Columbus, pre-race: The time between races during the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season is a very busy time for the teams and the drivers. For Tim Wilkerson and his Springfield, Ill. based Levi, Ray & Shoup Funny Car team the ten days between the O'Reilly Summer Nationals and the upcoming 40th Annual Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit were packed with long days of work, traveling and appearances.

With the next three races on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing tour being back-to-back a lot had to be done in the two and one half days that the transporter was at the race shop after Topeka before it had to take to the road again. The race car had to be unloaded and serviced. Then the trailer had to be loaded with extra engines, clutch packs and enough parts to last for three races. Then some work had to be done to the car, so there was a stop on the way to Ohio at Murf McKinney's shop in Otterbein, Ind.

Then this past weekend when most teams were able to take a breather before heading off the National Trail Raceway, Wilkerson and his truck and race car where star attractions at the 12th annual Super Summit car show in Tallmadge, Ohio on Saturday, June 2. Super Summit XII is a day of fun full of show quality street machines, hot rods, race cars customs, sport compacts, an autograph session and a manufacturer's midway all held at the Summit Racing Equipment Retail Store. The Levi, Ray & Shoup Chevrolet Monte Carlo along with Wilkerson's shiny new tractor and 53 foot trailer were prominently on display the entire day. In fact Stu Lubbert, pilot and chief caretaker of the rig received the Best Prepared Semi award. Wilkerson himself presented the trophy to Lubbert. And one of Wilkerson's sponsors, White Night rear lighting systems, which are available through Summit, had their booth set-up in front of Wilkerson. Super Summit XII hosted a two-hour GM Racing autograph session during the afternoon, in which Wilkerson also participated.

At the close of the day, Lubbert and the transporter stayed in Ohio in preparation for the Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit this weekend, June 10 – 13, while Wilkerson returned home to Springfield, Ill. Wilkerson will use the three days at home to spend some time with the family, get some work done at Wilkerson's Service Center and pack before returning to Ohio. On Wednesday, June 9, 2004, the transporter and Wilkerson will be participating in another autograph session, this time at Dave Gill Pontiac.

"We had a great time at the Summit show," said Wilkerson. "There were some awesome cars on display. We signed a lot of autographs and talked to a lot of nice people. We always have fun doing that. It looked like a good time for our friends at White Night. We saw a lot of people going home with a rear lighting system. I drove home from Ohio Saturday night because we had several family functions on Sunday. And then this week I need to get my payroll taxes done for the business and we're reorganizing the shop since everything's out of it. Then I have to get back to Ohio Wednesday for the autograph session for GM at Dave Gill's Pontiac."

With the points standings being so tight and ever changing starting on Thursday, Wilkerson will focus his efforts on preparing his Levi, Ray & Shoup Monte Carlo to be a star in the highly competitive Funny Car ranks at the Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit.

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