What a difference a few months can bring.
Back in November, Daniel Wilkerson stood as the trusted crew chief for Funny Car pilot Chad Green during his maiden victory in the nitro-powered category at iconic In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Fast forward four months, and Wilkerson finds himself in an entirely new role, now positioned atop the provisional pole in that very same class — this time as a driver.
It has been a whirlwind journey, but one that Wilkerson embraces with enthusiasm and gratitude.
“It really hasn’t set in yet,” Wilkerson said following his chart-topping lap Friday in Pomona. We pulled (the car) out of the shop for the first time to load it and it said my name. Tim (Wilkerson) was in his office, and I walked over and said, ‘My name is on the side of the trailer.’ Suddenly it is real. We are really doing this. It has been fun working with all of the guys and we have a good hot rod, so it is exciting.”
Wilkerson, taking over driving duties for his father and veteran driver Tim Wilkerson in the offseason, drove his SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang to the provisional top spot Friday at the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals with a surprising 4.014-second pass at 314.31 mph.
It was surprising because, though it looked clean, it felt anything but behind the wheel.
“It was almost awkward because, usually if you run good, someone is immediately on the radio telling you what you ran,” Wilkerson said. “Finally, they were like, ‘4.01, that is all we got for you.’ As it turns out, it wasn’t too shabby.
“It was a little squirrely. It was loose coming out of the middle. It wasn’t really spinning, but when it was hitting those bumps down there that gives this place its character, it was scooting around.”
If the time holds, it will be Wilkeron’s first No. 1 as a driver in only his 16th start behind the wheel.
In an off-pace round that shook up the traditional order, Jeff Diehl drove his Toyota Funny Car to second on the ladder with a 4.050 at 306.81 mph, followed by Chad Green with a 4.110 at 302.96 mph. Bob Tasca (4.201) and Matt Hagan (4.454) rounded out the top five.
While his time was good enough to pace the field, Wilkerson was surprised with the adjustments being made to his car prior to the run, even though it all worked out in the end.
“(Tim) was in the box and I could almost tell by his body language he was slowing it down and then I heard him make a slower wing adjustment, and I said, ‘What are you doing, chicken?’ Wilkerson said with a laugh. “Obviously I should shut up because everything he did worked.”
Of course, it was in that moment that Wilkerson realized that you can take the boy out of the crew chief, but you can’t take the crew chief out of the boy.
“I was yelling at myself steering (the car), ‘You are steering it too much. You are going to wreck this,’” Wilkerson said. “So I do still have that mindset, but it turns out Tim has got the goods.”
Wilkerson will try to improve on his time with two more qualifying sessions Saturday.
