Fri, 14 Nov 2025, 18:03 PM Daniel Wilkerson Charges Toward Strong Finish in SCAG Ford Mustang at NHRA Finals

Courtesy of Sara Slaughter, SCAG Racing

POMONA, Calif. - Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang Funny Car team head to historic In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals hungry for a storybook close as the 2025 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series comes to a close.

Wilkerson has transformed potential into performance during his sophomore campaign in his SCAG Ford Mustang. He secured two victories in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the Virginia Nationals and Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, set his career-best elapsed time of 3.942 seconds at 334.12 mph during the spring NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, and has advanced to the semifinals at the last four consecutive events. These efforts have propelled the SCAG Mustang team to fifth in the Funny Car points standings, trailing fourth-place Ron Capps by a single point and third-place Matt Hagan by only 47.

"I said at the beginning of the year that I would be happy with sixth or better," said Wilkerson. "Improvement is always my first goal. But being a drag racer, greedy as we all are, with third place just two rounds of racing away thanks to the points and a half available at Pomona, my new goal is absolutely third."

Pomona is special for Wilkerson, at the March NHRA Winternationals he charged to his first career Funny Car final round narrowly falling short to drag racing veteran and former champion Jack Beckman. The near victory has fueled Wilkerson and a win this weekend would be the first at historic Pomona Dragstrip for Daniel and his father, crew-chief and former driver, Tim.

"I also said we needed a few wins this year, with that off the table I will settle for one. My mother and father have never won Pomona so if we can deliver that for them and the rest of the team, I may be able to look past the handful of rookie mistakes I made this season," Daniel Wilkerson continued. "The men on this team have busted their asses all year and given me a perfect hot rod. I would drive this thing to hell and back for them. So hopefully we can collect a little hardware for everyone's mantle."

Competition at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals begins with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m. and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. before eliminations begins Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the 2025 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series finale will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Eliminations will air Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET with a special Post Race Show at 8:00 p.m. ET.