Tim Wilkerson was forced to abandon his car during Countdown race at Reading Sunday.
Funny Car owner-tuner-driver Tim Wilkerson wanted to get hot for the Countdown to the Championship – but not the kind of “hot” he experienced in his semifinal victory over John Force.
About halfway down the 1,000-foot course, Wilkerson’s car started smoking the tires. Then his engine let go, triggering a nasty fire that produced billowing smoke. Wilkerson escaped from his car unharmed, partly angry at the damage and partly puzzled by why the incident happened.
“I don’t know – it was truckin’ along just fine, and I felt it drop, like, five holes [cylinders] at once. So I’m sure it broke a crank[shaft] or something like that. It did something really bad. I don’t know what happened yet,” Wilkerson said. “We’ll figure it out. It’s really irritating, because we don’t do stuff like that.”
Bob Tasca III’s team helped the fellow Ford racer and his crew get the Levi, Ray & Shoup Mustang repaired and serviced and ready for Wilkerson’s 49th career final round and second of the year.
Wilkerson tossed away a chance for his first victory since the 2021 fall Charlotte race with a foul start.
Keyword: Video: NHRA Funny Car’s Tim Wilkerson Escapes Burning Funny Car