Beckman eyes E-Town win
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Round 10 of 23 ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals Old Bridge Township Raceway Park Englishtown, N.J. June 22-24, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net BECKMAN EYES E-TOWN WIN NORTH HILLS, Calif. (June 20, 2007) - Jack Beckman remembers his last visit as a professional NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series driver to the famed Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. It's a good memory, and he's hoping to earn another fond one this weekend by winning the ProCar Rx NHRA SuperNationals, the 10th round of the 2007 series. "The only other time I had been at Englishtown was in Top Fuel in 2005 and we made it to the semis," said Beckman, who this year drives the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher in his first full season in that class. "It was my best race ever in a Top Fuel car and I'm excited to go back because for what the Chicago race is to the Midwest, Englishtown is to the East Coast. Englishtown has great history in this sport, especially when it comes to Funny Cars. That's where all the big match races took place with all the big hitters in the '70s, so there's lots and lots of history there. "And I'm also excited because we have some momentum going with the MTS Dodge team, being in the semifinals in the last couple of races, and I'm hoping this is the race where we crack into the top eight," added Beckman, who is ninth in the point standings, on the heels of his third season semifinal finish, and is aiming for a place in the coveted top eight for the new Countdown to the Championship. Englishtown is also the start of a grueling six-race back-to-back swing, which includes E-Town; Norwalk, Ohio; Bristol, Tenn.; Denver, Colo.; Seattle, Wash.; and Sonoma, Calif. "Can't wait," said Beckman, "because I think our MTS Dodge guys are well prepared for this. We've got an arsenal of spare parts. It's interesting, talking to the guys on the crew. They actually like this. I would have thought the crew members would have hated it. Our MTS guys would rather be on the road than in the shop. They want to be at the race track. "It's also going to be great to visit the nearby Mail Terminal Services Newark, N.J., facility where all the 'Mail from Home' program mail that we collect from the fans at the races goes through." Mail Terminal Services will be featuring Camp Al Tadji this weekend at the ProCare Rx SuperNationals in its "Mail from Home" program. Postcards will be available to send to this war-zone camp at the Don Schumacher Racing hospitality area as well as at a kiosk in the U.S. Army "Racing Zone," the U.S. Army Interactive area located in Nitro Alley. JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS: * Ninth in 2007 NHRA Funny Car point standings after nine events * 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), 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 and has taught over 6,000 students since 1998; 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: Reading, Pa., 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 WEEKEND SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, June 22 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY, June 23 ‹ Qualifying and sportsman time trials, 10:15 a.m. to 9 p.m. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, June 24 ‹ Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, June 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 11 p.m. (ET). Sunday, June 24, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET). Sunday, June 24, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 10 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, June 22, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6/Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency: 12092.5, vertical, analog) Saturday, June 23, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET) SBS 6/Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency: 12092.5, vertical, analog) Sunday, June 24, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6/Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency: 12092.5, vertical, analog) ***