MADISON, Ill. — Starting from the ninth position in the star-studded Funny Car class, Tim Wilkerson knows he needs impressive showings right off the bat in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship.

That includes what he hopes is a victory at the fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, which takes place at Gateway Motorsports Park Sept. 23-25. It is the second of six races in the NHRA’s playoffs and also takes place close to home for the Springfield, Ill. native.

To get to the winner’s circle in the Countdown to the Championship for the first time since 2008, Wilkerson hopes to recreate some of the early-season magic he had this season when he raced to two victories in his 10,000-horsepower Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang.

“The team knows what the goals are and we just have to get some rounds under our belt,” said Wilkerson, who also posted a regular-season win in St. Louis in 2008. “Hopefully all that other stuff we’ve dealt with this season will be behind us. We’re trying our best. We’re going to try and wear the rest of them out the rest of the year. I’m going to try and not make mistakes.”

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Del Worsham (Funny Car), Drew Skillman (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event that will be televised on FOX Sports 1 for the first time. The AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals serves as the middle race of a three-weekend stretch to begin the Countdown and Wilkerson knows he needs to be at his best early on to stay in the championship mix.

It’s been a difficult place for the veteran to find after such a brilliant start to the season that included wins at Phoenix and Charlotte, and a runner-up spot at Houston that left him tied for the points lead. But it’s been a struggle for most of the second half, as Wilkerson has lost in the first round at seven of the past races.

A quarterfinal berth in Brainerd left him hopeful heading to the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and he ran a solid 3.914 at 323.97 mph in qualifying, but he struggled to get down the track consistently when it mattered and fell in the first round.

“I hope we can get it turned around and I thought we were doing a good job of it until I got to Indy,” Wilkerson said. “That place treated me terrible. I have to get back to going down the race track. That worked out for most of the runs except for the ones I needed it. There’s no doubt we can get back to the way we were running.”

Those type of performances can put Wilkerson right in the mix of the loaded Funny Car field, which is led by points leader Ron Capps, who has five wins in 2016. Wilkerson has put together a series of runs in the 3.80s this year, something he knows will be needed to knock off Countdown competitors like defending event winner and world champion Del Worsham, Courtney Force, John Force, Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman, Tommy Johnson Jr., Robert Hight and Alexis DeJoria.

But Wilkerson believes there’s no point in worrying about how his opponents are running. His goal is to start off eliminations better and put together a series of consistent runs, something that has been missing for far too long in his eyes.

“We need to eliminate our first-round losses, there’s no doubt about that,” said Wilkerson, who has 20 career Funny Car wins. “Those things have to be gone. I don’t think there’s really any special key to it. We have got to make the thing go, first off. But we’re going to treat (the Countdown) like we normally do. I try to pride myself on not worrying about what the other teams do.”

Racing close to home might be convenient, but Wilkerson knows it doesn’t provide any extra benefits or give him any extra advantages. There may be a bevy of family and friends on hand, but Wilkerson’s main priority will be running fast on a track that should yield impressive numbers no matter the weather.

“I have lots of good people around me, that’s really the important thing,” Wilkerson said. “The chances of it being warm that weekend are not very good, but with the way the track is prepared now you can see terrific runs that are on 120-degree tracks, so we’ll have to be ready to go.”

Last year in Top Fuel, two-time defending world champion Brown defeated Dave Connolly for his sixth win of the season and fourth consecutive win at the event. It was also his second of three consecutive wins in the Countdown that propelled him to his second Top Fuel Championship. He starts the 2016 Countdown in first, but will have to ward off the likes of Indy winner and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, Doug Kalitta, who is second in points, Steve Torrence, Brittany Force, J.R. Todd, Shawn Langdon, Clay Millican, Richie Crampton and Leah Pritchett.

Drew Skillman earned the first Pro Stock victory of his career at Gateway Motorsports Park last year and will try to stop the dominant regular season of points leader Jason Line and Greg Anderson as the Countdown begins. Both Line and Anderson have seven wins this season. Skillman, who won in Brainerd, will also face off against Countdown standouts Chris McGaha, who won in Indy, Vincent Nobile, Bo Butner, Shane Gray, back-to-back world champion Erica Enders, Allen Johnson and five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin.

Arana Jr. defeated his father Hector Arana in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final last year in St. Louis. Both are seeking their first victories of 2016 as the Countdown begins. Seeking his third straight world title, Andrew Hines, who has four wins this season, is the current points leader. Those looking to unseat him include teammate Eddie Krawiec, Angelle Sampey, Jerry Savoie, Matt Smith, Chip Ellis, LE Tonglet and rookie Cory Reed.

The AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series as well as the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, where the future stars of the sport earn their racing stripes.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand how the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:45 and 5:15 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 1:45 and 4:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call 855-RACE-TIK (722-3845). Tickets also are available online at www.gatewaymsp.com. ; Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

Before heading to Gateway Motorsports Park, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will start the Countdown to the Championship at zMAX Dragway, Sept. 16-18, with the NHRA Carolina Nationals. Keep up with all the NHRA action on FOX and FOX Sports 1.

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AAA INSURANCE NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS

WHAT: Fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, the 20th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the second of six races in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.

WHERE: Gateway Motorsports Park, Madison, Ill. – located five minutes from downtown St. Louis at the intersection of Interstates 55/70 and Ill. Route 203 (Exit 4).

COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 445 feet above sea level; Track direction is south to north.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Sept. 23-25

SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, Sept. 23 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 2:45 and 5:15 p.m.

SATURDAY, Sept. 24 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 1 p.m.; first round of eliminations at 3:45 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, Sept. 25 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:

Friday, Sept. 23, FS1 will televise an hour of qualifying coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).

Sunday, Sept. 25, FS1 will one hour of qualifying coverage at 2 a.m. (ET).

Sunday, Sept. 25, FS1 will televise three hours of live finals coverage starting at 2 p.m. (ET).

2015 EVENT WINNERS: Antron Brown, Top Fuel; Del Worsham, Funny Car; Drew Skillman, Pro Stock; Hector Arana Jr., Pro Stock Motorcycle.

TRACK RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.718 sec. by Steve Torrence, Sept. ‘15; 329.99 mph by Dave Connolly, Sept. ‘15

Funny Car – 330.47 sec. and 330.47 mph by Matt Hagan, Sept. ‘15

Pro Stock – 6.492 sec. by Greg Anderson, Sept. ’15; 213.47 mph by Jason Line, Sept. ‘12

PS Motorcycle – 6.769 sec. and 198.58 mph by Hector Arana, Sept. ‘13

NATIONALS RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.671 sec. by Steve Torrence, July ’16, Sonoma, Calif.; 332.75 mph by Spencer Massey, Aug. ’15, Brainerd, Minn.

Funny Car – 3.822 by Matt Hagan, Aug. ’16, Brainerd, Minn.; 335.57 mph by Hagan, May ’16, Topeka, Kan.

Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.;  215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.

PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88 mph by Hector Arana Jr., March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.

TICKETS: Order tickets by phone at (800) 455-FANS. Tickets also are available online at www.zmaxdragway.com.

Story and photos courtesy of the NHRA