Wed, 16 Sep 2009, 08:56 PM Inaugural Concord Event Champ Beckman Ready to Repeat

Courtesy of Judy Stropus

CONCORD, N.C. -- Jack Beckman, driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Funny Car and the winner of the inaugural NHRA Carolina Nationals in 2008, is ready to repeat at this weekend's second event at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C.

This event also kicks off the Countdown to 1 playoffs for the top 10 in the point standings who will vie for the championship in the final six events of the season. Beckman, a two-time titlist this year, is fifth in the standings and is aiming to make up for his and the team's recent mini-slump.

"We need to do well," he said. "We're experiencing an unusual slump. We haven't won a round in the last two races. We've only won two rounds in three races, and this time last year we had seven round wins over the last two races. We have to improve and we have to do it right now.

"So, it's awesome for us to come back to somewhere where we feel comfortable and where we won the inaugural race. And I'm excited about it.

"This is a case of, I don't think winning defines the character of the teams, I think the character of the teams defines winning."

For the playoffs the NHRA has instituted a qualifying bonus for the top three qualifiers in each session of a weekend, providing three, two and one points, respectively, as well as recognizing elapsed-time national records for 1000-foot racing by awarding 20 points (not retroactively) for the quickest elapsed time backed up by another pass during the weekend within one percent. The benchmark is Beckman's teammate Ron Capps' 4.023-second elapsed time set in Phoenix this year.

"We fully expect to come into Concord and win the race. We'd like to qualify well, but historically we have proven that we can win from any position," said Beckman, in only his third full season of pro NHRA competition. "But, now that NHRA has put additional qualifying points into position, you can pick up or lose more than half a round at every single race. So, it's going to be important for us to kind of micro-manage each qualifying session now.

"It's not that they weren't important before, it's just that now every single point becomes critical. Because of the reset in points for the playoffs, all the teams are separated by an even number of points. It's either 10 or 20 points, so it's either a half a round or a round. That means that one point in qualifying in theory can be worth as much as a round because it's going to break ties. So, we're really going to have to be on our game. We just have to look at every single qualifying session as being as important as a race.

"If we win, we'll come out of Concord anywhere between first and fourth in the points and that's great. As long as we keep winning rounds, theoretically, the points are going to take care of themselves."

JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 5 in 2009 Funny Car Countdown to 1 standings, after two victories (Atlanta; Norwalk, Ohio), one runner-up, three semifinal, five quarterfinal and seven first-rounds in "regular season"
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 22-16
* Qualified No. 11 at 2009 Carolina Nationals, won inaugural event against Cruz Pedregon
* 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 82 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won eight times in 15 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 91-69
* 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 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: 9-5

SCHEDULE:
Pro qualifying will run at 2:30 and 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, and will continue at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19. Final professional eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20.

TELEVISION:
ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 11:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Sept. 19. On Sunday, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will feature NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 11 a.m. (ET), and three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).

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