WILKERSON CONTINUES TO TURN HEADS WITH PART-TIME TEAM

MADISON, Ill. - Tim Wilkerson is enjoying his part-time driving job right now. He likes the fact that he and the Levi, Ray & Shoup Pontiac Firebird Funny Car team have turned heads and are making waves in the category.

Last season Wilkerson raced in 15 of the 24 national events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, finishing 18^th in the Funny Car standings. This season, Wilkerson has raced in just seven of the 10 national events and is sitting in the No. 8 spot in the standings.

"I guess you could say (the highlight of the 2002 season so far) is the way we're shaking things up," Wilkerson, a Springfield, Ill. native, said. "You never want to talk out loud because the car has good ears, but we're the only single-car team in the top 10 and we've even missed a few races. We're very proud of our accomplishments so far this year and I think that is the best thing."

Wilkerson will be aiming for another solid performance near his hometown during the sixth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals, June 27-30, at Gateway International Raceway. Doug Kalitta, Tony Pedregon, Warren Johnson and GT Tonglet are the defending winners of the $1.8 million race. It is the 12^th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

"Of course, we would like to think that there is absolutely no difference between going to St. Louis and racing anywhere else," Wilkerson said. "But I guess deep down there is a difference because you want to do really well in front of your family and friends. There probably is a little extra pressure with that.

"Subconsciously, I just try and put that out of my mind and forget about that and just go out there and run the car the best we can."

While some of the big-name teams have had troubles qualifying, Wilkerson has turned heads with solid performances in a majority of the races. Wilkerson has qualified in the top four spots in seven of the eight events he's entered, including three No. 2 qualifying positions.

"The limited racing schedule means absolutely nothing to this team," Wilkerson said. "(Sponsor) Dick Levi and I talked in the beginning of the year and Levi has enough money to do the whole deal if he wants to. But we decided we would rather do 15 quality races than 23 sub-par races. Just because you run a limited schedule does not mean that you don't know what you are doing and you don't have a good team.

"I have a great group of people working with me. We could stumble in the next few races, but I really don't see that happening. We all get along well and this group does a good job in figuring out how to make this car run well."

Gateway International Raceway is considered Wilkerson's home track, but he has yet to claim a winning performance there. That, he hopes, will change this season.

"It's been our home track for a long time and I was a bracket racer there when it was called the 'Swamp' and the track ran the other way," Wilkerson said. "We've never made it past the second round there but I believe that everyone will see us do better this year. We'll have a tremendous turnout from our friends and fans there, plus Levi, Ray & Shoup has a lot of people coming out. Of course you know that when the sponsor is excited, everything is good."

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CLASS GEARS UP FOR CONSECUTIVE EVENTS

MADISON, Ill. - Let's be clear on a couple of things. Yes, the Pro Stock Motorcycle category is a professional class with the National Hot Rod Association. And no, they do not race at all 23 national events. The two-wheel category, however, is in for a busy summer.

The Pro Stock Motorcycle riders will compete in eight of nine races starting with the June event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. The category will be absent at only one event (Seattle) through the end of September. That is one of the longer stretches in class history.

"I don't think it will be too much different than in years past, but we will be doing more driving this year with so many consecutive races," three-time champion Matt Hines said. "We don't go to Seattle, so it will be nice to have the week off before we hit Sonoma and Brainerd. The good thing about that stretch is that there is a couple events on the West Coast, which is better than going back and forth across the country."

The Pro Stock Motorcycle riders will be competing in the third race of that stretch at the sixth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals, June 27-30, at Gateway International Raceway. Doug Kalitta, Tony Pedregon, Warren Johnson and GT Tonglet are the defending winners of the $1.8 million race. It is the 7^th of 14 events for the Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

While Hines and his Colorado-based Vance & Hines Eagle One Suzuki shop might have the equipment ready for all of the races, he said he is hoping to get on a positive streak mentally as well.

"We have a lot of races in a row, and we have never been to Sonoma and we don't have any data for that track," Hines said. "Hopefully the conditions will be similar to other tracks that we go to in the summer because we need to get the ball rolling in the right direction. The competition is so tough that whoever is winning races at the start could have the advantage throughout that stretch of events."

Reggie Showers said the consecutive races could prove to be more difficult than he would like.
"It goes with the territory and as motorcycle drag racers, we are prepared for this kind of thing," Showers, rider of the Prosthetic Design/Damp Rid Suzuki, said. "If it was easy, more people would do this for a living. The biggest obstacle to making it through so many events is the competition. The other riders in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series bring so much to the table. You have to elevate your level of competition, otherwise you won't be racing very long on Sunday.

"Anyone who qualifies for the eliminations can win the race. We all know that. If you let your guard down, you will lose. In order to do well in this stretch, we have to do a lot of traveling and make sure we are prepared, but it will all be worth it."

Shawn Gann rides the Mac Tools/Gann Speed Suzuki. He said being away from the shop will prove to be the most difficult thing for his team.

"We live in North Carolina, so going out for the West Coast swing takes a lot of time and equipment," Gann said. "You really have to be prepared and you have to think ahead more than we have had to in the past. But if this is what it takes to hit some of the hottest and best tracks on the schedule, then we'll do it. We just have to make sure we are on our best game and try to snag a win or two out of the bunch."

They all seem to agree on two things. There will be a lot more travel time for the Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors, but it will all be worth the effort.

"It's nice to have a break every now and then, but a lot of races in a row doesn't bother me," Hines said. "We'll be on the road driving a lot more, but I am looking forward to doing well at all of the races."

HOT STARTS: THE STUDENT RIVALS THE TEACHER

MADISON, Ill. - The student is starting to look a lot like the teacher these days. When it comes to some of the best starts in an NHRA season, there is one driver whose performance stands out in more than 50 years of racing: Don "The Snake" Prudhomme.

In 1976, Prudhomme earned Funny Car victories in seven of the eight national events during the eight-race season. He also grabbed a runner-up honor in the race he didn't win. Today, that season is remembered as one of the best performances in NHRA history. Now Prudhomme is the owner for three teams, including Top Fuel points leader Larry Dixon and the Miller Lite Dragster. Dixon has turned heads this season by claiming seven wins and three runner-up finishes in the first 11 races of the year.

Dixon will be driving toward another victory during the sixth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals, June 27-30, at Gateway International Raceway. Doug Kalitta, Tony Pedregon, Warren Johnson and GT Tonglet are the defending winners of the $1.8 million race. It is the 12^th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

While Dixon has been behind the wheel of the most consistent car in the Top Fuel ranks, he said he will never be able to match the 1976 results.

"Nobody will ever be able to touch that season," Dixon, an Indianapolis resident, said. "That winning percentage is unbeatable, it was just a crazy season. We could win every race from now on and we still would not be as good as him."

Dixon and Prudhomme are equally flattering towards each other's accomplishments. Sill, Prudhomme insists he could not have expected his Miller Lite team to perform any better in the first half of the season.

"I don't think there can be a better start," Prudhomme said. "I'd ask for one, but I don't think it exists. It is the kind of thing that you dream about as a driver, as a crew chief and as a team owner. It has worked out for myself, Larry and (crew chief) Dick LaHaie. It is something that in my 40 years of experience, you always work for. It's been one of those seasons that is difficult to duplicate."

In 1976, Prudhomme won five races to start the season, was the runner-up in the sixth race and finished the season with two more victories.

"I don't see any similarities between drag racing now and then. It is so much different," Prudhomme said. "It does take the same determination now that it did back then. Outside of that, it is way different. The competition is greater than it has ever been. I would probably say that it is a much tougher time to win several races than when I did it.

"At the time, I thought it was a big deal, and it was, winning that many races. Larry is doing a better job now and I am not sure if I was that good of a driver back then."

Dixon agrees the competition has changed, but doesn't agree with much else.
"I think Prudhomme is being a little modest there," Dixon said. "What he did and how dominant he was...I can't imagine what he would have done if there had been 23 races a season. He would have had 100 wins in the 1970s. It's amazing how consistent he was because they did a lot of traveling between exhibition races on top of all the points races.

"That's why I dig working for Snake. He has been through everything and has been at the absolute top of the game."
Last year Dixon and the blue beer car finished second to the champion, Kenny Bernstein, and the red Budweiser King Dragster. The race for the championship came down the final race of the season, with Dixon coming up just shy of the title. That experience, in Prudhomme's opinion, was invaluable.

"We don't talk about advice anymore, we've done all that," Prudhomme said. "Last year was good for him to finish second. He learned a lot from that and he finally learned how every round, every day counts when you are racing for a championship. I think in years past he only thought it counted on Sunday. He knows now it counts every day that you are at the race track. He has really matured."

Dixon doesn't want to finish in second place again, but he knows how important the 2001 season was to himself and the team.

"We did finish in second place and no one wants to be second," Dixon said. "But I wouldn't trade that season for anything. It was a very valuable learning experience for me. Snake and LaHaie have been through everything and I am constantly learning from them."

Regardless of who is doing the teaching and who is doing the learning, one thing is certain - all seems to be well in the Miller Lite camp.

"We are having a good time," Prudhomme said. "So far the season is going well and hopefully we can remain consistent. I don't like to compare myself to Larry. I had my day in the sun, and it was (incredible). I can still remember doing burnouts in the funny car. I'd jump out of the car and pull the sparkplugs out to see what the run looked like. We didn't have computers, just yourself and the toolbox and whatever you could get your hands on to get the job done.

"I think now the driver has to be in better physical shape, sharper and well tuned to the sport. With the type of equipment have now and crew chiefs, it's a lot bigger deal."

Only time will tell whether Dixon came come close to matching Prudhomme's historical season.
"That was a nice way to start the season but we will have to see how things pan out through the long haul," Dixon said. "The car has been perfect except for the (first-round loss in Houston). That was due to a broken input shaft, but we can't always control everything. I'd like to have Houston back, but that is about it. I'm overwhelmed by this start."