<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/J_Beckman.jpg" alt="J_Beckman" align="right"borders="0"/>
LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27, 2007) - Jack Beckman, driving the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, earned the No. 5 position at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Beckman registered his quickest pass of 4.782 seconds at 321.81 mph in the second qualifying session on Friday evening, which was preceded by a 4.818/317.27 in the first round, and followed by a tire-smoking 7.085/116.59 and a 4.818/313.07.
"It's very interesting," he said. "We stumbled once. Went out there in session three and knocked the tires loose, and I think it was a case of we were trying to run more than that left lane was ready for. All the cars that ran near us in that lane struggled, so I don't think it was anything that raised eyebrows here.
"Other than that, we made three real stout runs. Our last run would have been on a high 4.70. It looks like it leaned out and popped the supercharger right before the lights. We still went an .81.
"Very interesting qualifying here in that because of the delays (a number of breakdowns and oildowns) we effectively got two evening qualifying sessions, and the data we gained from them is going to be almost useless tomorrow. So, if we go back to what we ran in the heat yesterday, we're still in great shape."
As for his role as a potential spoiler in the Countdown to One race as a non-contender, "I like the fact that (teammates Ron) Capps and (Gary) Scelzi ended up on the other side of the ladder from us. Nobody will be able to say we're using any team orders. Those guys are going to have to fight it out on their own side of the ladder, and hopefully one of them makes it to the final and we can do our thing then."
Beckman faces Del Worsham in the opening round of eliminations on Sunday.
BECKMAN SCORES A NO. 5 IN VEGAS QUALIFYING
LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27, 2007) - Jack Beckman, driving the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, earned the No. 5 position at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Beckman registered his quickest pass of 4.782 seconds at 321.81 mph in the second qualifying session on Friday evening, which was preceded by a 4.818/317.27 in the first round, and followed by a tire-smoking 7.085/116.59 and a 4.818/313.07.
"It's very interesting," he said. "We stumbled once. Went out there in session three and knocked the tires loose, and I think it was a case of we were trying to run more than that left lane was ready for. All the cars that ran near us in that lane struggled, so I don't think it was anything that raised eyebrows here.
"Other than that, we made three real stout runs. Our last run would have been on a high 4.70. It looks like it leaned out and popped the supercharger right before the lights. We still went an .81.
"Very interesting qualifying here in that because of the delays (a number of breakdowns and oildowns) we effectively got two evening qualifying sessions, and the data we gained from them is going to be almost useless tomorrow. So, if we go back to what we ran in the heat yesterday, we're still in great shape."
As for his role as a potential spoiler in the Countdown to One race as a non-contender, "I like the fact that (teammates Ron) Capps and (Gary) Scelzi ended up on the other side of the ladder from us. Nobody will be able to say we're using any team orders. Those guys are going to have to fight it out on their own side of the ladder, and hopefully one of them makes it to the final and we can do our thing then."
Beckman faces Del Worsham in the opening round of eliminations on Sunday.
