Pacific Raceways is like a second home for funny car driver Tim Wilkerson as well as Maple Valley native Brad Plourd.
Wilkerson won his third straight Northwest Nationals on Sunday while Plourd, who has relocated to Indiana but still has family here, won in the Super Comp category in Sportsman at the National Hot Rod Association’s 24th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Northwest Nationals.
In fact, Wilkerson had not lost a round at Pacific Raceways since 2007, but this is his first trip to the winner’s circle this season.
Meanwhile, in the other pro categories Jason Line, the 2008 Pro Stock champion, knocked off teammate Greg Anderson in the final round with a winning elapsed time of 6.55 and speed of 210.87 mph to increase his lead in that category while Del Worsham beat Tony Schumacher in the top fuel final.
Worsham came into the race with the points lead in the nitro-methane fueled dragster category. He beat Schumacher, who lost in the finals of all three races on Western Swing — Denver, Colo., Sonoma, Calif., and this Sunday in Seattle — with an elapsed time of 3.891 and topped out at 316.38 mph.
With the victory, Worsham collected his sixth victory of the season, which is a personal record for wins in a single season for him.
Wilkerson last won a race when the NHRA came to Pacific Raceways a year ago. He beat Jack Beckman with an elapsed time of 4.146 and speed of 300.53 mph.
Beckman came into the race third in points in the funny car class. He was able to shake off his first-round loss woes from the first two parts of the Western Swing by making it to the final but just came up short.
Winning the event was crucial for Wilkerson’s position in the points battle with just three races left before the Countdown to the Chase, the NHRA’s six race playoffs, begins in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 15.
Wilkerson has moved into ninth place with the victory after fighting it out with Johnny Gray and Tony Pedregon for the 10th spot the previous 13 events.
Plourd, who grew up in Maple Valley, is now racing out of Avon, Indiana. He’s made a full time job of it and won the Super Comp category on Sunday while driving a car owned by Charlotte Lucas, who is also the mother of top fuel driver Morgan Lucas.
Thanks to an advantage off the starting line, Plourd took the win from Ken Mostowich by three feet at the finish line, making it his 10th win of the season.
Plourd last won at Pacific Raceways in 2004.
Bob Woodruff of Maple Valley fared better than he did a year ago, when he went out first round, but fell in the third round of the crowded Super Comp class.
Dallas Glenn, a Kentwood High graduate, made it to the fourth round of Stock before he was knocked out by Brad Burton.
Reach Kris Hill at khill@covingtonreporter.com or 425-432-1209 ext. 5054.
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