Wilkerson Grabs NHRA Funny Car Win for Team Valvoline; Schumacher Runner-up in Top Fuel
KENT, Wash. - Team Valvoline driver Tim Wilkerson claimed his first win of the season, taking the Funny Car title in Sunday's NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
Wilkerson, who had a career-high six wins last year, defeated Tony Pedregon in the final round with an elapsed time and speed of 4.211 seconds at 291.01 miles per hour. Pedregon crossed the finishing stripe at 4.283 at 289.75.
"We've had a struggle this year, we've had a decent car, just had bad racing luck," Wilkerson said. "We finally got it all hooked up today."
The victory lifted Wilkerson from seventh to fifth in the driver point standings. Ron Capps, who lost in the semifinals to Wilkerson, leads the Funny Car standings.
Valvoline almost scored a double win, but team driver Tony Schumacher lost a close race in the Top Fuel final to Antron Brown, whose margin of victory -- when factoring in reaction times -- was eight-thousandths of a second. Brown ran a 3.985 at 301.07 to Schumacher's 3.990 at 300.00.
The loss snapped a three-race wining streak for Schumacher at Pacific Raceways.
Schumacher and Team Valvoline teammate, Larry Dixon, clinched berths in the NHRA Playoffs, the Countdown to 1.
The Pro Stock winner was Mike Edwards.
In Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race in the St. Louis area, Team Valvoline driver Carl Edwards finished third and remains second in points.
Team Valvoline NHRA & NASCAR Race Results
NHRA Full Throttle Series
Northwest Nationals
July 19
Pacific Raceways
Kent, Wash.
Top Fuel:
Larry Dixon, Alan Johnson Racing
Lost in Quarterfinal Round
Point Standing: 3rd
Cory McClenathan, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in First Round
Point Standing: 6th
Tony Schumacher, Don Schumacher Racing
Runner-up
Point Standing: 2nd
Funny Car
Jack Beckman, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in Quarterfinal Round
Point Standing: 4th
Ron Capps, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in Semifinal Round
Point Standing: 1st
Matt Hagen, Don Schumacher Racing
Lost in First Round Round
Point Standing: 10th
Tim Wilkerson, Team Wilkerson Racing
Won Event
Point Standing: 5th
Del Worsham, Alan Johnson Racing
Lost in First Round
Point Standing: 6th
Pro Stock
Ron Krisher, Krisher Racing
Lost in Semifinal Round
Point Standing: 7th
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Category did not compete
Next NHRA Event
July 26
Infineon Raceway
Sonoma, Calif.
