<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/J_Beckman.jpg" alt="J_Beckman" align="left"/>
NORTH HILLS, Calif. (Aug. 15, 2007) - We've said it before. Jack Beckman is living his dream. In only his first full season of Funny Car competition in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, he has won twice and has earned a spot in the top eight for the new Countdown to the Championship, the next phase of which begins at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
Piloting the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T for Don Schumacher Racing, Beckman is fifth in the standings, just seven markers short of fourth and 20 points out of third, where he'd like to be before the "Countdown to Four" begins.
"It's exciting," he said. "Coming into Reading with a spot in the Countdown is like going into the last qualifying session knowing you can't be bumped out. But, you still want to do everything right.
"Our goal is real simple: win the race. The added incentive for us to win the race is we can still move up as high as third in the points. We could get around John Force (in fourth), we could get around Mike Ashley (in third) if we win the race there.
"It's very comforting knowing that, no matter what, we're in the Countdown.
"Reading was supposed to have been my debut last year for Schumacher Racing, and we went out there and sat in the rain," added Beckman, who joined DSR for the last five races of 2006. "So it actually wound up being my second race. I also raced there in Top Fuel in 2005. I have a lot of cousins coming out because (wife) Jenna and I have family in this area. Her family is from the Pennsylvania and Delaware area, mine's from the Maryland area, so I've got over a dozen cousins, aunts and uncles coming out.
"This time of year the weather is always a question mark. It could be nasty, hot and humid, but Friday night's qualifying might be amazing with all the oxygen around there. I'm excited. I think it's going to be an interesting driver's race this weekend."
Mail Terminal Services will be featuring Camp Al Qaim this weekend in Reading, 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.
For the record, DSR Funny Car drivers have won seven out of the 16 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events so far: Ron Capps (3), Jack Beckman (2), Gary Scelzi (2).
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 5 in 2007 NHRA Funny Car point standings after 16 events and back-to-back season victories in Denver and Seattle, in two final rounds
* Also has three semifinal finishes, four quarterfinal finishes and two DNQs
* 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
BECKMAN'S GOAL IN READING IS SIMPLE: WIN THE RACE
NORTH HILLS, Calif. (Aug. 15, 2007) - We've said it before. Jack Beckman is living his dream. In only his first full season of Funny Car competition in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, he has won twice and has earned a spot in the top eight for the new Countdown to the Championship, the next phase of which begins at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
Piloting the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T for Don Schumacher Racing, Beckman is fifth in the standings, just seven markers short of fourth and 20 points out of third, where he'd like to be before the "Countdown to Four" begins.
"It's exciting," he said. "Coming into Reading with a spot in the Countdown is like going into the last qualifying session knowing you can't be bumped out. But, you still want to do everything right.
"Our goal is real simple: win the race. The added incentive for us to win the race is we can still move up as high as third in the points. We could get around John Force (in fourth), we could get around Mike Ashley (in third) if we win the race there.
"It's very comforting knowing that, no matter what, we're in the Countdown.
"Reading was supposed to have been my debut last year for Schumacher Racing, and we went out there and sat in the rain," added Beckman, who joined DSR for the last five races of 2006. "So it actually wound up being my second race. I also raced there in Top Fuel in 2005. I have a lot of cousins coming out because (wife) Jenna and I have family in this area. Her family is from the Pennsylvania and Delaware area, mine's from the Maryland area, so I've got over a dozen cousins, aunts and uncles coming out.
"This time of year the weather is always a question mark. It could be nasty, hot and humid, but Friday night's qualifying might be amazing with all the oxygen around there. I'm excited. I think it's going to be an interesting driver's race this weekend."
Mail Terminal Services will be featuring Camp Al Qaim this weekend in Reading, 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.
For the record, DSR Funny Car drivers have won seven out of the 16 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events so far: Ron Capps (3), Jack Beckman (2), Gary Scelzi (2).
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 5 in 2007 NHRA Funny Car point standings after 16 events and back-to-back season victories in Denver and Seattle, in two final rounds
* Also has three semifinal finishes, four quarterfinal finishes and two DNQs
* 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
