In 2015, Beckman met his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round. This year at the 29th annual Sonoma NHRA Nationals, the two are meeting in the opening round.
"I hate to race a teammate first round," Beckman said. "And I hate to race another Terry Chandler car first round."
Chandler funds the Infinite Hero Foundation and Make-A-Wish teams.
"I think we know the direction we need to go. And no holding back for tomorrow," Beckman said.
"We have to give it 100 percent against that Make-A-Wish car and they'll do the same against us and it'll definitely be interesting for the fans."
Not only is the match-up different than last year but the elapsed times of the Funny Car field is much different.
In 2015, Beckman qualified No. 1 when he ran a 3.921-second lap at 323.43 mph, which was a national record. This year, his best qualifying effort came in the final qualifying session when he ran a 3.920 and he finished in the No. 9 spot.
"Last year, we come here and ran a 3.92 (3.921), and we're the heroes of the universe. We come here this year and run a 3.92 with a zero and we won't even have lane choice going into tomorrow.
"My, what a difference a year has made in Funny Car."
Beckman, along with his crew chief Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham, brought home seven event titles last year. This season their first title came a few weeks ago near Chicago but they are third in the standings.
Sonoma is the second stop of the annual the three-race Western Swing that concludes next weekend near Seattle.
Beckman and Johnson will faceoff tomorrow during round one of eliminations which will air live on FOX Network at 4 p.m. ET.
FUNNY CAR
No. 1 qualifier: Del Worsham (Kalitta Motorsports), 3.868 sec.-track record, 327.43 mph
JACK BECKMAN, Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 9
SUNDAY CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMINATIONS
First round: Tommy Johnson Jr.
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.933 sec., 322.34 mph, (Session 1); 4.389, 195.17, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 4.120, 242.71, (Session 3); 3.920, 323.27, (Session 4)
About Infinite Hero Foundation
A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Infinite Hero Foundation combats the most difficult front line issues - mental and physical - facing returning military heroes and their families. The Foundation funds programs that drive innovation and the accessibility of effective treatments for military heroes and their families dealing with service-related mental and physical injuries. For more information, visit: www.infinitehero.org.
About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., fields seven professional NHRA teams. In Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the Matco Tools dragster driven by two-time world champion Antron Brown and the Sandvik Coromant/Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher dragster driven by Shawn Langdon and in Funny Car, 2011 and 2014 world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane/Rocky Boots 2015 Dodge Charger R/T, 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr.DSR has won 281 NHRA national event titles and 14 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
For additional information, please visit Don Schumacher Racing.
