back of the lanes and they weren’t going to roll up without me. I am very proud of my guys. We had one team today and we had two teams in Indy helping us. We looked like we only had one team today. We were thrashing. I was out there changing tires and putting motors in. I am worn out.”
In the marquee match-up of the first round Wilkerson’s Mustang squared off with fellow Countdown competitor and Mustang Funny Car driver Tasca. It was No. 8 versus No. 9 and when the race cars hit the finish line stripe it was Wilkerson advancing to the quarterfinals. His winning time of 3.931 seconds at 323.58 mph was quick enough for the win over a tire-smoking Tasca and gave the U.S. National champion lane choice in the second round.
The quarterfinal race was a rematch of the Reading Nationals first round which did not go Wilkerson’s way despite a tremendous run a week ago racing 16-time champion John Force. Today it was a wild race as it appeared the Levi, Ray & Shoup Summit Racing Ford Mustang was narrowly outrun but upon further review Force’s Funny Car crossed the centerline disqualifying the No. 1 qualifier and advancing Wilkerson to the semis for the second time in three races. Wilkerson’s winning time was an impressive 3.953 second run at 326.79 mph run.
“I was amped up for Force in the second round,” confessed Wilkerson in the zMax Dragway pressroom. “I was shallowing up because I wanted lane choice. I still lost lane choice. We are doing our best and it is very exciting to run a one car team and to have all this fun. I would be selling tires and batteries at home if I wasn’t doing this.”
In the semis Wilkerson had to run in the right lane against Capps but he was able to make his Ford Mustang stick to the track for his third win of the day. To get to that round his whole team worked feverishly to put the racecar together with Wilkerson having to make quick decisions on his car’s tune-up.
“I think (the quick turnarounds) work in my favor,” said Wilkerson. “My wife said that today if I didn’t have a heart attack today, she was going to for me. I told her I can’t get rid of her because she is my lucky charm. I asked her to stay in the lounge and keep calm and I will do the goofy work. Sometimes there is too much time to start at the computer and make changes. Today I made wholesale changes
and lived with them and it worked out.”
The final round race was one for the ages as conditions changed just as the two Funny Cars were pulling up to run. Wilkerson could not make changes to his tune up so he had his team adjust in hopes he would be able to get one more round in over Pedregon. The adjustments worked flawlessly, and he solidly outran Pedregon for the win.
“They said the track temp was 112 degrees for the finals I was short on clutch,” said Wilkerson. “I thought I was going to get my butt whipped. We just let some air out of the tires and lowered the wheelie bar and sent it.”
The win moved Wilkerson into a tie for sixth place, up from ninth and he sits just over one round of racing out of fourth place with five races remaining in the Countdown. The veteran driver is not thinking about the championship just yet.
“Every race is a new race. If we get down to Pomona and we have a chance to win it then we will clap our hands. I am going to my home race next weekend in St. Louis and I have a bazillion people who come there including Dick Levi,” added Wilkerson.
Qualifying Results
Q1: 3.914 sec, 323.12 mph; Qual. 7
Q2: 4.021 sec., 316.38 mph; Qual. 7
Q3: 3.913 sec., 327.27 mph; Qual. 8
Bonus Points: 0
Race Results
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Tim Wilkerson 8 .101 3.931 323.58 (W)
Bob Tasca III 9 .079 4.444 196.62
Second Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Tim Wilkerson 8 .102 3.953 326.79 (W)
John Force 1 DQ - crossed centerline
Semifinal Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Tim Wilkerson 8 .059 3.909 315.42 (W)
Ron Capps 5 .067 3.939 319.07
Final Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Tim Wilkerson 8 .061 3.927 331.36 (W)
Cruz Pedregon 3 .063 3.947 325.53
Camping World Funny Car Countdown Top Ten
1. Ron Capps 2233
2. Matt Hagan 2228
3. John Force 2208
4. J.R. Todd 2187
5. Cruz Pedregon 2181
6. Tim Wilkerson 2161
6. Robert Hight 2161
8. Alexis DeJoria 2136
9. Bob Tasca III 2130
10. Blake Alexander 2064
