User:JLG 2701/tw

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

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