Beckman goes for rare ‘3-peat’ at Firebird driving his Schumacher Electric Dodge in Arizona Nationals

February 18

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 18, 2012) - Jack Beckman is not a greedy man.

But he wants to pull off a drag racing rarity by achieving a "3-peat" Sunday in the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway.

Beckman has won the last two titles at the track near Phoenix and also won in 2008 for Don Schumacher Racing.

The personable Southern Californian qualified his Schumacher Electric Corp. Dodge Charger R/T sixth with a run of 4.124 seconds at 298.93 mph. He will race former NHRA Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon in Sunday's opening round of eliminations that begins at 11 a.m. (MT).

"It's all good," Beckman said. "There's no reason to think that our success in Phoenix can't continue."

But he tempers he's optimism about winning for a third straight time at Firebird.

"Nitro Funny Cars are so unpredictable. The No. 16 can beat the No. 1 on any given Sunday."

He was reminded how unpredictable they can be last Sunday in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series opener at Pomona, Calif. He was well ahead of Gary Densham in the second round when his car veered sharply to the right and crossed into Densham's right lane. Fortunately for both drivers, Beckman was well ahead and they ran nose to tail across the finish line. Beckman was disqualified for crossing the center line.

Both cars were damaged which is why Beckman's Schumacher Electric body was replaced with a new body carrying Valvoline NextGen sponsorship so the team could get a test run should it be needed as a backup on Sunday.

The following are qualifying results and other DSR notes:

FUNNY CAR

Jack Beckman, Schumacher Electric Corp. Dodge Charger R/T
Qualifying position: No. 6
Sunday's first-round opponent: Tony Pedregon
Friday
Session 1: 4.378 sec., 211.03 mph
Session 2: 4.158, 299.33
Saturday
Session 3: 4.131, 303.43
Session 4: 4.124, 298.93
No. 1 qualifier: Gray

SCHEDULE:
Sunday: Pro eliminations, 11 a.m.

WEATHER.COM FORECAST:
Sunday: High of 69, partly cloudy, 0 percent chance of rain

ON ESPN2:
Saturday qualifying
8-10 p.m. (ET), 5-7 p.m. (PT)
Sunday eliminations
7 p.m.-midnight (ET), 6-9 p.m. (PT)


About Schumacher Electric Corporation
Schumacher Electric Corporation employs about 2,000 worldwide and is the world's foremost manufacturer of battery chargers. It also engages in designing and producing custom transformers for the electronics industry and its product lines include electronic assemblies, custom-built transformers, welders, specialty assemblies, toroidal products, linear power transformers, high frequency magnetics, and welding accessories.
The company, which is headquartered in Mt. Prospect, Ill., has facilities in Matamoros, Mexico, and Wujiang, China.

In 1974, Don Schumacher, who owns Don Schumacher Racing, began running the company that was founded in 1947 by his father, Al Schumacher, and Otto Woodward in Chicago.


About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., consists of seven professional NHRA teams: in Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the FRAM/Prestone dragster of Spencer Massey and the Matco Tools dragster of Antron Brown; and in Funny Car, 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan in the Aaron's Dream Machine/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T, Valvoline NextGen Dodge piloted by Jack Beckman, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Service Central Dodge of Johnny Gray. DSR has won 174 NHRA national event titles and nine world championships.