In career year, Wilkerson’s goal in sight

In the first 11 years of Tim Wilkerson's professional drag racing career, he won five NHRA national event titles -- quite an accomplishment for a driver and team owner without major financial backing.

He has more than doubled that total in his 12th year.

Entering today's last two qualifying sessions of the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, Wilkerson has won six events this year and leads the Funny Car point standings with two events remaining.

"It's been an exciting year. There's no doubt about that," he said. "We're just going to keep our nose down."

Wilkerson, 47, leads Jack Beckman by 51 points and Cruz Pedregon by 69.

Each win in Sunday elimination rounds is worth 20 points. Counting this weekend, eight rounds remain.

"You want balance in motor sports. It couldn't be scripted better," said Beckman, the No. 12 qualifier after Friday's two rounds.

Wilkerson is fifth among 20 cars. In one breath he says he's not feeling any pressure, then he quickly realizes he's on the cusp of a lifetime achievement. His best previous finish in the final standings has been seventh three times. Last season he was 15th.

After winning the Funny Car event in April at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Springfield, Ill., native said he had benefited from enhanced NHRA safety requirements that raised the minimum weight of the cars to allow teams to beef up their chassis.

Wilkerson might have an edge racing a car that he said has always been one of the heaviest in his class. Regardless, his team is among only two one-car teams resting in the top 10.

John Force Racing has all four of its cars in the top 10, and Don Schumacher Racing has two.

"The only advantage we have to being a one-car team is we don't get lost in all the mumbo-jumbo. We're a smaller circus than the Schumachers and Forces," said Wilkerson, who said he has received some technical support from Don Prudhomme Racing.

This year Wilkerson has posted a 15-5 record against Force Racing cars.

"Force has asked me 100 times how come I can whup him this year. I don't really know what the answer is, but I believe that having a single-car team, sometimes you can (better) focus on your car," Wilkerson said.

Winning also has helped put some swagger in Wilkerson's young crew members.

"For us to have done that (dominate Force) a couple times this year, yeah, my guys, they strut around like some peacocks when that happened. But that's good. That's good for them," he said.

• NOTES -- This is the first NHRA event in Las Vegas in which Funny Car and Top Fuel races are being contested over 1,000 feet instead of a quarter mile for safety reasons.

Force is on the provisional pole in Funny Car after recording a time of 4.062 seconds (307.37 mph).

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher is on the pole and closer to a fifth straight season championship, which he will clinch today if he holds a spot in the top 16 heading into Sunday's championship eliminations.

Points leader Jeg Coughlin Jr. ran the quickest time ever at the track in Pro Stock, and Greg Anderson set the speed record at 205.85 mph.

Angelle Sampey set a time record in Pro Stock Motorcycle with a run of 6.993 seconds (188.23 mph) in her quest to win her first pole and title of the season.

• BLOG -- Go to LVRJ.com/blogs/heavypedal for more on the event.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.