Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – For over 25 years, Springfield’s Tim Wilkerson was the one driving NHRA funny cars. Now, his son Daniel is taking over the driver’s seat, with his dad as his crew chief. This weekend, Daniel will race at the World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis in the NHRA Midwest Nationals. He is also in the running for the Rookie of the Year Award, but he faces tough competition from racing legend Tony Stewart.

Daniel says he always takes his dad’s favorite saying to heart, which is “Cool heads prevail.” This advice has helped him through his rookie year. He loves working with his dad and having a racing legend as his crew chief, but it isn’t always perfect. They have had some arguments, but they don’t last long. Daniel considers his dad not just a mentor, but also a great friend.

Currently, Daniel is 10th in points and just one round away from seventh place. This race is special for him because it’s close to Springfield, making it his “hometown” race.

You can see the race on Fox Sports, but Daniel says it’s definitely better to experience it in person. Here’s the schedule.