Daniel Wilkerson, driver of the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang Funny Car, is ready to take on the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway, just outside Chicago, this weekend. The event holds special significance for Wilkerson, who has ties to the area and the SCAG Racing family, making it one of the most anticipated stops on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule.
“Growing up, Joliet has always been one of my favorites,” said Wilkerson, who lives in Springfield, Illinois, and whose crew chief is his father, Tim Wilkerson. “One, because it’s close to home, and two, it was the site of Tim’s first nitro win. Now I have another reason to love racing near Chicago: Metalcraft of Mayville hosts their employee day here, and I get to see so many friendly faces this weekend. Some of which I email and talk on the phone with regularly for administrative race car stuff, so it’s awesome to catch up face to face.”
Coming off a first quad loss at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals, Wilkerson and the SCAG Ford team currently sit seventh in the Funny Car standings thanks to quarterfinal points in Las Vegas and his second career runner-up finish at the Winternationals. During the two-week break in the NHRA schedule, Wilkerson kept his skills sharp by going bracket racing.
“We had a bit of a break, but in true racer fashion, we went bracket racing last weekend to stay fresh, got to hit the tree a couple times,” said Wilkerson, who is looking for his first Funny Car victory. “I don’t care what you’re driving, that helps.”
This weekend also marks an exciting milestone for the SCAG Racing team as they welcome MMA legend Randy Couture to the fold and unveil his new Pro Mod car Friday ahead of qualifying.
“Our SCAG Racing team is unveiling a new teammate’s ride this weekend,” Wilkerson said. “We are excited to welcome Randy Couture to the SCAG family and check out his new Pro Mod car.”
Wilkerson and the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang Funny Car team are poised to deliver a strong performance in front of their home crowd and the passionate Metalcraft of Mayville and SCAG Power Equipment supporters. With a competitive field and the energy of Route 66 Raceway, the team is ready to chase win lights.
Competition at the Gerber Collision and Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway kicks off with four sessions of qualifying Friday at 2:00 and 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with qualifying shows Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. Eliminations will air Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
This story was originally published on May 15, 2025. 
