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NORTH HILLS, Calif. (June 3, 2008) - The three Don Schumacher Racing Funny Car teams scored a win, a runner-up and a semifinal finish at the 2007 Route 66 NHRA Nationals. "Fast" Jack Beckman was the semifinalist while Gary Scelzi and Ron Capps were the winner and runner-up, respectively. For Beckman, in his first full Funny Car season in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, it was a strong performance.
This year, with a full NHRA tour and four victories in six final rounds behind him and entering his 50th pro event of his career, the driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T is more experienced and probably even hungrier to surpass his teammates. He'd like to take home a victory at this weekend's event at the outstanding Route 66 Raceway, where he lost the semis in '07 to Capps.
"It's all going to depend on the weather," said Beckman, who is 11th in the point standings, just 11 markers out of the coveted top 10. "It is one of the best race tracks that NHRA has out there.
"Last year was odd. Friday and Saturday it was like a different race track than on Sunday. And, hopefully, with the excellent way the NHRA has been prepping the race tracks these last few races it's going to be the Chicago that we all know and remember. If it's cool weather, look out.
"But, I think we're going to have some tricky conditions. I think we're going to have some heat and humidity. It's (team owner) Don Schumacher's hometown, and he's going to have tons of family and friends out there. So, if we've got that comeback race this year, this would be the time for us to make the move."
Beckman has won once this season, but also DNQ'd (did not qualify) for two events. A strong performance at last weekend's Topeka event has buoyed the Valvoline/MTS team's spirits.
"I'm actually excited," he said. "It looks like all four of the Schumacher cars this season (Jerry Toliver came on board for 2008) are starting to run consistently well. Last year at this event the three DSR Funny Cars finished strong and hopefully we can get close to that again this year.
"Route 66 is an awesome facility. I love going there and I'm a little bit more excited about going there after getting our consistency back a little bit."
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 11 in 2008 Funny Car points after nine events (one victory-Phoenix)
* Qualified No. 6 at 2007 Route 66 Nationals, lost semifinal round to Ron Capps
* Finished 2007 season fifth in point standings
* 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.
* Had back-to-back 2007 season victories in Denver and Seattle, in three final rounds
* Also in 2007 had three semifinal finishes, seven quarterfinal finishes and two DNQs, and a round win-loss record of 24-19
* In his 49 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won four times in six final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 42-41
* 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.
* Serves as instructor 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 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
* Is tied in round wins against 14-time NHRA champion John Force: 4-4
SEMIFINALIST IN 2007, BECKMAN LOOKING FOR A WIN AT ROUTE 66 IN HIS 50TH PRO APPEARANCE
NORTH HILLS, Calif. (June 3, 2008) - The three Don Schumacher Racing Funny Car teams scored a win, a runner-up and a semifinal finish at the 2007 Route 66 NHRA Nationals. "Fast" Jack Beckman was the semifinalist while Gary Scelzi and Ron Capps were the winner and runner-up, respectively. For Beckman, in his first full Funny Car season in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, it was a strong performance.
This year, with a full NHRA tour and four victories in six final rounds behind him and entering his 50th pro event of his career, the driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T is more experienced and probably even hungrier to surpass his teammates. He'd like to take home a victory at this weekend's event at the outstanding Route 66 Raceway, where he lost the semis in '07 to Capps.
"It's all going to depend on the weather," said Beckman, who is 11th in the point standings, just 11 markers out of the coveted top 10. "It is one of the best race tracks that NHRA has out there.
"Last year was odd. Friday and Saturday it was like a different race track than on Sunday. And, hopefully, with the excellent way the NHRA has been prepping the race tracks these last few races it's going to be the Chicago that we all know and remember. If it's cool weather, look out.
"But, I think we're going to have some tricky conditions. I think we're going to have some heat and humidity. It's (team owner) Don Schumacher's hometown, and he's going to have tons of family and friends out there. So, if we've got that comeback race this year, this would be the time for us to make the move."
Beckman has won once this season, but also DNQ'd (did not qualify) for two events. A strong performance at last weekend's Topeka event has buoyed the Valvoline/MTS team's spirits.
"I'm actually excited," he said. "It looks like all four of the Schumacher cars this season (Jerry Toliver came on board for 2008) are starting to run consistently well. Last year at this event the three DSR Funny Cars finished strong and hopefully we can get close to that again this year.
"Route 66 is an awesome facility. I love going there and I'm a little bit more excited about going there after getting our consistency back a little bit."
JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 11 in 2008 Funny Car points after nine events (one victory-Phoenix)
* Qualified No. 6 at 2007 Route 66 Nationals, lost semifinal round to Ron Capps
* Finished 2007 season fifth in point standings
* 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.
* Had back-to-back 2007 season victories in Denver and Seattle, in three final rounds
* Also in 2007 had three semifinal finishes, seven quarterfinal finishes and two DNQs, and a round win-loss record of 24-19
* In his 49 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won four times in six final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 42-41
* 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.
* Serves as instructor 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 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
* Is tied in round wins against 14-time NHRA champion John Force: 4-4
