2007 NHRA NATIONAL EVENT SCHEDULE
Listen to Trackside Interviews with Champions, Drivers and Crew Chiefs
Robert Hight
Hillary Will
Bob Vandergriff
Dave Connolly
Ed Iskenderian
Cory McClenathan
Robert Hight
Jim Yates
Tony Bartone
Hillary Will
Whit Bazemore
Byron Hines
| BECKMAN BUOYED BY VALDOSTA TESTING
HEADS TO HOUSTON NORTH HILLS, Calif. (March 27, 2007) - "Fast" Jack Beckman and the Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team made their way to South Georgia Motorsports Park near Valdosta, Ga., for a test session following a surprise DNQ at the Gatornationals last week and in preparation for the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals this weekend at Houston Raceway Park. According to Beckman, the test was a success and he and the MTS team expect strong results this weekend, in the fourth round of the 23-event 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. "We had a great test," he said. "We are now the track record holder. It was fantastic. We made it down the race track in six out of seven runs, and we set both ends of their track record: 4.853 seconds at 324 mph. It's officially the quickest and fastest anyone has ever gone at that race track. "Honest to God, the car was like a bracket car. It was great. It did everything (assistant crew chief) Phil (Shuler) and (crew chief) Todd (Okuhara) wanted it to do. We actually could test a couple of things to see how they affected the tune-up. So, it was huge. "And I think it was the most beneficial for me," added Beckman, who will compete in only his ninth career Funny Car event this weekend in Houston. "Just getting a lot of repetition at the same track in a short period of time is very valuable. "I've never raced at Houston. I've been there for work with the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School, and it seems like a first-class facility. We did the Pro Stock reaction time clinic there, so I have been there a couple of times. The last time was probably in 2004. "The neat thing about this year is getting to race at a lot of venues that I haven't raced at before, and this is one of them. Again, it's still part of the learning curve. Each track has its idiosyncrasies. They say Houston can be a little finicky at times, not unlike Gainesville, and we saw how tough Gainesville was, especially on the nitro Funny Cars. "But, all things considered, we kind of got two runs behind in Gainesville because we had to unload a different chassis and it turned out it wanted a little different clutch setup than the last one, so I think that we were good to go on run four in Gainesville qualifying, and now I know after all the testing at Valdosta that Todd and Phil know exactly what the car wants." Beckman continues to mourn the loss of fellow Funny Car racer Eric Medlen, who succumbed to injuries following a crash during Monday testing in Gainesville: "When you think about it, it brings tears to your eyes," he said when he heard the news. "Eric was wonderful. He came out to the Hawley school. Frank got him his alcohol license, so we had become good friends. When I was going through cancer, Eric gave me a nice get-well comment on one of the national-event coverages. There isn't anybody over at the John Force operation I don't love and Eric was right there." MTS 'MAIL FROM HOME' PROGRAM UPDATE: Mail Terminal Services will be featuring Camp TAQADDAM (a Marine base) at the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals 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 Interactive area, located in Nitro Alley. JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS: * Is 15th in 2007 NHRA Funny Car point standings after three 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, March 30 PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3 and 6 p.m. SATURDAY, March 31 PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. SUNDAY, April 1 Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, March 31, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 7 p.m. (ET). Sunday April 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will broadcast NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET). Sunday, April 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 4 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, March 30, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10R / Transponder 23K (downlink freq: 12160, MHz Vertical) Saturday, March 31, 9:30-10 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10R / Transponder 23K (downlink freq: 12160, MHz Vertical) Sunday, April 1, 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 10R / Transponder 23K (downlink freq: 12160, MHz Vertical) ON THE WEB: Quick access to NHRA media relations department press releases, electronic images and other information is available on the Internet at media.nhra.com. |
