Beckman eager to get back on track at Pomona season-opener
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2010 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES Round 1 of 23 NHRA WINTERNATIONALS Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.) Feb. 11-14, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net BECKMAN EAGER TO GET BACK ON TRACK AT POMONA SEASON-OPENER NORCO, Calif. (Feb. 8, 2010) - "Fast" Jack Beckman is eager to get back to racing in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, which opens this weekend at the 50th annual Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. "Local boy" Beckman is looking for his first win at this historic event, having amassed eight national-event victories in 17 final rounds in his short, four-year professional career as the driver of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing. He ended the 2009 season fifth in the standings after winning two events in five final rounds, with a season round-win record of 29-22. "Everybody on the Valvoline/MTS team is so excited," said Beckman, who still holds the national speed record of 333.66 mph, racing to the quarter-mile. "We had a great test in Florida in January, which meant that we could take everything back to the DSR shop in Indy, get it serviced, get it fresh, and get the crew guys a couple of three-day weekends off so they would be well rested coming into Pomona. "We have new paint schemes for the year, a new fire suit, new crew outfits, and five of the same crew members from last year. We've added crew chief Rahn Tobler and three others, so the entire unit hadn't worked together before this year. "But in preseason testing within two and a half days I could already see everybody was on the same page and working well together. And I've talked to Tobler, assistant crew chief John Collins and several of the crew guys many times at the test session, and everybody is so excited about getting the season started. "The Winternationals has always been the kickoff of the season. It's the race where you get to see all of the new paint schemes, but for me it's always been the local race too. When you think about it, for a Southern California boy, it's triply exciting to be at my home race track, at the opening season of the year, and where there are so many new things to see. "I think, right out of the box, we're going to be a contender. I think every pro team has a couple of races during every season where they stumble or lose the handle on the combination. And I'm not saying that we won't be in that position one or two times this year, but I feel, with the talent on our team, and on DSR's other five nitro teams, with whom we can sound ideas back and forth, we're going to be phenomenal this year." Beckman's best results at Pomona is a Pomona 2 No. 1 qualifier and runner-up finish in 2006. Mail Terminal Services continues its popular "Mail From Home" campaign in 2010, supporting the U.S. troops serving in the war zones. In the past three NHRA seasons the campaign has sent over 330,000 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. JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS: * Ended 2009 No. 5 in point standings, winning two events in five final rounds (Atlanta, Norwalk, Ohio) * Entered 2009 Countdown to 1 in fifth place * Qualified No. 8 at Pomona 1 in 2009, lost second round to Robert Hight * Pomona 2 runner-up in 2006; also Pomona 2 low qualifier in 2006 * His 2009 round win-loss record is 29-22 * 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 88 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won eight times in 17 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 98-75 * 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 elapsed time racing to 1000 feet is 4.044 seconds (Richmond '09) * Career-best speed racing to 1000 feet is 305.22 mph (Phoenix '09) * 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 WEEKEND SCHEDULE: THURSDAY, Feb. 11 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 3 p.m. FRIDAY, Feb. 12 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3 p.m. SATURDAY, Feb. 13 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 3 p.m. SUNDAY, Feb. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, Feb. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 11 p.m. (ET). Sunday, Feb. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11a.m. (ET). Sunday, Feb. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage starting at 8 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE (Analog feed): Friday, Feb. 12, 8:30 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 18K (12060 MHz, vertical) Saturday, Feb. 13, 10 10:30p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 18K (12060 MHz, vertical) Sunday, Feb. 14, 10 10:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 9 / Transponder 18K (12060 MHz, vertical) Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winnersą interviews on Sunday. ***