Jack Beckman reaches Charlotte semifinals

September 19

Jack Beckman in his Valvoline NextGen/Aaron’s Dream Machine Dodge Charger R/T lost the fastest Funny Car race in history during today’s third round of final eliminations for the fourth-annual NHRA Nationals here at zMAX Dragway.

Beckman, who had already set the national-speed record of 318.99 miles per hour in the quarterfinals, ran a 4.090-second lap at 317.79 mph in a loss to Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan, who posted a run of 4.032 at 318.69 mph.

“We had a good weekend and came close to a great one,” said the 45-year-old native Californian, disappointed about not reaching the winner’s circle. “To win, we have to start having great weekends and I think this Valvoline/Aaron’s Funny Car is very close to doing just that.

“We did have a great Sunday, but they had a monster one,” he added about Hagan, eventual race winner who set a national elapsed-time record and recorded the fastest lap in Funny Car history during the weekend.

Despite Hagan’s 322.27-mile-per-hour lap, it was Beckman who raced to the national-speed record, posting a 318.99-pass in his quarterfinal win against Jeff Arend. He backed up this effort with a 318.92-mph lap (at 4.044 seconds) while earning the number-four qualifying spot for the race.

Prior to vanquishing Arend, Beckman topped 13th-qualifier Paul Lee in today’s opening round by running 4.092 at 316.01 mph lap.

Beckman heads to the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas for next week’s 26th-annual AAA Texas NHRA Nationals third in the Countdown to the Championship standings, 31 points – less than two rounds – behind Hagan in second.

“The Texas Motorplex hasn’t been kind to me in the past; I think it owes me one.”