Jack Beckman best when it counts, qualifies sixth for Las Vegas race

April 02

Jack Beckman’s Valvoline/Aaron’s Dream Machine Funny Car – holding 18^TH position, in a field that accommodates 16 cars, as he prepared for his run in today’s final-qualifying round – sprung up to sixth-place on the strength of a 4.189-second/298.34-mile-per-hour run, the second quickest 1,000-foot pass of the session.

The 44 year-old Norco, Calif. resident will meet Paul Lee in the first elimination round of tomorrow’s 12^th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals here on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“This Valvoline/Aaron’s Dream Machine crew is used to success, and the problems we were having on Friday and early Saturday were a result of us trying to be too aggressive,” said the Don Schumacher Racing driver. “So we went back to a known setup for the last run and pulled off our best time – second quickest (to pole-sitter and reigning NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car Champion John Force) of the session.”

Beckman considers Las Vegas his favorite track, even though he lives closer to Pomona.

”I love this track, since I not only can run in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series the two times we come here, but I can race my sportsman car up to five or six times a year here as well,” he said. “Also, because it is still within driving distance for family and friends, we have lots of support here as well.”

In addition, he also recorded his first professional nitro Funny Car win here in the fall 2009 race.

Beckman comes to Las Vegas in fifth place of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car championship.