Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: IHRA Pro Stock champ joins Nickens’ NHRA team

Thursday, March 14, 2002 | 10 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Nickens Brothers Racing has hired 2001 IHRA Pro Stock champion Gene Wilson to drive the Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T in the NHRA Pro Stock category beginning at this weekend's Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

Wilson, the son of television outdoors personality Orlando Wilson, replaces Mark Osborne, who resigned late last month due to personal reasons.

"I think this is such a tremendous opportunity," Wilson said. "I'm just honored to be a part of the Mopar team. They have such a great history and I can't wait to get started. I look forward to working with the whole Nickens Brothers Racing team."

Wilson, 29, won eight IHRA national-event titles last season and holds the IHRA's national elapsed time and speed records. Wilson was the No. 1 qualifier in a record nine straight IHRA events in 2001.

"He did a tremendous job in the racecar during testing and he possesses a lot of character," team owner David Nickens said. "He has a lot of credentials in IHRA and we feel that he is a great match for this team -- and that's important for overall team chemistry."

Osborne, who was the third-fastest qualifier at the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., stepped down as driver of the Nickens Brothers team because the death of his brother had forced him to spend extra time in the family's excavation, mining, and trucking business.

A win this weekend would make Dixon only the fifth Top Fuel driver in the 33-year history of the Gatornationals to successfully defend his title. The four Top Fuel drivers who have won back-to-back Gatornationals are Don Garlits (1977-78), Shirley Muldowney (1981-82), Darrell Gwynn (1989-90) and Eddie Hill (1992-93).

"Looking at those stats, it just goes to show how hard it is to repeat at this race," Dixon said. "This year it's not going to be any easier.

"While we certainly have had a good car so far, we'll have to see how the conditions are. It is supposed to be hot and that could make things pretty tough, especially with the new tire that we are running. Whoever wins this weekend will definitely have earned their spot on the podium."

Dixon has advanced to the final round of eliminations at each of the first two events this season. He defeated Kenny Bernstein in the final at Pomona and lost to Tony Schumacher in the final at Firebird Raceway.

If Force, who has 99 career NHRA Funny Car victories, doesn't win this week, he could capture his milestone 100th win in Las Vegas on April 7 -- the next stop after the Gatornationals on the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series.

With his next victory, Force would become only the third driver in a major motor sports series to reach the 100-win mark -- joining NASCAR's Richard Petty (200 wins) and David Pearson (105) -- and would become the first to post all 100 races in the modern era (after 1972).

The third annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals will be held at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway April 4-7.

Saturday's winners at The Strip included John Irving (Street Muscle) and Kam Urquhart (Sport Compact). Ron Landram and Jerry Mock split the Gambler finale purse.