NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Funny Car driver Daniel Wilkerson was .042 of a second away from securing his first NHRA win on Sunday in Sonoma, and he will have another opportunity for redemption at this weekend’s 37th annual Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Wilkerson drives the Scag Power Equipment Ford Shelby Mustang for Scag Racing and finished as the runner-up just days ago at Sonoma Raceway to Jordan Vandergriff. This weekend, Wilkerson is thrilled to be back in action quickly as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues its Western trek to the Pacific Northwest.

“I go to each and every race 100% sure we can win it, or I would just stay home,” Wilkerson said. “Having said that, confidence grows very quickly from results. After being in the finals of two out of the last three races we have been to, you cannot help but get a little more excited than usual to go to the next race.”

The 2025 Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals saw Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) claiming victories. Langdon, Austin Prock, and Glenn also earned Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge wins. This year’s race will be broadcast on FOX and FS1, with elimination coverage beginning at 4 p.m. ET on FOX on Sunday, July 26.

Wilkerson’s father, Tim, was a longtime Funny Car driver and tuner before stepping out of the seat in 2023. He saw a lot of success at Pacific Raceways, earning four Funny Car race wins, which adds to the confidence level this weekend. Now, the father-son duo has dad tuning the 12,000-horsepower race car with Daniel at the helm. The results have been impressive as the team continues to show strong progress this year.

 

“Tim's past success at Seattle is a huge asset to this team,” Wilkerson said. “Every crew chief out here, whether they realize it or not, works in some sort of a box. They have a chain of, 'If A happens, then change B.' And for whatever reason, Tim's box has always worked very well on the West Coast. This does two things for our team.

“We know we are going to run very well there, which makes decision-making a little easier in my opinion. On top of that, everyone else knows they are going to have to step their game up there, and every once in a while that forces them into a mistake.”

With Wilkerson’s runner-up in Sonoma, he’ll be slotted into the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday. He’ll meet up with semifinalist Jack Beckman, while Vandergriff will meet reigning world champion Austin Prock in a rematch of their thrilling duel in Sonoma.

Other Funny Car standouts to watch for in Seattle will include current points leader and three-time world champ Ron Capps. Capps kicked off his NHRA career with a Top Fuel win in Seattle, before jumping into the Funny Car ranks. Last year’s winner, Matt Hagan has two wins on the season, while J.R. Todd, Chad Green, and Alexis DeJoria will all be seeking their first win from Pacific Raceways.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds on Friday, July 24 for Pro Stock at 2 and 4:30 p.m. PT, with Top Fuel and Funny Car taking to the track at 2:30 and 5 p.m. On Saturday, July 25, nitro teams will qualify at 12 and 2:30 p.m. with Pro Stock at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Race day will kick off with nitro eliminations on Sunday, July 26 at 10 a.m.

Television coverage includes qualifying action at 10 p.m. ET on Friday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday on FS1, leading into eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Tickets for the 37th annual Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals are currently on sale at www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information on Muckleshoot Casino Resort, visit https://muckleshootcasino.com.