It was Beckman's last chance to qualify for the event and he failed to do so. He returned home to California the next day with a heavy heart.

"We didn't qualify last year for the SuperNationals, as the NHRA cancelled the rest of the qualifying that day when Scott had his accident," said Beckman, a cancer survivor and former Air Force sergeant. "It didn't matter to me. It's the first time that I could ever think of in my racing career where qualifying didn't actually seem all that important.

"It's never going to be the same," he said following the loss. "It's not like one day we went, OK, well, we're over that. You'll never get over it. There is a time frame when it hurts almost constantly. And then when you get past that it's a memory and a tugging at the heart when you think of the people we have lost.

"It's going to be bittersweet going back to Englishtown," he said. "We'll have a chance to honor Scott amongst all the crews and the teams and remember him for the great racer and person he was."

He will also focus on the task at hand, competing in the event and aiming for a victory. "We're going to have a good shot to put ourselves back into the points hunt," said Beckman, who is fifth in the standings, 176 points behind leader and Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps.

"This is the time of the season where it's put up or shut up. We've got six races in seven weeks and you just can't afford to stumble. We stumbled a little bit last weekend in Joliet, Ill., when we made it into No. 15 in qualifying then lost in the first round. We were able to qualify, we pulled it together on the last run, but we need to be able to qualify better.

"So, E-town, Norwalk (Ohio) and the Western Swing (Denver, Seattle, Sonoma, Calif.) are going to spell the tempo for the Countdown coming up for the last six races."

Mail Terminal Services continues its popular "Mail From Home" campaign in 2009, supporting the U.S. troops serving in the war zones. In the past two NHRA seasons the campaign has sent over 195,000 post cards overseas signed by fans and supporters at each NHRA national event with messages of support for the troops, along with numerous NHRA National Dragster issues and other automotive magazines. Photos of cars and drivers were also included.

In 2009 the "Mail From Home" program has been challenged to exceed the previous records of cards distributed to hit a 120,000-card record for one season.

JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 5 in 2009 Funny Car standings, after one victory (Atlanta), one runner-up, one semifinal, four quarterfinal and three first-rounds in 10 events
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 13-9
* No. 3 in 2008 Funny Car point standings, with three victories - Phoenix, Reading, Concord - in seven final rounds
* Failed to qualify in E-town in 2008
* 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 74 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won seven times in 14 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 82-62
* 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 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.
* 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 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
* Leads 14-time champion John Force in head-to-head round wins: 8-5

SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 12 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3 and 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 13 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 3 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 7 p.m. (ET).
Saturday, June 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 11:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at noon (ET).
Sunday, June 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage starting at 10 p.m. (ET).

Courtesy of Judy Stropus