BROWNSBURG, Ind. (MAY 13, 2026) – Jack Beckman and the PEAK SQUAD took a difficult path to victory in last year’s Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK so they’re working toward a much smoother route to winner’s circle in this year’s May 15-17 event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill.
The PEAK Chevrolet SS was hit with multiple mechanical gremlins in qualifying and traction issues in eliminations during last year’s event. But it all came together in the final round against then-teammate and reigning Funny Car Champion Austin Prock.
Beckman won on a holeshot, cutting a .049 light to Prock’s .063, and taking the win a run of 3.935 seconds at 325.77 mph to his teammate’s quicker run of 3.933 seconds at 329.02 mph. It was Beckman’s 37th NHRA Funny Car career victory.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after five of 20 races are: 1. J.R. Todd, 411; 2. Ron Capps, 408; 3. Matt Hagan, 386; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 383; 5. Chad Green, 340; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 297; 7. Spencer Hyde, 275; 8. Jack Beckman, 245; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 201; 10. Dave Richards, 171.
Quotes
Talk about the crazy details of winning that race in Chicago last year.
“It really looked like it was a scripted weekend for the PEAK SQUAD. We qualified number one, we win the race. It’s an absolute storybook description but it misses a lot of the details. It was an unusual event in that the quickest qualifying runs didn’t come on Friday, they came on Saturday. We were sitting mid-pack when we came up for the first Saturday run and we go right to the top with a 3.85. We thought it might even be a little bit quicker for the last qualifying run. We go up to the line and our car won’t start. The crew did a number of quick checks but couldn’t find the issue. We eventually found a broken air fitting that disarmed the ignition system. But the silver lining there is it happening qualifying, not on race day.
“Race day comes and the car won’t start in the morning warmup. It’s a different issue in the ignition system. We replace the box and now we’ve dodged a couple of bullets. We win 1st round and then smoke the tires in the second round but were still able to win. The car smoked the tires again in the semis but I pedaled it and we got the win. Then we close it with a holeshot win over our teammate, Austin Prock, the defending Funny Car champion and that’s as good as it gets. As a driver, it feels unbelievable to give back to a team that’s given you a fast car all year long because it’s typically the car that wins the race. We bookended qualifying number one and that amazing final round victory with a lot of nail biting.”
What does it mean to you to be able to race in primary sponsor PEAK’s backyard?
“The big races to win are typically your hometown race, milestone events, the U.S. nationals and, and the Pomona races. They’re the legendary races. But I also put right up there winning your sponsor’s event because their name goes on the trophy at the end of the day, too. When you win at your sponsor’s event, and your sponsor is a company like PEAK and Old World Industries, where all the employees understand the culture of the product that they’re selling, it’s something special. We had so many PEAK employees show up to the race last year. It wasn’t mandatory. They wanted to be there and they were there at the end of the day with the team in winner’s circle holding that trophy up. It’s really hard to think of many better weekends that I’ve had driving a race car than to do it with that PEAK SQUAD surrounding us.”
What was it like seeing your teammate Jordan Vandergriff get his first Funny Car event win?
“It was fantastic for him. He’s a Southern California boy who is now a Georgia transplant. The biggest race you ever win is your first so he got a double whammy with winning in his adopted home state. I’m still a huge fan of the sport. I’m a participant, but I’m so fortunate to be a participant because I’m such a big fan. Watching that young man have his moment after all the uncertainty the last few years was just special. To say the planets lined up for him is an understatement. He had a steep learning curve and he’s excelled at it. There’s still a lot of things that he’ll get better at but the biggest hurdle of all is getting that first one. And It’s a huge deal for that team. It’s a validation of all their hard work.”
Stats
Starts: 16
Wins: 2 (2016 & 2025)
Runner-ups: 0
No. 1 Qualifiers: 1 (2025)
Event Round Record: 22-13
Track & TV Schedules
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:30 and 5:0 p.m. CT on Friday, May 15, with the final two rounds Saturday, May 16, at 12:00 and 2:30 p.m. CT. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at 11 a.m. CT.
Television coverage on FS1 includes qualifying on Friday, May 15, from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. ET, a second qualifying show on Saturday, May 16, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET, and the eliminations broadcast on Sunday, May 17, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET.
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The PEAK Chevrolet SS was hit with multiple mechanical gremlins in qualifying and traction issues in eliminations during last year’s event. But it all came together in the final round against then-teammate and reigning Funny Car Champion Austin Prock.
Beckman won on a holeshot, cutting a .049 light to Prock’s .063, and taking the win a run of 3.935 seconds at 325.77 mph to his teammate’s quicker run of 3.933 seconds at 329.02 mph. It was Beckman’s 37th NHRA Funny Car career victory.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after five of 20 races are: 1. J.R. Todd, 411; 2. Ron Capps, 408; 3. Matt Hagan, 386; 4. Jordan Vandergriff, 383; 5. Chad Green, 340; 6. Alexis DeJoria, 297; 7. Spencer Hyde, 275; 8. Jack Beckman, 245; 9. Daniel Wilkerson, 201; 10. Dave Richards, 171.
Quotes
Talk about the crazy details of winning that race in Chicago last year.
“It really looked like it was a scripted weekend for the PEAK SQUAD. We qualified number one, we win the race. It’s an absolute storybook description but it misses a lot of the details. It was an unusual event in that the quickest qualifying runs didn’t come on Friday, they came on Saturday. We were sitting mid-pack when we came up for the first Saturday run and we go right to the top with a 3.85. We thought it might even be a little bit quicker for the last qualifying run. We go up to the line and our car won’t start. The crew did a number of quick checks but couldn’t find the issue. We eventually found a broken air fitting that disarmed the ignition system. But the silver lining there is it happening qualifying, not on race day.
“Race day comes and the car won’t start in the morning warmup. It’s a different issue in the ignition system. We replace the box and now we’ve dodged a couple of bullets. We win 1st round and then smoke the tires in the second round but were still able to win. The car smoked the tires again in the semis but I pedaled it and we got the win. Then we close it with a holeshot win over our teammate, Austin Prock, the defending Funny Car champion and that’s as good as it gets. As a driver, it feels unbelievable to give back to a team that’s given you a fast car all year long because it’s typically the car that wins the race. We bookended qualifying number one and that amazing final round victory with a lot of nail biting.”
What does it mean to you to be able to race in primary sponsor PEAK’s backyard?
“The big races to win are typically your hometown race, milestone events, the U.S. nationals and, and the Pomona races. They’re the legendary races. But I also put right up there winning your sponsor’s event because their name goes on the trophy at the end of the day, too. When you win at your sponsor’s event, and your sponsor is a company like PEAK and Old World Industries, where all the employees understand the culture of the product that they’re selling, it’s something special. We had so many PEAK employees show up to the race last year. It wasn’t mandatory. They wanted to be there and they were there at the end of the day with the team in winner’s circle holding that trophy up. It’s really hard to think of many better weekends that I’ve had driving a race car than to do it with that PEAK SQUAD surrounding us.”
What was it like seeing your teammate Jordan Vandergriff get his first Funny Car event win?
“It was fantastic for him. He’s a Southern California boy who is now a Georgia transplant. The biggest race you ever win is your first so he got a double whammy with winning in his adopted home state. I’m still a huge fan of the sport. I’m a participant, but I’m so fortunate to be a participant because I’m such a big fan. Watching that young man have his moment after all the uncertainty the last few years was just special. To say the planets lined up for him is an understatement. He had a steep learning curve and he’s excelled at it. There’s still a lot of things that he’ll get better at but the biggest hurdle of all is getting that first one. And It’s a huge deal for that team. It’s a validation of all their hard work.”
Stats
| Chicago | Race Result | Round Wins | Round Loss | Qualified | Event Record |
| 2005 (TF) | 1st round | Lost to L. Dixon | 11th | 0-1 | |
| 2006 | Did Not Compete | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 (FC) | Semi Finals | Def. S. Kalitta Def K. Bernstein | Lost to R. Capps | 6th | 2-2 |
| 2008 (FC) | 1st round | Lost to M. Oswald | 15th | 2-3 | |
| 2009 (FC) | 1st round | Lost to A. Force Hood | 15th | 2-4 | |
| 2010 (FC) | Semi Finals | Def. P. Lee Def B. Tasca | Lost to R. Hight | 5th | 4-5 |
| 2011 (FC) | Semi Finals | Def. R. Hight Def M. Troxel | Lost to M. Neff | 4th | 6-6 |
| 2012 (FC) | Semi Finals | Def. M. Hagan Def. J. Gray | Lost to J. Arend | 3rd | 8-7 |
| 2013 (FC) | 2nd round | Def. A. DeJoria | Lost to M. Hagan | 3rd | 9-8 |
| 2014 (FC) | 1st round | Lost to M. Hagan | 7th | 9-9 | |
| 2015 (FC) | 2nd round | Def. C. Force | Lost to T. Johnson Jr | 12th | 10-10 |
| 2016 (FC) | Winner | Def. J. Hale Def. C. Force Def. R. Hight Def. R. Capps | 2nd | 14-10 | |
| 2017 (FC) | 2nd round | Def. Bob Bode | Lost to T. Wilkerson | 2nd | 15-11 |
| 2018 (FC) | 2nd round | Def. D. Creasy Jr | Lost to J. Force | 3rd | 16-12 |
| 2019 (FC) | Semi Finals | Def. B. Alexander Def. J. Arend | Lost to R. Hight | 5th | 18-13 |
| 2020 (FC) | Did Not Compete | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2021 | Did Not Compete | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2022 | Did Not Compete | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2023 | Did Not Compete | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2024 | Did Not Compete | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2025 (FC) | Winner | Def. D. Richards Def. C. Green Def. C. Pedregon Def. A. Prock | 1st | 22-13 |
Starts: 16
Wins: 2 (2016 & 2025)
Runner-ups: 0
No. 1 Qualifiers: 1 (2025)
Event Round Record: 22-13
Track & TV Schedules
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:30 and 5:0 p.m. CT on Friday, May 15, with the final two rounds Saturday, May 16, at 12:00 and 2:30 p.m. CT. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at 11 a.m. CT.
Television coverage on FS1 includes qualifying on Friday, May 15, from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. ET, a second qualifying show on Saturday, May 16, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET, and the eliminations broadcast on Sunday, May 17, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET.
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