There is a possibility that recent early exits are simply the calm before the storm for Funny Car racer Tim Wilkerson.

The veteran racer emerged in 2008 as a serious championship contender and carried the points lead through a good portion of the season only to finish second. For his troubles and with his strength exposed, Wilkerson was rewarded with a giant bulls-eye on his back last year, but he battled exhaustively, only to see his hopes of the world title dashed in the waning hours of the chase yet again. This time, he’s ready.

When the first two events of 2010 failed to yield round-wins, the seasoned owner/tuner/driver of the Levi, Ray & Shoup Shelby Mustang had no problem switching to his brand new chassis just prior to the Gainesville event, and sure enough, the change seemed to produce immediate results in the form of a Gatornationals win.

There is a possibility that recent early exits are simply the calm before the storm for Funny Car racer Tim Wilkerson.

The veteran racer emerged in 2008 as a serious championship contender and carried the points lead through a good portion of the season only to finish second. For his troubles and with his strength exposed, Wilkerson was rewarded with a giant bulls-eye on his back last year, but he battled exhaustively, only to see his hopes of the world title dashed in the waning hours of the chase yet again. This time, he’s ready.

When the first two events of 2010 failed to yield round-wins, the seasoned owner/tuner/driver of the Levi, Ray & Shoup Shelby Mustang had no problem switching to his brand new chassis just prior to the Gainesville event, and sure enough, the change seemed to produce immediate results in the form of a Gatornationals win.

“You know, I might have told you that [the new chassis was the difference] six months ago, but after running the last few weeks, I don’t think that there is a lot of difference, to tell you the truth,” said Wilkerson.

In a Pro category where there has been more diversity in the winner’s circle than any other with seven different winners in the first 16 events, Wilkerson has scored three Wallys this season and maintained a position in the top 10 since Gainesville. He hasn’t been super stellar in qualifying, but raceday is where it matters most, and the Bristol event set off a trio of final round performances that included back-to-back wins in Norwalk and Seattle.

The next couple of races, however - the final two of the Western Swing - weren’t nearly as rewarding, and the Springfield, Ill., racer bowed out in the first round of both.

“We tried some different things with the clutch just to see if we could make the car faster at different spots at the racetrack,” said Wilkerson. “The problem I found was that it was a little bit inconsistent. We’re just trying to see what we can get away with and learn some of the dos and don’ts of our car. Hopefully, we can keep our head on straight and make some trouble for ‘em in the Countdown.”

Despite proving his potential by driving a top 10 car to several victories this season, there is something about Wilkerson’s pre-Countdown stance that emulates a sleeping giant of sorts. He is an established competitor, but does he still consider himself something of a dark horse?

“Oh sure, there is no doubt about that,” he said. “We probably have the worst chance of anybody but the best chance at the same time. That’s just the way it’s worked out. These cars are such a tremendous challenge, but that makes it invigorating when you can do well against the bigger teams.”