Beckman qualified No. 4 with his 3.859-second pass at 308.85 mph in his third qualifying session. In the opening round of competition, the Infinite Hero team led by crew chief Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham ran a 3.859 at 330.15 to beat Cruz Pedregon.
The team moved into round two where they were matched against Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps. Beckman's car didn't make a full pass and he coasted to a 4.087 at 238.85 mph and the win went to Capps' 3.909 at 305.56 mph.
"It's interesting because we just lost second round. We're very frustrated and we're in here doing the interview and everyone is very upbeat because we have a team and a car that can win a lot of races," Beckman said of his team.
Beckman says his team has an optimistic attitude heading into the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series Countdown to the Championship because they know when the points standings are reset after the U.S. Nationals near Indianapolis, that the big hitters come to play.
"Look what (Del Worsham's) team did last year. They had a similar season to ours this year but gave notice they'd be tough then they came alive in the Countdown," Beckman said of Worsham who won the Funny Car world title last year.
"We're not doing this intentionally. We're not saving all our wins for later in the year but we're certainly capable of running off a streak of wins. It was an amazing weekend, performance wise. We just got bit in the second round. We don't know if we pushed too hard or just had an issue in the bellhousing," Beckman said.
Next week the Mello Yello series off but DSR and other top teams will at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis before the prestigious U.S. Nationals.
"I'll be home for two days. I'll mow the lawn; I'll spend time with the kids. I'll head back out to Indy. We'll test for a day or two. Then fly back home for a few days then back out to Indy for the race."
Beckman and the Infinite Hero Foundation team not only took home the win at Indy but also the Traxxas Nitro Shootout race last year.
This year, they are looking to repeat both titles.
"We still have the Traxxas deal. We're still looking for the fan vote in that. There's a lot of things on the table for us from here to the end of the year. I think it's right that we're upbeat. Yeah, we're frustrated but we know what we're capable of."
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| Photo Credit: Auto Imagery |
Winner: Del Worsham (Kalitta Motorsports)
No. 1 qualifier: Matt Hagan (Don Schumacher Racing), 3.822 sec.-world record, 333.02-track record
JACK BECKMAN, Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 4
SUNDAY CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMINATIONS
First round: BECKMAN (3.859 sec., 330.15) def. Cruz Pedregon (4.838, 163.45)
Second round: Ron Capps (3.909, 305.56) def. BECKMAN (4.087, 238.85)
QUALIFYING
FRIDAY: 3.917 sec., 326.24 mph, (Session 1); 3.901, 295.14, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.859, 308.85, (Session 3); 9.001, 63.29, (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 283 NHRA national event titles and 14 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
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