FORD’S ANNOUNCEMENT: WHAT ABOUT WILK?
Sun, 2010-03-28 14:00
Ford Racing conducted a press conference on Saturday at the NHRA Four-Wide 
Nationals detailing their new alliance, a collaboration of all of their Ford teams. Headlining those at the media gathering included members of the Ford Racing management team and driver/team owners John Force and Bob Tasca III.
All were represented from the Ford family except for one.
What about Tim Wilkerson? Ford Racing conducted a press conference on Saturday at the NHRA Four-WideNationals detailing their new alliance, a collaboration of all of their Ford teams. Headlining those at the media gathering included members of the Ford Racing management team and driver/team owners John Force and Bob Tasca III.
All were represented from the Ford family except for one.
What about Tim Wilkerson?
Simply put, Wilkerson is the odd man out, at least for now. His engine platform is totally different from Force’s and based on the differences Tasca felt now was the best time to end their arrangement.
Wilkerson knew of the decision in advance of this weekend's announcement.
“Ford just wanted its sponsored cars to collaborate more,” said Wilkerson. “And, that’s understandable. Tasca and I are still close. He’s still going to let me park next to him and hang my hospitality on his trailer. I’m still going to help him whenever I can. We’re just not going to share data anymore.”
Sunday’s announcement brings to an end a program of sharing technology that was announced in late 2008 and implemented in 2009. Wilkerson dropped his GM affiliation and began running Ford bodies in 2009 as well as utilizing Ford support vehicles.
“We’re still a Ford car and Ford is still promoting our car,” said Wilkerson. “We are still excited about that and later in the year there should be some major announcements about what’s going to happen amongst all of us. Right now, Ford is still a big part of our team and I’m happy to have them.”
When they aligned themselves in 2008, Ford was happy to have Wilkerson as he was one of three teams contending for the NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car championship. Tasca wasn’t even in the top ten. Last year Tasca finished eighth and qualified for the Countdown.
Wilkerson smiles, and he understand there will be those who draw the wrong conclusions, but adamantly points out there’s no issues with the new arrangement. He bears no ill-will towards Tasca and doesn’t blame him for forging an alliance with Force.
“Bob and I had a great agreement that I fully understood,” Wilkerson said. “He did everything that he promised me he would do. I did everything that I promised. There’s no animosity here at all.
“He and I still talk every run and there’s nothing that’s changed about that at all. Just because we aren’t all looking at the RACEPAK data doesn’t mean we can’t talk. I guarantee you that if I wanted to go down there and ask [JFR crew chiefs] Jimmy Prock or Guido anything, they would answer honestly.”
Wilkerson is quick to point out he’s enjoyed a great working relationship with Force over the years.
“I tell you what, if it wasn’t for John Force, I probably wouldn’t be racing,” Wilkerson admitted. “He’s helped me for many years. He’s given me a lot of parts. I try to pay him for them and he won’t take the money. I have to stuff the money in his pocket. He’s a good dude and has sponsored a lot of cars out here. I’ve been one of them. You’re never going to see me bash John Force.”
Changing teams and alliances is nothing new to drag racing, and certainly a change of plans of this magnitude comes as no surprise of Wilkerson. To him, there’s not much to read into this decision.
“There may be some relationships expire down the road from all of this,” Wilkerson said. “We might be able to get together with John and his team. Right now, I think it all looks like a bigger deal than it really is. It’s not really going to hurt me; I can still get data from all of those guys. Hopefully it helps Bob.”
Is Wilkerson possibly preparing for a driving gig with John Force Racing?
“Nah, not really that,” Wilkerson admitted, with a smile. “Force has plenty of family members coming up in this sport and he needs take of them. You never know. Our situation is year-to-year with Levi, Ray & Shoup, and they are a great sponsor. But, you never know what might happen. I always keep my options open because I love to race and that’s my biggest downfall. I’m addicted to this sport and I will find a way to race. I would rather much do it the way I am doing it now. I don’t necessarily want to work for John Force or Don Schumacher or somebody big, that’s not the goal. I enjoy doing what I am doing, and if it ended up that way, it wouldn’t be so bad.
“I know how all of this went down but in the end, I think it might bring us all closer together.”
Once Force gets the Tasca car up to speed as if it were a fourth Force car, then attention will focus on Wilkerson. Technically, Tasca’s car won’t be a fourth Force car per NHRA team ownership rules.
“I think it’s a deal that needed to be done to accelerate Bob’s car in a different direction. It’s not going to affect us at all. Later on in the year, you could see me with a Boss engine in my car. That’s kind of the plan and we’re working our way there. You never know what is going to happen.”
Nationals detailing their new alliance, a collaboration of all of their Ford teams. Headlining those at the media gathering included members of the Ford Racing management team and driver/team owners John Force and Bob Tasca III.All were represented from the Ford family except for one.
What about Tim Wilkerson? Ford Racing conducted a press conference on Saturday at the NHRA Four-Wide
Nationals detailing their new alliance, a collaboration of all of their Ford teams. Headlining those at the media gathering included members of the Ford Racing management team and driver/team owners John Force and Bob Tasca III.All were represented from the Ford family except for one.
What about Tim Wilkerson?
Simply put, Wilkerson is the odd man out, at least for now. His engine platform is totally different from Force’s and based on the differences Tasca felt now was the best time to end their arrangement.
Wilkerson knew of the decision in advance of this weekend's announcement.
“Ford just wanted its sponsored cars to collaborate more,” said Wilkerson. “And, that’s understandable. Tasca and I are still close. He’s still going to let me park next to him and hang my hospitality on his trailer. I’m still going to help him whenever I can. We’re just not going to share data anymore.”
Sunday’s announcement brings to an end a program of sharing technology that was announced in late 2008 and implemented in 2009. Wilkerson dropped his GM affiliation and began running Ford bodies in 2009 as well as utilizing Ford support vehicles.
“We’re still a Ford car and Ford is still promoting our car,” said Wilkerson. “We are still excited about that and later in the year there should be some major announcements about what’s going to happen amongst all of us. Right now, Ford is still a big part of our team and I’m happy to have them.”
When they aligned themselves in 2008, Ford was happy to have Wilkerson as he was one of three teams contending for the NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car championship. Tasca wasn’t even in the top ten. Last year Tasca finished eighth and qualified for the Countdown.
Wilkerson smiles, and he understand there will be those who draw the wrong conclusions, but adamantly points out there’s no issues with the new arrangement. He bears no ill-will towards Tasca and doesn’t blame him for forging an alliance with Force.
“Bob and I had a great agreement that I fully understood,” Wilkerson said. “He did everything that he promised me he would do. I did everything that I promised. There’s no animosity here at all.
“He and I still talk every run and there’s nothing that’s changed about that at all. Just because we aren’t all looking at the RACEPAK data doesn’t mean we can’t talk. I guarantee you that if I wanted to go down there and ask [JFR crew chiefs] Jimmy Prock or Guido anything, they would answer honestly.”
Wilkerson is quick to point out he’s enjoyed a great working relationship with Force over the years.
“I tell you what, if it wasn’t for John Force, I probably wouldn’t be racing,” Wilkerson admitted. “He’s helped me for many years. He’s given me a lot of parts. I try to pay him for them and he won’t take the money. I have to stuff the money in his pocket. He’s a good dude and has sponsored a lot of cars out here. I’ve been one of them. You’re never going to see me bash John Force.”
Changing teams and alliances is nothing new to drag racing, and certainly a change of plans of this magnitude comes as no surprise of Wilkerson. To him, there’s not much to read into this decision.
“There may be some relationships expire down the road from all of this,” Wilkerson said. “We might be able to get together with John and his team. Right now, I think it all looks like a bigger deal than it really is. It’s not really going to hurt me; I can still get data from all of those guys. Hopefully it helps Bob.”
Is Wilkerson possibly preparing for a driving gig with John Force Racing?
“Nah, not really that,” Wilkerson admitted, with a smile. “Force has plenty of family members coming up in this sport and he needs take of them. You never know. Our situation is year-to-year with Levi, Ray & Shoup, and they are a great sponsor. But, you never know what might happen. I always keep my options open because I love to race and that’s my biggest downfall. I’m addicted to this sport and I will find a way to race. I would rather much do it the way I am doing it now. I don’t necessarily want to work for John Force or Don Schumacher or somebody big, that’s not the goal. I enjoy doing what I am doing, and if it ended up that way, it wouldn’t be so bad.
“I know how all of this went down but in the end, I think it might bring us all closer together.”
Once Force gets the Tasca car up to speed as if it were a fourth Force car, then attention will focus on Wilkerson. Technically, Tasca’s car won’t be a fourth Force car per NHRA team ownership rules.
“I think it’s a deal that needed to be done to accelerate Bob’s car in a different direction. It’s not going to affect us at all. Later on in the year, you could see me with a Boss engine in my car. That’s kind of the plan and we’re working our way there. You never know what is going to happen.”
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