BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 16, 2026) – A team’s momentum heading into the playoffs can pay huge dividends and it’s U.S. Nationals win-sized momentum that Jack Beckman and John Force Racing’s PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car team carry into the first round of the 2026 Countdown to the Championship for the Sept. 18-20 NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich.
The U.S. Nationals victory, Beckman’s third Big Go Funny Car title and the final race of the 14-event regular season, moved the PEAK SQUAD into third place in the point standings heading into the six-race Countdown. The 2012 NHRA Funny Car Champion now sits just 17 points behind Ron Capps for second and 34 behind point leader Matt Hagan. The team earned two wins (Epping, Indianapolis), 23 round wins and two No. 1 Qualifiers (Chicago, Maryland) in the regular season.
The NHRA Great Lakes Nationals is the first of three consecutive weekends of racing to open the six-event 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. The balance of the Countdown includes: the Sept. 25-27 NHRA Nationals at The Rock; Oct. 2-4 NHRA Midwest Nationals; Oct. 16-18 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals; Oct. 29-Nov. 1 NHRA Las Vegas Nationals; and Nov. 13-15 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after 14 of 20 races are: 1. Matt Hagan, 2,109; 2. Ron Capps, 2,092; 3. Jack Beckman, 2,075; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 2,074; 5. J.R. Todd, 2,060; 6. Austin Prock, 2,055; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,033; 8. Chad Green, 2,023; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,013; 10. Spencer Hyde, 2,000.
Quotes
What are your thoughts on U.S. 131 Motorsports Park hosting its inaugural NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series event as the first round of the 2026 Countdown to the Championship?
“It’s the first time in the history of NHRA that we’ve added four new racetracks to the schedule in the same year. I’ve tested at Martin but that was about 17 years ago. Then you throw in the variables that it’s a racetrack nobody has data on and the changing weather forecast that continues to improve the closer we get to the race weekend. The point that I’m making is that the crew chiefs have so many variables they have to juggle before we send the PEAK Chevy down the track on our first qualifying run. But I have all the confidence in the world that Tim and Dan (crew chiefs Fabrisi and Hood) and John Force Racing’s track prep guru Lanny Miglizzi will have it figured out.”
What are your thoughts on the first three races of the Countdown, half the of the overall six races, scheduled over three consecutive weekends?
“My response when asked about the schedule, multiple races back to back, or multiple weekends off, is ‘it is what it is’. It is a schedule, we will conform to it and will always do the best we can every time. When you throw in those kinds of variables along with weather, it always tends to favor the better-funded teams simply because we have far more data to fall back on for that first run or two down the track. So, I think Dan and Tim are going to be as aggressive as they think that they can get away with on Friday and, come race day, we’ll hopefully have a car like we did at Indy, where our PEAK Chevy was simply the best car.”
Talk about the momentum the PEAK SQUAD has after winning the U.S. Nationals.
“I don’t know what momentum is worth driving a nitro Funny Car but, man, we are carrying a ton of momentum right now. I know, when you stand in the winner’s circle holding that trophy, the crew guys are walking a little taller and standing a little straighter when they show up for the next race. It’s just nice to affirm that you have a team and a car capable of doing that on a regular basis. So, for me, I can’t wait to get back out there because I think we can continue to play on the success that we had at Indy.”
Weekend Appearances
Beckman will be signing autographs at the following locations/times: Friday, Sept. 18, 12-12:30 p.m. at the John Force Racing merchandise trailer on the midway; Saturday, Sept. 19, 9-9:30 a.m. at the Mission Foods midway display and 9:30-10 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools midway display.
Track Schedule
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 12 and 2:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 18 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 20.
TV Schedule
Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday before eliminations action at 2 p.m.
2026 Results
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The U.S. Nationals victory, Beckman’s third Big Go Funny Car title and the final race of the 14-event regular season, moved the PEAK SQUAD into third place in the point standings heading into the six-race Countdown. The 2012 NHRA Funny Car Champion now sits just 17 points behind Ron Capps for second and 34 behind point leader Matt Hagan. The team earned two wins (Epping, Indianapolis), 23 round wins and two No. 1 Qualifiers (Chicago, Maryland) in the regular season.
The NHRA Great Lakes Nationals is the first of three consecutive weekends of racing to open the six-event 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. The balance of the Countdown includes: the Sept. 25-27 NHRA Nationals at The Rock; Oct. 2-4 NHRA Midwest Nationals; Oct. 16-18 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals; Oct. 29-Nov. 1 NHRA Las Vegas Nationals; and Nov. 13-15 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after 14 of 20 races are: 1. Matt Hagan, 2,109; 2. Ron Capps, 2,092; 3. Jack Beckman, 2,075; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 2,074; 5. J.R. Todd, 2,060; 6. Austin Prock, 2,055; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,033; 8. Chad Green, 2,023; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,013; 10. Spencer Hyde, 2,000.
Quotes
What are your thoughts on U.S. 131 Motorsports Park hosting its inaugural NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series event as the first round of the 2026 Countdown to the Championship?
“It’s the first time in the history of NHRA that we’ve added four new racetracks to the schedule in the same year. I’ve tested at Martin but that was about 17 years ago. Then you throw in the variables that it’s a racetrack nobody has data on and the changing weather forecast that continues to improve the closer we get to the race weekend. The point that I’m making is that the crew chiefs have so many variables they have to juggle before we send the PEAK Chevy down the track on our first qualifying run. But I have all the confidence in the world that Tim and Dan (crew chiefs Fabrisi and Hood) and John Force Racing’s track prep guru Lanny Miglizzi will have it figured out.”
What are your thoughts on the first three races of the Countdown, half the of the overall six races, scheduled over three consecutive weekends?
“My response when asked about the schedule, multiple races back to back, or multiple weekends off, is ‘it is what it is’. It is a schedule, we will conform to it and will always do the best we can every time. When you throw in those kinds of variables along with weather, it always tends to favor the better-funded teams simply because we have far more data to fall back on for that first run or two down the track. So, I think Dan and Tim are going to be as aggressive as they think that they can get away with on Friday and, come race day, we’ll hopefully have a car like we did at Indy, where our PEAK Chevy was simply the best car.”
Talk about the momentum the PEAK SQUAD has after winning the U.S. Nationals.
“I don’t know what momentum is worth driving a nitro Funny Car but, man, we are carrying a ton of momentum right now. I know, when you stand in the winner’s circle holding that trophy, the crew guys are walking a little taller and standing a little straighter when they show up for the next race. It’s just nice to affirm that you have a team and a car capable of doing that on a regular basis. So, for me, I can’t wait to get back out there because I think we can continue to play on the success that we had at Indy.”
Weekend Appearances
Beckman will be signing autographs at the following locations/times: Friday, Sept. 18, 12-12:30 p.m. at the John Force Racing merchandise trailer on the midway; Saturday, Sept. 19, 9-9:30 a.m. at the Mission Foods midway display and 9:30-10 a.m. at the Cornwell Tools midway display.
Track Schedule
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 12 and 2:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 18 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 20.
TV Schedule
Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday before eliminations action at 2 p.m.
2026 Results
| Event | Qualify | Round by Round | Round Record | Points Position |
| Gainesville | 9 | Lost to Jordan Vandergriff | 0-1 | 11 |
| Phoenix | 2 | Lost to Daniel Wilkerson | 0-2 | 10 |
| Pomona1 | 8 | Beat Jim Campbell; lost to J.R. Todd | 1-3 | 10 |
| Charlotte | 6 | Advanced Rounds 1 & 2; runner-up to Ron Capps | 3-4 | 8 |
| Valdosta | 11 | Lost to Matt Hagan | 3-5 | 8 |
| Chicago | 1 | Beat Chris King; lost to Matt Hagan | 4-6 | 8 |
| Maryland | 1 | Beat Joe Morrison, J.R. Todd, Jordan Vandergriff; lost to Austin Prock | 7-7 | 7 |
| Epping | 2 | Beat Phil Burkart Jr., Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, Jordán Vandergriff | 11-7 | 5 |
| Bristol | 3 | Beat Jeff Arend; lost to Daniel Wilkerson | 12-8 | 5 |
| Norwalk | 4 | Beat Spencer Hyde, Daniel Wilkerson, Austin Prock; lost to Ron Capps | 15-9 | 4 |
| Sonoma | 2 | Beat Jeff Arend, Cruz Pedregon; lost to Daniel Wilkerson | 17-10 | 3 |
| Seattle | 2 | Beat Tim Gibbons, Cruz Pedregon; lost to Austin Prock | 19-11 | 2 |
| Brainerd | 6 | Lost (DQ) to Chad Green | 19-12 | 5 |
| Indianapolis | 3 | Beat Jeff Arend, Alexis DeJoria, Austin Prock, Matt Hagan | 23-12 | 3 |
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