Jack Beckman returns to Atlanta Dragway this weekend for the 30th annual NHRA Southern Nationals as the 2009 event champion. And, following his runner-up finish at the last NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series race in St. Louis two weeks ago, he and the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger Funny Car team are on a solid path to repeat.
“We started the year hot, right on (points leader) John Force’s heels after winning in Phoenix. The way Force is running this year (three wins), to be on his heels must mean you’re running good,” said Beckman, who is ranked third, one point behind his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan in second, and 152 back of Force.
“And then we really faltered at a couple of the hotter tracks, Houston and Vegas. We changed some things and in St. Louis it appeared that the car that we were used to was back. But one race doesn’t break or make a team, especially with the Countdown format.
“It kind of affords us the luxury of trying a couple of things that in the past under an absolute points system we wouldn’t have necessarily done. That being said, we’re going to be competing in nine races in the next 11 weeks, so the goal is not to get too far off track or you’re going to find yourself out of the top 10. There’s just not going to be the time to test and get a combo back if you stray too far.
“After a final round showing in St. Louis we’re very very optimistic that the Valvoline/MTS Dodge is now responding the way we want it to and we should be back in top-contender form in Atlanta.”
A cancer survivor, Beckman has been on a 10-week campaign to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “Right now, I’m about half way to my goal, which is to raise $50,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,” he said. “And, we’ve got three weeks left in the campaign which comprises two more of the NHRA races. So, I’m really hoping that the race fans get behind this program, and if enough people do, I know I can exceed my goal by a healthy amount.
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in 2010 Funny Car points after seven events: including a semifinal finish in Pomona, Calif., a victory in Phoenix and a runner-up in St. Louis
* Won the 2009 Atlanta event over Ashley Force Hood, after qualifying No. 7
* Ended 2009 No. 5 in point standings, winning two events in five final rounds (Atlanta, Norwalk, Ohio)
* Entered 2009 Countdown to 1 in fifth place
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 29-22
* 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 95 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won nine times in 19 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 108-81
* 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 (on quarter-mile) 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: Norco, 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 elapsed time racing to 1000 feet is 4.040 seconds (Concord 1 ‘09)
* Career-best speed racing to 1000 feet is 313.66 mph (Concord 1 ‘10)
* 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: 11-6 (2-1 in final rounds) - DOES NOT INCLUDE CONCORD FOUR-WIDE EVENT
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