NHRA (LAS VEGAS) - BECKMAN TOPS FUNNY CAR TESTING

Jack Beckman feels he has something to prove after being bumped out of the inaugural NHRA POWERade Series Countdown to the Championship field in Richmond.

He probably didnt need to, but he showed once again on Wednesday that he could still star in the roll of spoiler, driving his Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger to a 4.753 at 325.30 mph during the second day of testing at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In one week, the Series returns for the seventh annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, Oct. 25-28, the first of two final races that will determine the 2007 POWERade Series world championships.

“We tested clutch parts, blower parts, injector parts and we evaluated all day yesterday and today,” Beckman said. “We kind of picked the best combination and picked away at it. We want to make those four who are still in miserable. We want to win these races and make an exclamation point at the end of the year.”

Beckman's Don Schumacher Racing-owned teammates Gary Scelzi and Ron Capps sit No. 2 and No. 4 in the points, respectively, entering Las Vegas. They're also testing this week at The Strip.

Wednesday saw Tony Pedregon counting the other team trailers, comparing them to his own outfit. Counting his rental car, Tony said, he could just about match up.

“I was counting, and John (Force Racing) has nine units, and (Don) Schumacher (Racing) has eight,” Pedregon said. “We've got two.”

But championship titles aren't decided on square footage alone, so Pedregon goes into Las Vegas secure in the fact he has an “Ace of Diamonds” blocker of his own in his brother Cruz.

“Without question, it's going to be an exciting show down,” Tony Pedregon said. “In our own way, the four of us, we did every bit to earn our spots in the top four. I look at some of the cars that didn't make it in like John Force and Jack Beckman and it just goes to show you, we have great sponsors and great equipment. There's a lot of talent in these teams. But you have to have that one quality that makes it all work together, the people that make it work.”