Beckman gets 2nd Funny Car win of the season
MOHNTON, Pa. – In a final round that matched teacher against student, Funny Car driver Jack Beckman raced to his second win of the season on Sunday at the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals.
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Beckman drove his Dodge Charger R/T to a 4.183-second run at 291.57 mph past Frank Hawley for his first win at Maple Grove. Hawley, who owns a drag racing school, employs Beckman as a drag racing instructor...
Read the full article and race recap in the Everett Herald
The win also keeps Beckman securely in the top ten in points and a position in the Countdown to One championship.
Tags: Frank Hawley, Funny Car, Jack Beckman, NHRATim Wilkerson wins again!
July 13, 2008 by Robert
Filed under IHRA, NHRA, Racing News
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Points leader Tim Wilkerson wins again at the 29th running of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Denver, Colorado. Wilkerson defeated defeated Jack Beckman in the final by running a 4.398 second E.T. at 262.23 MPH, besting Beckman's 4.661 E.T. at 205.41 MPH. Wilkerson significantly extended his points lead with his fourth win this season.
Along with a mandated change to a new rear tire, this was the first race at the interim race length of 1,000 foot. The shorter race length was mandated to increase the shut down area of the track for the cars to decelerate, while simultaneously slowing the cars down to reduce the safety risk for drivers. The temporary race length rule is temporary while NHRA's newly formed safety task force studies how to improve the safety of the cars and tracks in the wake of Scott Kalitta's death at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, New Jersey three weeks ago. All of the drivers interviewed seemed pleased that the 1,000 foot rule has been implemented while the safety issues are studied, that the rule is indeed intended to be temporary, and the competition was still exciting.
IHRA has also experienced safety concerns recently. IHRA Nitro Funny Car and past NHRA Fuel Funny Car driver, Dale Creasy, Jr. was seriously injured last week at the IHRA CARS RV & Marine & Motorsport Rocky Mountain Nationals. Creasy is currently in Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta as he recuperates from multiple surgeries that were required to reconstruct his left leg. Hopefully, NHRA and IHRA will work together to improve the safety of all drivers.
Another interesting aspect of the Bandimere Speedway race was the track's addition of a cooling system for the tracks launch area out to the 120 foot mark. Bandimere's all concrete dragstrip was known for its high temperatures in the Summer sun, significantly reducing the traction for the cars that are already hampered by the lower oxygen density of the high altitude. The track's cooling system has embeded water pipes in the concrete launch area, circulating water to an external chilling system. The cooling system was a resounding success as the track surface temperatures significantly decreased and improved the traction for all participants.
Tags: Jack Beckman, Tim WilkersonWest to tune Beckman’s Valvoline Funny Car entry
Johnny West has been named crew chief on the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Jack Beckman.
Phoenix native West replaces Rick Cassel and will work with tuner Tommy DeLago on the Valvoline/MTS car out of Don Schumacher Racing's ...
Read the full article at NHRA.com
DSR adds fan-friendly ‘Ask us Anything’ and ‘In the News’
March 26, 2008 by Robert
Filed under NHRA, Racing News
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Don Schumacher Racing introduces two exciting new features to its shoeracing.com website, "Ask us Anything" and "In the News," which will further enhance driver accessibility to fans of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
DSR brings its all-star lineup of drivers and crew chiefs to the table for "Ask us Anything," where fans will be able to submit questions online to team owner Don Schumacher's "cast of characters": Tony Schumacher, Gary Scelzi, Ron Capps, Jack Beckman, Cory McClenathan, Jerry Toliver, and Chip Ellis. Crew Chiefs Ed "Ace" McCulloch, Todd Okuhara, Steve Tartaglia and Mike Green will also participate to give insight on the mechanics of a Top Fuel Dragster, Nitro Funny Car, and a Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Tech-savvy NAPA Auto Parts Funny Car driver Ron Capps is excited about the "Ask us Anything" platform....
Tags: Gary Scelzi, Jack Beckman, Ron CappsJack Beckman Wins in Phoenix
Jack Beckman beat Robert Hight to win his fourth Wally in Phoenix at the 24th annual Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway. Beckman qualified his Don Schumacher Racing, Valvoline,Mail Terminal Series Dodge 15th on Saturday. Jack Beckman out ran Mike Neff, then Gary Scelzi, and Jim Head (in that order). To get to the final round, Robert Hight had to beat Gary Densham, independent Bob Bode, and Tommy Johnson, Jr.
Bob Bode deserves special mention, because his self-sponsored AR-BEE Transparent Products Monte Carlo has qualified and competed in both Pomona and Phoenix. He came back from a huge engine explosion on Saturday, that also destroyed the body of his car, to compete against Jack Beckman in second-round eliminations. His performance this season has been better than many big name racers so far. Bob is still looking for sponsors for the 2008 season. If you are interested in having your company's name, or even your own name, on the side of a competitive NHRA Funny Car, please go to Bob Bode's site to learn more about sponsoring his car for a race, or even a season.
Tags: Beckman, Bob Bode, Dodge, Funny Car, Gary Scelzi, Hight, Jack Beckman, Jim Head, Johnson, King, Mike Neff, NHRA, Phoenix, Pomona, race, racing, Robert Hight, Scelzi, Tommy JohnsonBeckman poised for accelerated performance in Phoenix
With the first of 24 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series national events of 2008 in the books, "Fast" Jack Beckman is poised for an improved performance of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car he drives for Don Schumacher Racing in this weekend's second national event of the year.
Beckman advanced to the quarterfinals at the season-opener in Pomona, Calif., and left tied in fifth place in the point standings with...(snipped)
From the Don Schumacher Racing site:
Mail Terminal Services will continue its "Mail from Home" program in 2008. Fans at each NHRA national event will have the opportunity to sign special cards at the DSR hospitality area and at the U.S. Army Racing Zone in the midway area, which MTS will then ship, free of charge, to the troops in war zones overseas.
Tags: Beckman, Dodge, drag racing, DSR, Funny Car, Jack Beckman, NHRA, Pomona, Powerade, racingJack Beckman to Make Presentation at Shriners Hospital for Children in Los Angeles
December 23, 2007 by Robert
Filed under NHRA, Racing News
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Jack Beckman, driver of the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, will make a special appearance at the Los Angeles Shriners ...
Tags: Beckman, Dodge, drag racing, Funny Car, Jack Beckman, motorsports, NHRA, Powerade, racingFinal Four: NHRA Championships Come Down to Two Races
October 11, 2007 by Robert
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National Hot Rod Association Funny Car driver Jack Beckman acknowledges that for the fans, the NHRA's new "Countdown" playoff format is ...
Read the full story by Steven Cole Smith at AutoWeek