Jack Beckman is looking for a strong finish
to the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series at this weekend's 46th
annual NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif. While virtually out of the running for
his first Funny Car championship, the California native and driver of the
Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger will fight for a place in the
top three.
Standing in third entering this weekend's season finale, he's 99 points
behind second-place John Force and 136 back of first-place Matt Hagan, his
DSR teammate. On his tail is Ashley Force Hood, just 13 markers behind, in
fourth.
"Mathematically, we're pretty much out of it for the championship, and
that's very disappointing," said Beckman, winner of one national event this
season. "I said at the beginning of the year that we'd like to win at least
a couple of races and come into Pomona with a legit shot at the
championship. Instead, we're battling for third place right now with Ashley
Force. If we win the race this weekend, it's a lock. We'll finish in third.
It's so important to close the year strong.
"Starting the year strong is great. It gives you the momentum and it gives
the team the mindset that you can challenge for the top spot. But to finish
the year strong is really what takes you through all that hard work in the
off-season leading up to testing to build momentum for the next year.
"I've been fortunate enough to be driving a top-five car every year I've
competed in nitro Funny Car and will be again this year.
"Our goal for next year is to win more races and we want to be the champion.
To be able to keep this group of crew guys together on the Valvoline/MTS
team going into the next season is important toward accomplishing that. And
to be able to win at my home track in Pomona - I have many friends coming
out for this race - would just be the ultimate way to cap the year.
"It would really make 2010 a successful year and that's our goal," added
Beckman, who has never won in Pomona during his short pro career, which
began in the last quarter of 2006. He was the No. 1 qualifier and runner-up
at this event in 2006.
Mail Terminal Services continues to send boxes of post cards of support and
encouragement, along with hand-out cards of DSR drivers, National Dragster
and Drag Racing Action magazines to soldiers overseas. This year the program
expands the opportunity to participate beyond just the NHRA fans and
includes schools and service organizations. If a school or organization
would like to write post cards of encouragement to the U.S. troops, the
request should be sent to [email protected]. MTS will be pleased to send
post cards for the project and signed handout cards from Funny Car driver
Jack Beckman and a Certificate of Service for the school or organization.
To find out more about Mail Terminal Services go to MTS - Mail Terminals Services
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* 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.
* No. 3 in 2010 Funny Car points after five of six races in the Countdown to
the Championship playoffs (semifinalist, runner-up, three-time
quarterfinalist)
* Is 136 points out of the lead (Matt Hagan), 99 out of second place (John
Force), and 13 ahead of fourth-place Ashley Force Hood
* Entered the Countdown in No. 3 after 17 events of the "regular" season:
five semifinal finishes, a victory in Phoenix and three runner-ups (St.
Louis, Sonoma and Brainerd)
* Pomona 2 runner-up in 2006, starting from No. 1 position
* Has 36-21 round-win record for 2010
* In his 110 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won nine
times in 22 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss
record of 134-96
* 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
* 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)
* 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 314.61 mph (Chicago '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: 12-6 (2-1 in
final rounds) - DOES NOT INCLUDE CONCORD FOUR-WIDE EVENT
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Nov. 12 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 13 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FULL THROTTLE SERIES
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN3.com will televise of coverage of eliminations
starting at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of
coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Nov. 12, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, Nov. 13, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 /
Transponder 21K
Sunday, Nov. 14, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(12111 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms;
FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners¹
interviews on Sunday.
***
to the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series at this weekend's 46th
annual NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif. While virtually out of the running for
his first Funny Car championship, the California native and driver of the
Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger will fight for a place in the
top three.
Standing in third entering this weekend's season finale, he's 99 points
behind second-place John Force and 136 back of first-place Matt Hagan, his
DSR teammate. On his tail is Ashley Force Hood, just 13 markers behind, in
fourth.
"Mathematically, we're pretty much out of it for the championship, and
that's very disappointing," said Beckman, winner of one national event this
season. "I said at the beginning of the year that we'd like to win at least
a couple of races and come into Pomona with a legit shot at the
championship. Instead, we're battling for third place right now with Ashley
Force. If we win the race this weekend, it's a lock. We'll finish in third.
It's so important to close the year strong.
"Starting the year strong is great. It gives you the momentum and it gives
the team the mindset that you can challenge for the top spot. But to finish
the year strong is really what takes you through all that hard work in the
off-season leading up to testing to build momentum for the next year.
"I've been fortunate enough to be driving a top-five car every year I've
competed in nitro Funny Car and will be again this year.
"Our goal for next year is to win more races and we want to be the champion.
To be able to keep this group of crew guys together on the Valvoline/MTS
team going into the next season is important toward accomplishing that. And
to be able to win at my home track in Pomona - I have many friends coming
out for this race - would just be the ultimate way to cap the year.
"It would really make 2010 a successful year and that's our goal," added
Beckman, who has never won in Pomona during his short pro career, which
began in the last quarter of 2006. He was the No. 1 qualifier and runner-up
at this event in 2006.
Mail Terminal Services continues to send boxes of post cards of support and
encouragement, along with hand-out cards of DSR drivers, National Dragster
and Drag Racing Action magazines to soldiers overseas. This year the program
expands the opportunity to participate beyond just the NHRA fans and
includes schools and service organizations. If a school or organization
would like to write post cards of encouragement to the U.S. troops, the
request should be sent to [email protected]. MTS will be pleased to send
post cards for the project and signed handout cards from Funny Car driver
Jack Beckman and a Certificate of Service for the school or organization.
To find out more about Mail Terminal Services go to MTS - Mail Terminals Services
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* 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.
* No. 3 in 2010 Funny Car points after five of six races in the Countdown to
the Championship playoffs (semifinalist, runner-up, three-time
quarterfinalist)
* Is 136 points out of the lead (Matt Hagan), 99 out of second place (John
Force), and 13 ahead of fourth-place Ashley Force Hood
* Entered the Countdown in No. 3 after 17 events of the "regular" season:
five semifinal finishes, a victory in Phoenix and three runner-ups (St.
Louis, Sonoma and Brainerd)
* Pomona 2 runner-up in 2006, starting from No. 1 position
* Has 36-21 round-win record for 2010
* In his 110 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won nine
times in 22 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss
record of 134-96
* 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
* 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)
* 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 314.61 mph (Chicago '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: 12-6 (2-1 in
final rounds) - DOES NOT INCLUDE CONCORD FOUR-WIDE EVENT
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Nov. 12 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 13 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FULL THROTTLE SERIES
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN3.com will televise of coverage of eliminations
starting at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of
coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Nov. 12, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, Nov. 13, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 /
Transponder 21K
Sunday, Nov. 14, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(12111 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms;
FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners¹
interviews on Sunday.
***
