TIM WILKERSON

Tim Wilkerson switched from a Chevy to a new Mustang body for 2009 and also was shaking down a couple of new chassis at PBIR, including a new Murf McKinney chassis with a short strut/spindle with control arms front suspension and a three frame rail configuration. 

Friday’s shakedown launch was followed by an aborted shut-off on Saturday morning, when wheel spin preceded tire shake, but Wilkerson then legged the next two pass well down the track, posting a 4.244 at 276.46 mph and a 4.215/285.95 in the late afternoon. Both of the later runs were early shut-offs, as Wilkerson continued to work the kinks out of a new set-up, while he also learns the aerodynamic nuances of the Shelby Mustang body.

On Wilkerson’s first lap in the suspension car, it ran well to half-track but began drifting left, and when Wilkerson lifted the move became more dramatic. He was able to keep the ‘Stang off of the wall, but adjustments had to be made to a body strut to correct a problem with the left front tire rubbing across a diagonal support. After the adjustments Wilk made another lap and posted his best performance of the weekend, recording a 4.198 at 284.62 mph.

“It’s a pretty cool car, and once we got that tire-rub issue fixed, it drove like a sedan,” Wilkerson said after the Sunday runs. “We’ve been discussing this car with NHRA and Murf McKinney, and I really wanted to bring it out here and test it out. As far as I can tell with today’s second lap and another test lap we made earlier this off-season in Valdosta (Ga.), I think it has a ton of promise.

“The concept is to take some of the violent action away, which is always a dangerous and dicey thing when you’re going a fast as we go, while you give the driver some more calm control over the car.”  Wilkerson added, “So far, it seems to do that.”