Chevy Impala SS/Tim Wilkerson Post-Race/NHRA Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, April 13, 2008 - With two No. 1 qualifying awards and a semifinal round appearance at Gainesville (Fla.), Tim Wilkerson has been pounding loudly on the winner's circle door this season in the Funny Car category. Today the Levi Ray & Shoup Chevy Impala SS driver knocked it completely down and captured his first victory in nearly five years by defeating Ashley Force in the final round. It was Chevrolet's third Funny Car victory this season in only five attempts. "We've had a good car all year," Wilkerson said. "We've had some mechanical failures and I made some mistakes tuning the car at Houston when we put a hole out in the second round there against Del (Worsham), but he just had his stuff together and whooped me. But this is kind of cool for the single-car teams, don't you think? We have Tony Pedregon winning one, and me and Del, and I think that's really cool. The NHRA has done a really good job leveling the field, and the Chevy Impala, that body is really helping us out. That thing is the cat's meow when it comes to these bad tracks."