User:JLG 2701/tw

Tim Wilkerson
Tim Wilkerson
	Tim Wilkerson's 2008 Levi, Ray, and Shoup Chevrolet Impala body.
Nationality	American
National Hot Rod Association career
Debut season	1996
Current team	Levi, Ray, & Shoup/Wilkerson Racing
Car number	FC347
Wins	12 (11 FC, 1 TAFC)
Fastest laps	4.723 seconds in Pomona, CA - February 10, 2007; 330.47 mph in Pomona, CA - November 12, 2006
Best finish	7th in 1998, 2003, 2004
Previous series
1990 - 1995	NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car
Championship titles
1994, 1995	NHRA Division III Alcohol Funny Car

Tim Wilkerson (born December 29, 1960 in) is an American NHRA Drag racing driver from Springfield, Illinois.

Early history

1979: Began Bracket racing his 1963 Plymouth.
1989: Won first Sportsman Race in Super Comp -Division III – Martin, MI.
1990 – 1995: Raced NHRA Alcohol Funny Car.
1994: Won Division III NHRA Alcohol Funny Car Championship.
1995: Won Second Division III NHRA Alcohol Funny Car.
Championship^[1]

The "Big Leagues"

His move to the NHRA touring series.

1996: Began Fuel Funny Car career

Became the seventh Funny Car driver to break the four-second barrier

Became the 7th Member of the Castrol Four-Second Club at the Winston Finals in Pomona, CA. (Time: 4.945)

First Funny Car Rookie to run over 300 MPH

First Funny Car Rookie to run in the 4’s.

1997: Runner-up at Indianapolis in first career final round.

First Funny Car to run 4 seconds in Memphis, TN.

Reached first career Funny Car final round at US Nationals

1998: Career-high NHRA points finish; No 1 qualifier at Indianapolis

Finished seventh in the Winston standings. Earned the No. 1 qualifying spots at St. Louis and Indianapolis.

Runner Up at Winternationals (Pomona) and Richmond.

Qualified for the Big Bud Shootout

1999: Won first event in a tire-smoking battle with John Force (Chicago); Drove half the season for John Costanza

Won his first National Event in Funny Car, defeating John Force at the Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, IL.

Nominated for the NHRA All-Star Team

2000: Competed in limited schedule while sharing duties as team owner, driver and crew chief

First Funny Car to run 4 seconds in Las Vegas, NV

2002: Finished 12th in the standings despite missing seven national events; Qualified for every event he entered; Advanced to the semifinals a career-high five times

Aug. 30, 2002: Member of First Mac Tools Stars & Stripes Team at the 48th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, IN

2003: Won the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, from the No. 15 qualifying spot; tied career-best finish in the final Funny Car standings; No. 1 qualifier at Pomona 1 and Denver; highest round-win total (19) since 1998 (20); recorded career-best performance numbers

Feb. 6, 2003: Ran career best elapsed time of 4.759 seconds in Pomona, CA. This is currently the fourth quickest ever.

Sept. 7, 2003: Won the 49th Annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, defeating Johnny Gray in Indianapolis, IN. becoming NHRA's 500th event winner

Oct. 5, 2003: Won the 19th Annual Lucas Oil Nationals, defeating Cruz Pedregon in Reading, PA

2004: Won two events for the second consecutive season; Tied career-best finish in final point standings; Established career-best for speed (323.75 mph) and elimination rounds won (23); Qualified No. 1 at Gainesville and Brainerd; Qualified No. 9 for quickest Funny Car field in NHRA history (Pomona 2)

July 30 - August 1, 2004: Won the 17th Annual FRAM-Autolite Nationals, defeating John Force in Houston, Texas.

April 18, 2004: Won the 17th Annual O'Reilly Spring Nationals, defeating Jerry Tolliver in Houston, Texas. Won 100th Eliminations Round at the 17th Annual O'Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston, Texas.

2005: Set career best for speed; Advanced to one final round (St. Louis); Finished 11th in the point standings; Qualified for final 22 events

2006: Qualified for 16 of 23 events; Advanced to the quarterfinals at Englishtown, NJ and Brainerd, MN

November 12, 2006: Ran career best speed of 330.47 seconds in Pomona, CA.

2007: Lowered his four-year-old career best time by 36 hundredths; Earned first No. 1 qualifiers (Bristol, Dallas) since Brainerd 2004; Advanced to four semifinals, including at two of the last three races; Advanced out of the first round at five of the last eight races

2008

February, 2008: Back to back #1 Qualifier (Pomona and Phoenix)
April 13, 2008: Won the 9th Annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals, defeating Ashley Force in Las Vegas, NV.
May 4, 2008: Won the 12th Annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals, defeating Mike Neff in St. Louis (Madison, IL).
June 22, 2008: Won the 39th Annual NHRA SuperNationals, defeating Mike Neff in Englishtown, NJ.
July 13, 2008: Won the 29th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, defeating Jack Beckman in Denver, CO.
September 21, 2008: Won the 23rd Annual O'Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals, defeating Tony Pedregon in Dallas, TX.
September 28, 2008: Won the 21st Annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals, defeating Ashley Force in Memphis, TN.
2008: Qualified for the 27th Annual Skoal Showdown

External links

(good places for info, etc)

^ http://www.timwilkerson.com/Q&A.htm

[1] ttp://www.timwilkerson.com/Q&A.htm

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