SONOMA, Calif. (July 22, 2025) – Funny Car rising star Daniel Wilkerson is ready to make waves at Sonoma Raceway with the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang Funny Car team during this weekend’s Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals.
Coming off a series of competitive showings making him a consistent contender, Wilkerson is currently seventh in the Funny Car points standings and eager to capitalize on his team’s momentum to secure his first career NHRA Funny Car win. The second-generation racer has made two semifinal appearances and two quarterfinal appearance in the last four races, putting him within 95 points of the top ten with three races left in the NHRA regular season.
“I can’t wait to go to Sonoma and race because usually it’ll throw you multiple track conditions, and [crew chief] Tim Wilkerson is the master of quickly changing conditions,” said Wilkerson, who is competing with his father as crew chief. “We’ve been chipping away at our cold weather tune-up, and I think at this point everybody knows we got a bad-ass hot weather tune-up. Tim has won here before, so it will be a great place for us to get our first win as a team with me driving.”
The 2025 season has showcased Wilkerson’s growth, with a final-round appearance at the Winternationals and back-to-back Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge wins in Richmond and Norwalk. Guided by his father and crew chief, Tim Wilkerson, the team has honed a versatile tune-up. With Tim’s prior Sonoma victories in 2004 and 2009 and the team’s recent progress, Daniel is confident his team is set to tackle Sonoma Raceway and aim for a breakthrough victory at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals.
Competition at the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 5:30 and 8:15 p.m. and Saturday at 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with two qualifying shows Friday at 10 p.m. ET and Sunday at 2 p.m. ET before eliminations air at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1).
