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POMONA, Calif. - The 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season is now in the record books, and Springfield, Ill. Funny Car favorite, Tim Wilkerson made a mark in his own record book. Wilkerson closed the season by posting a career best mph in his beautiful Levi, Ray & Shoup Chevrolet Monet Carlo. It was an outstanding way to close a not so brilliant year.
In the first round of action today at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Wilkerson went head-to-head with Ron Capps. Wilkerson left on Capps, and in the quickest side-by-side run of the session, everyone had to wait for the smoke to settle in order to know the outcome. Wilkerson came up just a little short, posting a stellar 4.774 at 330.47 mph against Capps' 4.755, also at 330.47 mph. Wilkerson lost by just 12-thousand's of a second. But the there were no tears shed in the Wilkerson camp because it was the fastest run Wilkerson has ever made down the quarter-mile.
"It was a good race," said Wilkerson. "I really thought we had something for them and we did. Running our best speed, was pretty cool. I knew it was hauling out there, because it was making some noise. It usually goes across the finish line at 8100 rpm, but it was at 8500. It was revved up.
"The last two or three races, it's been showing us promise. Maybe it hasn't run as good, but looking at it, and I think I know what I'm looking at, it's showing a lot of promise. After it was burning itself up at the top end yesterday, we made some changes and ran the back half today. But because the track was so crummy early, I didn't get after it early, and it was 5-hundreds slower to the 330 mark today than it was yesterday. And it's got some room to go yet, so we're happy. The fuel problem is fixed. I went and borrowed a fuel pump for today and it helped us big time.
"We're going to work on our blower program over the winter, and see if we can get all our blowers matched up. If we can, I think we'll be ready for next year. Maybe we'll have something for them every weekend, like we used to."
Wilkerson Ends Season With a Career Best
POMONA, Calif. - The 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season is now in the record books, and Springfield, Ill. Funny Car favorite, Tim Wilkerson made a mark in his own record book. Wilkerson closed the season by posting a career best mph in his beautiful Levi, Ray & Shoup Chevrolet Monet Carlo. It was an outstanding way to close a not so brilliant year.
In the first round of action today at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Wilkerson went head-to-head with Ron Capps. Wilkerson left on Capps, and in the quickest side-by-side run of the session, everyone had to wait for the smoke to settle in order to know the outcome. Wilkerson came up just a little short, posting a stellar 4.774 at 330.47 mph against Capps' 4.755, also at 330.47 mph. Wilkerson lost by just 12-thousand's of a second. But the there were no tears shed in the Wilkerson camp because it was the fastest run Wilkerson has ever made down the quarter-mile.
"It was a good race," said Wilkerson. "I really thought we had something for them and we did. Running our best speed, was pretty cool. I knew it was hauling out there, because it was making some noise. It usually goes across the finish line at 8100 rpm, but it was at 8500. It was revved up.
"The last two or three races, it's been showing us promise. Maybe it hasn't run as good, but looking at it, and I think I know what I'm looking at, it's showing a lot of promise. After it was burning itself up at the top end yesterday, we made some changes and ran the back half today. But because the track was so crummy early, I didn't get after it early, and it was 5-hundreds slower to the 330 mark today than it was yesterday. And it's got some room to go yet, so we're happy. The fuel problem is fixed. I went and borrowed a fuel pump for today and it helped us big time.
"We're going to work on our blower program over the winter, and see if we can get all our blowers matched up. If we can, I think we'll be ready for next year. Maybe we'll have something for them every weekend, like we used to."
