[coverattach=1]SOMEWHERE IN THE U.S.A. (Oct. 1, 2009) - As Jack Beckman, wife Jenna and son Jason travel the United States in their motor coach between NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events, visiting as many state capitals as they can, Beckman’s thoughts do not stray far from his goal of winning the 2009 NHRA Funny Car championship.
Because of his runner-up finish in Ennis, Texas, last Sunday, the driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge has vaulted into third place in the Countdown to 1 playoffs standings, with four races remaining to determine this year's champion. This weekend's NHRA Mid-South Nationals in Memphis is the third in a string of four back-to-back events before the final two complete the season in Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif.
"Everybody on the team is upbeat," he said. "We moved up in the points, we made it to the final round, which is what we have to do. But, you don't want to make it into the final round and lose.
'I think sometimes losing in the semis is better than losing in the finals because that's the one round where everything is on the line. It's more money, more points, and that's where you earn the Wally (the NHRA winner's trophy named for NHRA founder Wally Parks).
"When you lose that one, there's a letdown of being so close. We've had that exact same feeling in Memphis in 2007, when I lost by one thousandth of a second to Gary Scelzi. I think that we have the right mindset and the right tune-up now to get back into the final round.
"We have 16 rounds of competition left and I think we're going to have to win eight or nine of them to be a factor in the championship.
"What it basically means is getting at least one win in the next four races and pretty much reaching the semis or better everywhere you go if you want to have a shot at winning this. And I think right now we don't have to change a thing.
"This is one of those rare instances where we can load our car up, take it to the next race, unload it and run it and have pretty good confidence that we're going to be at the top of the pack."
Mail Terminal Services continues its popular "Mail From Home" campaign in 2009, supporting the U.S. troops serving in the war zones. In the past two NHRA seasons the campaign has sent over 195,000 post cards overseas signed by fans and supporters at each NHRA national event with messages of support for the troops, along with numerous NHRA National Dragster issues and other automotive magazines. Photos of cars and drivers were also included.
In 2009 the "Mail From Home" program has been challenged to exceed the previous records of cards distributed to hit a 125,000-card record for one season.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in Countdown to 1 playoffs standings, after two of six events
* No. 5 in 2009 Funny Car "regular season," after two victories (Atlanta; Norwalk, Ohio), one runner-up, three semifinal, five quarterfinal and seven first-rounds in "regular season"
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 26-18
* Qualified No. 5 at 2008 NHRA Mid-South Nationals, lost semifinal to Tony Pedregon
* Runner-up in Memphis in 2007 (Gary Scelzi)
* No. 3 in 2008 Funny Car point standings, with three victories - Phoenix, Reading, Concord - in seven final rounds
* Was bumped out of the 2007 Countdown to Four playoffs standings at the Richmond, Va., event, after his teammates Gary Scelzi and Ron Capps reached the semifinal round. Ended the season No. 5 in points
* In his 84 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won eight times in 15 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 95-71
* Is the 2007 U.S. Smokeless Showdown winner ($100,000 bonus event held at U.S. Nationals)
* Set national elapsed-time record of 4.662 seconds and national speed record of 333.66 mph (on quarter-mile) at final 2006 event in Pomona, Calif. The ET record has since been eclipsed. Beckman still holds the speed record
* As a Funny Car rookie in the last five races of 2006, he qualified No. 1
once (Pomona 2), reached two final rounds (Las Vegas 2 and Pomona 2), won once (Vegas 2), and set both ends of the national record (Pomona 2)
* Residence: Norco, Calif.
* Hometown: Granada Hills, Calif.
* Date of birth: June 28, 1966
* Married, Jenna (wedding date 11/7/06), son Jason Russell (3/8/07)
* Height/weight: 6'0", 185 lbs.
* Former instructor and current consultant at Frank Hawley's NHRA Championship Drag Racing School; former Sergeant in U.S. Air Force (1984-88); cancer survivor; licensed in nine different NHRA categories
* First Start in TF: Las Vegas 1 2005
* First Start in FC: , Dallas, Texas, 2006
* Competed in only 12 TF events in 2005, ended season 15th in points
* Career-best FC (quarter-mile) elapsed time: 4.662 seconds (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best FC (quarter-mile) speed: 333.66 mph (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best TF (quarter-mile) elapsed time: 4.563 seconds (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* Career-best (quarter-mile) TF speed: 324.28 mph (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* In 2003 won Super Comp world championship in Lucas Oil Series and Division 7 Super Comp championship
* Leads 14-time champion John Force in head-to-head round wins: 9-5
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Oct. 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 3 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 4 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Oct. 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed) :
Friday, Oct. 2, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Oct. 4, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
Because of his runner-up finish in Ennis, Texas, last Sunday, the driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge has vaulted into third place in the Countdown to 1 playoffs standings, with four races remaining to determine this year's champion. This weekend's NHRA Mid-South Nationals in Memphis is the third in a string of four back-to-back events before the final two complete the season in Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif.
"Everybody on the team is upbeat," he said. "We moved up in the points, we made it to the final round, which is what we have to do. But, you don't want to make it into the final round and lose.
'I think sometimes losing in the semis is better than losing in the finals because that's the one round where everything is on the line. It's more money, more points, and that's where you earn the Wally (the NHRA winner's trophy named for NHRA founder Wally Parks).
"When you lose that one, there's a letdown of being so close. We've had that exact same feeling in Memphis in 2007, when I lost by one thousandth of a second to Gary Scelzi. I think that we have the right mindset and the right tune-up now to get back into the final round.
"We have 16 rounds of competition left and I think we're going to have to win eight or nine of them to be a factor in the championship.
"What it basically means is getting at least one win in the next four races and pretty much reaching the semis or better everywhere you go if you want to have a shot at winning this. And I think right now we don't have to change a thing.
"This is one of those rare instances where we can load our car up, take it to the next race, unload it and run it and have pretty good confidence that we're going to be at the top of the pack."
Mail Terminal Services continues its popular "Mail From Home" campaign in 2009, supporting the U.S. troops serving in the war zones. In the past two NHRA seasons the campaign has sent over 195,000 post cards overseas signed by fans and supporters at each NHRA national event with messages of support for the troops, along with numerous NHRA National Dragster issues and other automotive magazines. Photos of cars and drivers were also included.
In 2009 the "Mail From Home" program has been challenged to exceed the previous records of cards distributed to hit a 125,000-card record for one season.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in Countdown to 1 playoffs standings, after two of six events
* No. 5 in 2009 Funny Car "regular season," after two victories (Atlanta; Norwalk, Ohio), one runner-up, three semifinal, five quarterfinal and seven first-rounds in "regular season"
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 26-18
* Qualified No. 5 at 2008 NHRA Mid-South Nationals, lost semifinal to Tony Pedregon
* Runner-up in Memphis in 2007 (Gary Scelzi)
* No. 3 in 2008 Funny Car point standings, with three victories - Phoenix, Reading, Concord - in seven final rounds
* Was bumped out of the 2007 Countdown to Four playoffs standings at the Richmond, Va., event, after his teammates Gary Scelzi and Ron Capps reached the semifinal round. Ended the season No. 5 in points
* In his 84 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won eight times in 15 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 95-71
* Is the 2007 U.S. Smokeless Showdown winner ($100,000 bonus event held at U.S. Nationals)
* Set national elapsed-time record of 4.662 seconds and national speed record of 333.66 mph (on quarter-mile) at final 2006 event in Pomona, Calif. The ET record has since been eclipsed. Beckman still holds the speed record
* As a Funny Car rookie in the last five races of 2006, he qualified No. 1
once (Pomona 2), reached two final rounds (Las Vegas 2 and Pomona 2), won once (Vegas 2), and set both ends of the national record (Pomona 2)
* Residence: Norco, Calif.
* Hometown: Granada Hills, Calif.
* Date of birth: June 28, 1966
* Married, Jenna (wedding date 11/7/06), son Jason Russell (3/8/07)
* Height/weight: 6'0", 185 lbs.
* Former instructor and current consultant at Frank Hawley's NHRA Championship Drag Racing School; former Sergeant in U.S. Air Force (1984-88); cancer survivor; licensed in nine different NHRA categories
* First Start in TF: Las Vegas 1 2005
* First Start in FC: , Dallas, Texas, 2006
* Competed in only 12 TF events in 2005, ended season 15th in points
* Career-best FC (quarter-mile) elapsed time: 4.662 seconds (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best FC (quarter-mile) speed: 333.66 mph (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best TF (quarter-mile) elapsed time: 4.563 seconds (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* Career-best (quarter-mile) TF speed: 324.28 mph (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* In 2003 won Super Comp world championship in Lucas Oil Series and Division 7 Super Comp championship
* Leads 14-time champion John Force in head-to-head round wins: 9-5
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Oct. 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 3 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 4 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Oct. 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed) :
Friday, Oct. 2, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Oct. 4, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
