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NORTH HILLS, Calif. (March 10, 2008) - Fresh off his first season Funny Car victory in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at Firebird Raceway (outside of Phoenix) three weekends ago and holding onto second in the point standings, "Fast" Jack Beckman returns to the NHRA Gatornationals this weekend to avenge his 2007 result.
The driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T for Don Schumacher Racing failed to qualify last year at the Gators, the first time in his professional career. In a season fraught with DNQs among each of the top Funny Car championship contenders under the new Countdown to the Championship format, Beckman DNQ'd a second time in 2007, and missed earning a spot in the final Countdown to One playoff by just one round.
Beckman is buoyed by the Valvoline/MTS Dodge's performance in Phoenix where, except for one less-then-stellar lap, he posted four solid, consistent passes to win his fourth career national event in six final rounds since joining Don Schumacher Racing for the last five races of 2006. The popular Frank Hawley Drag Racing School instructor is in his second full season in the Funny Car class with DSR.
"That DNQ last year in Gainesville was my first in the pro ranks and it was very disappointing," said the former Air Force sergeant, cancer survivor and holder of the national top-speed record of 333.66 mph. "We had debuted a new chassis, and it required a different tune-up, so we went and tested afterwards and sorted it out.
"This year we're coming into Gainesville under totally different circumstances. We've got a chassis that we've run over 100 runs and we just won Phoenix, where we ran really consistently. We have every reason to believe that the Valvoline/MTS Dodge can make another charge for the winner's circle at the prestigious Gatornationals."
Mail Terminal Services will continue its "Mail from Home" program in 2008. Fans at each NHRA national event will have the opportunity to sign special cards at the DSR hospitality area and at the U.S. Army Racing Zone in the midway area, which MTS will then ship, free of charge, to the troops in war zones overseas.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* Second in 2008 Funny Car points after two events (one victory)
* Finished 2007 season fifth in point standings
* DNQ'd at 2007 Gatornationals
* 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.
* Had back-to-back 2007 season victories in Denver and Seattle, in three final rounds
* Also in 2007 had three semifinal finishes, seven quarterfinal finishes and two DNQs, and a round win-loss record of 24-19
* In his 42 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won four times in six final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 41-36
* Set national elapsed-time record of 4.662 seconds and national speed record of 333.66 mph 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), and set both ends of the national record (Pomona 2)
* Residence: North Hills, 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.
* Serves as instructor 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 elapsed time: 4.662 seconds (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best FC speed: 333.66 mph (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best TF elapsed time: 4.563 seconds (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* Career-best 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
* Has a round-winning record against 14-time NHRA champion John Force: 4-3
EVENT SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 14, nitro qualifying is at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, the qualifying is the same, at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations on Sunday begin at 11 a.m.
BECKMAN BOLSTERED BY PHOENIX WIN, TARGETS GATORS
NORTH HILLS, Calif. (March 10, 2008) - Fresh off his first season Funny Car victory in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at Firebird Raceway (outside of Phoenix) three weekends ago and holding onto second in the point standings, "Fast" Jack Beckman returns to the NHRA Gatornationals this weekend to avenge his 2007 result.
The driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T for Don Schumacher Racing failed to qualify last year at the Gators, the first time in his professional career. In a season fraught with DNQs among each of the top Funny Car championship contenders under the new Countdown to the Championship format, Beckman DNQ'd a second time in 2007, and missed earning a spot in the final Countdown to One playoff by just one round.
Beckman is buoyed by the Valvoline/MTS Dodge's performance in Phoenix where, except for one less-then-stellar lap, he posted four solid, consistent passes to win his fourth career national event in six final rounds since joining Don Schumacher Racing for the last five races of 2006. The popular Frank Hawley Drag Racing School instructor is in his second full season in the Funny Car class with DSR.
"That DNQ last year in Gainesville was my first in the pro ranks and it was very disappointing," said the former Air Force sergeant, cancer survivor and holder of the national top-speed record of 333.66 mph. "We had debuted a new chassis, and it required a different tune-up, so we went and tested afterwards and sorted it out.
"This year we're coming into Gainesville under totally different circumstances. We've got a chassis that we've run over 100 runs and we just won Phoenix, where we ran really consistently. We have every reason to believe that the Valvoline/MTS Dodge can make another charge for the winner's circle at the prestigious Gatornationals."
Mail Terminal Services will continue its "Mail from Home" program in 2008. Fans at each NHRA national event will have the opportunity to sign special cards at the DSR hospitality area and at the U.S. Army Racing Zone in the midway area, which MTS will then ship, free of charge, to the troops in war zones overseas.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* Second in 2008 Funny Car points after two events (one victory)
* Finished 2007 season fifth in point standings
* DNQ'd at 2007 Gatornationals
* 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.
* Had back-to-back 2007 season victories in Denver and Seattle, in three final rounds
* Also in 2007 had three semifinal finishes, seven quarterfinal finishes and two DNQs, and a round win-loss record of 24-19
* In his 42 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won four times in six final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 41-36
* Set national elapsed-time record of 4.662 seconds and national speed record of 333.66 mph 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), and set both ends of the national record (Pomona 2)
* Residence: North Hills, 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.
* Serves as instructor 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 elapsed time: 4.662 seconds (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best FC speed: 333.66 mph (Pomona 2 '06)
* Career-best TF elapsed time: 4.563 seconds (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* Career-best 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
* Has a round-winning record against 14-time NHRA champion John Force: 4-3
EVENT SCHEDULE:
Friday, March 14, nitro qualifying is at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, the qualifying is the same, at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations on Sunday begin at 11 a.m.
