Tim Wilkerson is a rarity of rarities. He not only drives an NHRA Funny Car, but he also is the crew chief AND the owner. Yes, Wilkerson hits the trifecta of being owner crew chief driver. And he’s competitive to boot.

In fact this past week, he won the Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington (his first this year). That’s a win for the underdogs of our sport. He’s finished in the Top 10 the last three years. By the way, his win at Kent was his third in-a-row in the Pacific Northwest. He is currently ninth in the points and if he holds on, (which it looks good right now) he will make the Countdown (playoffs). There are only two more races until the Countdown begins.

Anybody can beat anyone at a given time but it takes four wins in one day of eliminations to be victorious and hold a Wally at the end of the meet.

The fuel Funny Cars are dominated by two super teams: John Force Racing and Don Schumacher Racing. Along with the Pedregon brothers, these teams have the ability to acquire information from each other and when you include the budgets these big teams have, it makes it almost impossible for independent single car teams to make it.

Wilkerson was born, went to school and now currently resides and has his business in Springfield, Illinois. He is 50 years old and has been a fuel Funny Car driver for 15 years. His main sponsor is Levi, Ray & Shoup who are an information technology company – essentially a business-to-business sponsor.

He is one of the more popular drivers in the NHRA and almost always has a smile on his face. Wilkerson’s ability to do interviews, call the tuning on the engine and drive his car is amazing – and as an owner, hospitality becomes an additional part of the business at the track.

Psychologist

He’s struggled some while sitting near the bottom half at most races and had not won an event since last year’s Northwest Nationals. “This is going to be a big ego boost for my guys,” Wilkerson said. “When you are the owner, crew chief and driver of a team, you spend a lot of time being a psychologist, especially when you go a year without winning a race.”

Currently there’s nobody else doing what Wilkerson does. Yes, there are others who are car owner, crew chief and driver but they don’t race full-time.

Is he capable of running consistently against the big mega teams? It’s one of those questions that continues every year. If anyone can beat the big boys when it comes down to the Countdown, I’d put my money on Tim Wilkerson.

To be able to do all the jobs Wilkerson does is one thing, it’s quite another to be successful. Can he win the championship? He was in the running a few years ago and finished second, so he’s proved he can certainly battle with the best for the championship. We’ll see whether Tim’s ‘little team that can’, comes in first after the last race in November at the World Finals.

A championship for him will be as rare as Tim Wilkerson himself.

Sources – NHRA, ESPN

Thanks to: sports.yahoo.com

By: Daryle W. Hier