Beckman’s Dodge led by crew chief Jimmy Prock and nearly every other nitro team competing on the last day of the 47th annual NHRA Summernationals had fits with a hot track and windy conditions. Ron Capps, one of Beckman’s Don Schumacher Racing teammates, seemed be the only team to master the track and was able to beat the Infinite Hero team in the final round.
“It’s never satisfying to lose on race day,” said Beckman, who was able to move up one spot to second in the Mello Yello standings and only trails Capps, the new leader, by 27 points.
“Going to the final round and losing is frustrating. You feel like you just didn’t capitalize on the day. If I were to be philosophical, a runner-up finish might be overachieving for us today. We struggled. We didn’t get computer data on our first two runs. We’re still trying to zero in on the combination for the brand new chassis we’re running right now.
“We had a little bit of fortune roll our way (with other teams smoking their tires) and it just ran out in the final round. It’s nice that Schumacher Racing got another win out there (with Capps), I feel good about that but we really want to get in that Traxxas Shootout (in the U.S. Nationals over Labor Day Weekend). There’s only one slot open for that. We want to take it in Bristol.
“For as much as we struggled today, it very easily could have been a short day. We didn’t qualify in the top half of the field but were able to put Alexis (DeJoria) on the trailer, Matt Hagan on the trailer and then beat Jeff Diehl in the semis.
“That final round was for the points lead. It’s nice to know that as much as the Infinite Hero team is struggling, we’re the second best Funny Car so far so the wins will start coming pretty soon.”
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