<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/J_Beckman.jpg" alt="J_Beckman" align="left"borders="0"/>
NORTH HILLS, Calif. (June 27, 2007) - Jack Beckman says he welcomes the level playing field the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car crew chiefs and drivers will have at this weekend's Inaugural Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Beckman, who drives the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing in his first full season in the Funny Car class, has made only one prior visit to Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, back in 2004, as an instructor at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School.
"I've only been to Norwalk with the Pro Stock reaction-time clinics we held at different race tracks back then." says Beckman, the 2003 NHRA Super Comp champion who also holds the national Funny Car speed record of 333.66 mph, set during his five-event stint in 2006. "I haven't run there. I do remember that it is a neat facility. It's got baseball-stadium kind of seats and has a little different flavor than the NHRA fan is used to. So, it's going to be awesome.
"It's also going to be neat because most of the crews have no experience running there, so it kind of levels the playing field. It gets back to the basics of reading the race track and managing the tune-up. It's going to be hot, and our MTS Dodge is a bracket car in the heat. Can't wait.
"It will be my first time at an inaugural race in a race car. It's kind of cool to say you've raced the first NHRA national event at Norwalk, and I hope we leave with the first Norwalk Funny Car trophy."
Tenth in the Funny Car rankings, Beckman is in the middle of a battle for a spot in the top eight for the new Countdown to the Championship. It's a tight group, as he, Tommy Johnson Jr., Jeff Arend, Del Worsham, Cruz Pedregon, and even 14-time Funny Car champion John Force, back in 14th, are aiming for a place in the playoff. Beckman is just six points out of ninth, and nine points short of Johnson in eighth. Behind him are Worsham, six points back, and Cruz Pedregon, who trails Beckman by 29 markers. Force is 107 points out of a berth in the Countdown.
Beckman's sponsor, Mail Terminal Services, will be featuring Camp Falcon this weekend in Norwalk, in its "Mail from Home" program. Postcards will be available to send to this war-zone camp at the Don Schumacher Racing hospitality area as well as at a kiosk in the U.S. Army "Racing Zone," the U.S. Army Interactive area located in Nitro Alley.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* Tenth in 2007 NHRA Funny Car point standings after 10 events
* 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 and has taught over 6,000 students since 1998; 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: Reading, Pa., 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 29 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4 and 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 30 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 1 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday July 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (ANALOG FEED):
Friday, June 29, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, June 30, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 1, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
BECKMAN WELCOMES LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN NORWALK
NORTH HILLS, Calif. (June 27, 2007) - Jack Beckman says he welcomes the level playing field the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car crew chiefs and drivers will have at this weekend's Inaugural Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
Beckman, who drives the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing in his first full season in the Funny Car class, has made only one prior visit to Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, back in 2004, as an instructor at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School.
"I've only been to Norwalk with the Pro Stock reaction-time clinics we held at different race tracks back then." says Beckman, the 2003 NHRA Super Comp champion who also holds the national Funny Car speed record of 333.66 mph, set during his five-event stint in 2006. "I haven't run there. I do remember that it is a neat facility. It's got baseball-stadium kind of seats and has a little different flavor than the NHRA fan is used to. So, it's going to be awesome.
"It's also going to be neat because most of the crews have no experience running there, so it kind of levels the playing field. It gets back to the basics of reading the race track and managing the tune-up. It's going to be hot, and our MTS Dodge is a bracket car in the heat. Can't wait.
"It will be my first time at an inaugural race in a race car. It's kind of cool to say you've raced the first NHRA national event at Norwalk, and I hope we leave with the first Norwalk Funny Car trophy."
Tenth in the Funny Car rankings, Beckman is in the middle of a battle for a spot in the top eight for the new Countdown to the Championship. It's a tight group, as he, Tommy Johnson Jr., Jeff Arend, Del Worsham, Cruz Pedregon, and even 14-time Funny Car champion John Force, back in 14th, are aiming for a place in the playoff. Beckman is just six points out of ninth, and nine points short of Johnson in eighth. Behind him are Worsham, six points back, and Cruz Pedregon, who trails Beckman by 29 markers. Force is 107 points out of a berth in the Countdown.
Beckman's sponsor, Mail Terminal Services, will be featuring Camp Falcon this weekend in Norwalk, in its "Mail from Home" program. Postcards will be available to send to this war-zone camp at the Don Schumacher Racing hospitality area as well as at a kiosk in the U.S. Army "Racing Zone," the U.S. Army Interactive area located in Nitro Alley.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* Tenth in 2007 NHRA Funny Car point standings after 10 events
* 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 and has taught over 6,000 students since 1998; 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: Reading, Pa., 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 29 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4 and 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 30 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 1 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday July 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (ANALOG FEED):
Friday, June 29, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, June 30, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 1, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
