Joliet: Tim Wilkerson Saturday notes

WILK ROLLS A PAIR OF 11s, WILL RUN FROM No. 4 SPOT

Tim Wilkerson may not have had the fastest or the quickest car on Saturday in Joliet, but he certainly appeared to have the most consistently competitive ride, posting a pair of stout 4.11s on a day when the weather conditions varied like a change of seasons. His 4.119 during Q3 was quick for the session, and then as the temperature dropped for the final run, he streaked from end to end in 4.118, to hold onto his No. 4 spot in the field. Wilkerson will run Del Worsham in round one.

"That's pretty funny that we ran a pair of 11s, because they were two very different runs," Wilkerson said. "The first one was about picture-perfect, but it was so safe and never in danger of doing anything bad out there, we knew there was more in it. As we finally got around to making that last lap, the conditions were getting better and better, and we even made a pulley change right before we ran; literally right under the tower. It really should've run better on the second one, but it chewed up number six and basically finished the lap on seven cylinders. So, one run was about perfect and easy, and the other one was more of a mess, and they both come out the same.

"You know, before that session we were paired up with Ron Capps, the points leader, if nothing changed. Then, all sorts of teams got their acts together and the order kept getting shuffled, but we end up with Del, the guy in second place in the points. You know what, though, everyone is huge and tough out here. Pick your poison on Sunday, you're going to have a big battle on your hands in the first round, and we'll have our hands full for sure. We'll just go out there and race the race track, and hope for the best."

-credit: twr