It’s all relative, really. Tim Wilkerson would certainly liked to have gotten his Levi, Ray & Shoup Shelby Mustang up higher in the field than his eventual 11th position, but even starting in that spot is a far cry better than his DNQ at this race last year.
On a day during which the first qualifying session was held at midday, in warm temps and under sunny skies, while the second pass was made under the lights while the thermometer was dropping, Wilk went 1-for-2 and, despite having entered the final session in the 10th position, actually moved back up into the 11th spot when we posted a 4.167 during Q4. At the time of his run, Wilkerson had slipped as far down as 13th on the sheet. He smoked the tires on his first pass, earlier in the day.
Wilkerson will face Ashley Force Hood in round one on Sunday.
“Things were changing pretty darn fast out there, as it got later and later,” Wilkerson said. “The schedule says you’ll be making the second run at 3:30, but you know things tend to be delayed on a normal basis, and once it gets to be close to 6:00 it’s dark out, the track is changing, and you’re trying to make some calls to compensate for that. It did drop a hole down track, and it beat up a few pistons, but at least it went A-to-B and at least we’re already ahead of our pace from last year.
“We’re racing a fast car and a very good driver in round one, but the fact it’s going to happen with the sun shining will give all of us an equal test to go out there and get it right. That’s all we can try to do. Hopefully, we can win that first one and then get some more in the book before the day is over.”
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