[coverattach=1]NORTH HILLS, Calif. (July 6, 2009) - Jack Beckman, the most recent Funny Car winner of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, after claiming his second victory of the season in Norwalk, Ohio, is shooting for his second triumph at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals this weekend at Bandimere Speedway.
Driving the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge in only his third full season of pro Funny Car competition, Beckman is looking to add to his success at the drag strip carved out of the side of a mountain in Morrison, Colo., just outside of Denver. He's the 2007 champion there racing to a quarter-mile and the 2008 runner-up at 1000 feet.
"This represents a full circle," said Beckman. "We're coming back to the track where we ran the first 1000-foot race in ‘08. All I want to do is go one round better than last year. I'm 7-1 in Denver in a pro car. I've only been there twice, and I've been in the finals both times and won once.
"Love the track and the Bandimere family. I went there in 1984 when I was in tech school in Denver for the Air Force," said the former Air Force sergeant. "And then I drove 500 miles one way for the next three years from Cannon Air Force base in New Mexico, where I was stationed at the time, to watch that race. It's always been a phenomenal facility.
"Love the family atmosphere, and the fact that the tune-up is un-applicable to any other facility that we run on. There's something mystical about racing up on the mountain and I can't wait to get back up there .
"That's where we started our surge towards the top last year," added Beckman, who went on to reach five more final rounds, winning twice, ending the season in third place with three wins in seven final rounds. "This year we started one race earlier, and we certainly want to continue that trend.
"You still have to enjoy a little bit of racing luck,” he said. “Even the best cars get beat first round once or twice, so you just shouldn't get down from those. We need to do our best to make good quality runs and be very strategic with our qualifying.
"If it works to our benefit, we can use one or two qualifying runs to test, but our goal is to qualify in the top half in every race so we go into the first round of eliminations with lane choice and a more favorable pairing. That’s what bit us earlier in the year. We seemed to have turned that around somewhat in Norwalk. We'll just see if we can continue that momentum."
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 120,000-card record for one season.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in 2009 Funny Car standings, after two victories (Atlanta; Norwalk, Ohio), one runner-up, one semifinal, four quarterfinal and four first-rounds in 12 events
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 17-10
* Denver winner in 2007 over teammate Ron Capps. Runner-up in 2008 (Tim Wilkerson)
* Qualified No. 10 in 2008, lost final round to Wilkerson
* 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 76 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 86-63
* 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 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: 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.
* 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, July 10 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 11 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 12 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, July 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, July 10, 10 - 10:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, July 11, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 12:30 - 1 a.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
Driving the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge in only his third full season of pro Funny Car competition, Beckman is looking to add to his success at the drag strip carved out of the side of a mountain in Morrison, Colo., just outside of Denver. He's the 2007 champion there racing to a quarter-mile and the 2008 runner-up at 1000 feet.
"This represents a full circle," said Beckman. "We're coming back to the track where we ran the first 1000-foot race in ‘08. All I want to do is go one round better than last year. I'm 7-1 in Denver in a pro car. I've only been there twice, and I've been in the finals both times and won once.
"Love the track and the Bandimere family. I went there in 1984 when I was in tech school in Denver for the Air Force," said the former Air Force sergeant. "And then I drove 500 miles one way for the next three years from Cannon Air Force base in New Mexico, where I was stationed at the time, to watch that race. It's always been a phenomenal facility.
"Love the family atmosphere, and the fact that the tune-up is un-applicable to any other facility that we run on. There's something mystical about racing up on the mountain and I can't wait to get back up there .
"That's where we started our surge towards the top last year," added Beckman, who went on to reach five more final rounds, winning twice, ending the season in third place with three wins in seven final rounds. "This year we started one race earlier, and we certainly want to continue that trend.
"You still have to enjoy a little bit of racing luck,” he said. “Even the best cars get beat first round once or twice, so you just shouldn't get down from those. We need to do our best to make good quality runs and be very strategic with our qualifying.
"If it works to our benefit, we can use one or two qualifying runs to test, but our goal is to qualify in the top half in every race so we go into the first round of eliminations with lane choice and a more favorable pairing. That’s what bit us earlier in the year. We seemed to have turned that around somewhat in Norwalk. We'll just see if we can continue that momentum."
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 120,000-card record for one season.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 4 in 2009 Funny Car standings, after two victories (Atlanta; Norwalk, Ohio), one runner-up, one semifinal, four quarterfinal and four first-rounds in 12 events
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 17-10
* Denver winner in 2007 over teammate Ron Capps. Runner-up in 2008 (Tim Wilkerson)
* Qualified No. 10 in 2008, lost final round to Wilkerson
* 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 76 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 86-63
* 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 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: 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.
* 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, July 10 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 11 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 12 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, July 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, July 10, 10 - 10:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, July 11, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 12:30 - 1 a.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
