Unfortunately, on Monday the team was defeated in a close race in the semifinals by DSR teammate and points leader Ron Capps with the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car.
"We came within two win lights of having the most perfect drag racing weekend you can have," Beckman said.
"It's always frustrating to not close the deal, we just barely lost to our teammate out there and that's a tough loss coming off a day like we had and a car like we have."
Beckman entered the 63rd annual U.S. Nationals as the No. 5 qualifier with his 3.859 at 333.16 mph. He faced Tommy Johnson Jr. in the opening session, who is also funded by the Chandlers. Beckman ran a 3.890 (328.54) to win over Johnson's 3.923.
Beckman then faced NHRA underdog, Jim Campbell, in the second round and won with a time of 3.878 (327.35).
It was a very close race in the semifinals when Beckman ran a 3.948 (322.81) as Capps went 3.940.
The Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T led by crew chiefs Dean Antonelli, John Medlen and Neal Strausbaugh could not be too disappointed. They also secured the No. 4 seed for the six-race Countdown to the Championship that opens in two weeks near Charlotte.
As the NHRA heads into the Countdown and the points are reset, Beckman is 40 points behind Capps.
"But that is our silver lining," said Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car world champ who has won three Shootout titles. "This car has been fantastic, we're making good tune-up calls, I feel comfortable in the cockpit. Now when they re-set the points we are right on the NAPA car's rear bumper and I like our odds of winning the championship.
"Plus we did pocket a hundred thousand dollars on Sunday so it wasn't a bad weekend."
JACK BECKMAN, Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T - won Sunday's Shootout
Crew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh
MONDAY CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMINATIONS
First round: BECKMAN (3.890 sec., 327.03 mph) def. Tommy Johnson Jr. (3.925, 329.34)
Second round: BECKMAN (3.878, 327.35) def. Del Worsham (4.132, 252.90)
Semifinals: Ron Capps (3.940, 324.75) def. BECKMAN (3.948, 322.81)
QUALIFYING
Qualified: No. 5
FRIDAY: 3.900 sec., 330.08 mph, (Session 1 of 5)
SATURDAY: 4.869, 157.98, (Session 2 of 5); 3.859, 333.16, (Session 3 of 5)
SUNDAY: 3.872, 331.77, (Session 4 of 5); , (Session 5 of 5)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L
2017 4th 18 2 2 4 8 2 0 0 29-16
CAREER 270 26 27 49 81 80 21 7 361-237
Career best time, speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
INDY BY THE NUMBERS
A year ago at Indy: Qualified No. 2, lost in first round to Dave Richards
Career at Indy: Wins 1 (2015); Runner-ups 2 (2008, 2013); Poles 1 (2015);
All-star/Invitational event titles 4 (2007, 2013, 2015, 2017)
FUNNY CAR STANDINGS
2017 COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
1. RON CAPPS (6) 2,100 -----
2. Robert Hight (2) 2,080 -20
3. MATT HAGAN (3) 2,070 -30
4. JACK BECKMAN (2) 2,060 -40
5. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. 2,050 -50
6. Courtney Force 2,040 -60
7. John Force (1) 2,030 -70
8. J.R. Todd (2) 2,000 -80
9. Tim Wilkerson 2,010 -90
10. Cruz Pedregon 2,000 -100
FINAL 2017 NHRA MELLO YELLO REGULAR SEASON
1. RON CAPPS (6) 1,530
2. Robert Hight (2) 1,344
3. MATT HAGAN (3) 1,280
4. JACK BECKMAN (2) 1,275
5. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1) 1,229
6. Courtney Force 1,072
7. John Force (1) 1,007
8. J.R. Todd (2) 959
9. Tim Wilkerson 90210. Cruz Pedregon 730
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 three-time world champion Antron Brown and the Papa John's Pizza/Mopar Top Fuel dragster driven by Leah Pritchett; and in Funny Car, 2016 world champion Ron Capps in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T; 2011 and 2014 world champion Matt Hagan in the 80th anniversary Mopar/ Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T, and 2012 NHRA world champion Jack Beckman in the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge and the Make-A-Wish Dodge driven by Tommy Johnson Jr., both of which are funded by the late Terry Chandler.
DSR has won 314 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
