BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Oct. 12, 2016) – Jack Beckman and the Infinite Hero Foundation team head to Texas Motorplex near Dallas for the fourth race of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship.
Beckman says he and Texas Motorplex have a long relationship.
“Me and Dallas, have a ton of history,” he said. “I went the very first NHRA national event there in 1986. My buddy from the Air Force and I drove 500 miles one way to see that race.
“My dad, who was a contractor and traveled the country, had settled in Dallas just prior to that. I raced my first national event there in Super Comp in 1998 then I raced my first Nitro Funny Car race in Dallas in 2006.
“And with all of that, I’ve had zero success there. I have never left there with a trophy.
“Now, maybe more so than ever, it is the race that I want on my resume. My dad is 79 years old and he lives 45 minutes from the track and I want to have him in the winner’s circle and present him with that cowboy hat, which is the token of winning the national event there. That is high on my priority list.”
At the Texas Motorplex in 2015, Beckman qualified No. 2 for the team funded by Terry Chandler and advanced to the final round where he lost to eventual season champion Del Worsham.
This year, the Infinite Hero Foundation team, led by crew chief Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham, is currently No. 3 in the NHRA points standings and 93 points behind the points leader and Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps.
A win at the 31st annual AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals will help the team close the gap in points and increase their shot at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series Championship title.
“Points-wise, it’s a must win for us. Not only is it a must win for the Infinite Hero team but we have hope that NAPA (Capps) and Make-A-Wish (Tommy Johnson Jr., currently No. 2) go out early and the way those teams have been running, that’s probably not likely.
“I know a lot of people will say, ‘Well how can you wish that on your teammates?’ Well, if the tables were turned, like they were last year, they were all wishing it on us. We’re teammates in certain areas.
“When it comes down to the points chase, when it comes down to the Countdown, when it comes down to the last three races, I think everybody would tell you from burnout to turn out, you don’t have any teammates out there.”
Beckman’s weekend starts Friday afternoon when he joins with Chandler with presenting two $100,000 Infinite Hero Foundation grants in the track’s Champion’s Club.
Accepting the grants will be Houston native and retired Navy Lt. Morgan Luttrell, who sustained a major brain injury on a training mission in 2009 as a member of the Navy SEALS.
He was deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan during a 14-year military career, and since being granted a medical discharge in 2014, the brawny 6-foot-5, 230-pound Luttrell returned to Texas and discovered the Center for Brain Health, part of the University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences where he was treated for his traumatic brain injury.
What he observed while there set him on another course that led him to earn his Master’s degree, and he is currently working on his doctorate to become a cognitive scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas.
The grants will go to the ReBOOT program (BootCampaign.org) where Luttrell is director of development and working to develop a comprehensive, individualized, multi-disciplined approach to increasing mental and physical well-being for our nation’s veterans.
Infinite Hero will also present a grant to the Airpower Foundation (AirPowerFoundation.com) that works in conjunction with Infinite Hero and ReBOOT to provide continued treatment for veterans at no charge at Brain Treatment Centers in Orange County, Calif., and Seattle, Wash., with plans to expand to the East Coast next year.
Making the presentations will be Infinite Hero Foundation executive director Laurie Baker and Chandler, who has funded the Infinite Hero Funny Car racing program at Don Schumacher Racing for the past three years.
Chandler, a native of New Mexico, funds the Infinite Hero team along with DSR’s Make-A-Wish Funny Car. Neither organization contributes any funding to the teams. Chandler’s program has raised nearly $500,000 for Infinite Hero and has brought tremendous awareness to some of the most difficult issues facing our returning military heroes and families.
This season, Beckman has raised more than $120,000 through the sale of special military “challenge coins.” He carries at least 10 on each run down the track and then personalizes each for fans making a $100 donation to Infinite Hero.
FULL ARTICLE
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Sunday, October 2, 2016
DSR: Beckman goes to semifinals at Maple Grove as Infinite Hero Dodge team continues hunt in NHRA Countdown to the Championship
READING, Pa. (Oct. 2, 2016) - Jack Beckman and the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T team, sponsored by Terry Chandler, advanced to the semifinals of the 32nd annual Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
Due to wet weather conditions in Reading, Pa., NHRA teams only had one lap of qualifying to set the ladder for Sunday's eliminations.
With only one qualifying pass, Beckman was seeded as the No. 11 qualifier when he pedaled his way to a 9.998-second pass at 63.76 mph.
He matched up against Chad Head on Sunday for the first round of competition and improved on his qualifying efforts to post a 3.872 at 330.80 to give him the win light.
Beckman, along with his crew chief Jimmy Prock, clocked their career best elapsed time with a 3.850 (332.26) against reigning world champion Del Worsham to give them the win and to send the team to the semifinals against Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr.
Beckman ran a 3.899, 327.51 mph pass in the semifinals but Johnson got the win with his 3.892, 328.94 and later won the event.
"I'm actually frustrated," Beckman said. "We had a phenomenal race car and lost a close race. But that is one of those must-win situations.
"You had four DSR Funny Cars in the semifinals. The No. 1, 2, 3, 4 cars in the points. We needed to win this race. They're not going to give us a re-run. We're going to have to tighten our belts a little bit.
"We have three chances left, so here's the deal. We need to make it to all three of these final rounds and there probably can't be one of the top two cars in the other lane for us to have a legitimate chance at the championship.
"To some extent, we control our fate. But we're going to have to rely on Make-A-Wish and NAPA stumbling, somewhat, and they're not showing signs of that. There is no reason for us to be beating ourselves up about our performance this weekend. We set the track record, we went one of the fastest speeds of all time here, and we beat some tough cars. But we're not out of opportunities to beat cars in front of us in the points."
FULL ARTICLE
Due to wet weather conditions in Reading, Pa., NHRA teams only had one lap of qualifying to set the ladder for Sunday's eliminations.
With only one qualifying pass, Beckman was seeded as the No. 11 qualifier when he pedaled his way to a 9.998-second pass at 63.76 mph.
He matched up against Chad Head on Sunday for the first round of competition and improved on his qualifying efforts to post a 3.872 at 330.80 to give him the win light.
Beckman, along with his crew chief Jimmy Prock, clocked their career best elapsed time with a 3.850 (332.26) against reigning world champion Del Worsham to give them the win and to send the team to the semifinals against Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr.
Beckman ran a 3.899, 327.51 mph pass in the semifinals but Johnson got the win with his 3.892, 328.94 and later won the event.
"I'm actually frustrated," Beckman said. "We had a phenomenal race car and lost a close race. But that is one of those must-win situations.
"You had four DSR Funny Cars in the semifinals. The No. 1, 2, 3, 4 cars in the points. We needed to win this race. They're not going to give us a re-run. We're going to have to tighten our belts a little bit.
"We have three chances left, so here's the deal. We need to make it to all three of these final rounds and there probably can't be one of the top two cars in the other lane for us to have a legitimate chance at the championship.
"To some extent, we control our fate. But we're going to have to rely on Make-A-Wish and NAPA stumbling, somewhat, and they're not showing signs of that. There is no reason for us to be beating ourselves up about our performance this weekend. We set the track record, we went one of the fastest speeds of all time here, and we beat some tough cars. But we're not out of opportunities to beat cars in front of us in the points."
FULL ARTICLE
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
DSR: Beckman, Infinite Hero Foundation team return to Maple Grove after big jump in standings following playoff win near St. Louis
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 28, 2016) – After their win last weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis, Jack Beckman and the Infinite Hero Foundation Funny Car team head to the 32nd Dodge NHRA Nationals with their heads held high.
The Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car funded by Terry Chandler left Gateway on Sunday with the event title when Beckman defeated Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round.
The win was the team’s first win since the Chicago in mid-July.
“Coming off a win, subconsciously, everybody walks a little taller and has a little bit more confidence,” Beckman said of his team led by crew chief Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham.
This weekend the team returns to Maple Grove Raceway, where they are the reigning event champion after rain wiped out three of four qualifying sessions.
With only one round of qualifying, Beckman entered race day as the No. 3 seed. Throughout the course of race day, Beckman knocked out Alexis DeJoria, Johnson, DSR teammate Ron Capps and Chad Head from competition.
“They’ve moved Reading up a few weeks and I think that’s a wise because last year, we almost lost the entire event because of rain. We only got one qualifying run in. It’s such a crapshoot during first round of eliminations – tons of tire smoke.
“And it’s a good decision to put it before Dallas this year. The weather around Reading this time of year tends to be favorable. I would definitely sacrifice world record conditions to have a higher likelihood of running without rain.”
The weather forecast for this weekend currently looks cooler which could result in big racing numbers for the NHRA teams.
“I’m not the weatherman and all the nitro teams are going to be faced with the same conditions. When we unload, we’ll figure out what the weather has in store for us,” Beckman said.
After their win last weekend, the team jumped from eighth in the standings to third and only 70 points behind leader Capps.
Despite the team’s win last year, Beckman says the team needs to focus on this year’s fight for the Funny Car championship.
“I don’t know if winning last year is going to be any factor because we don’t know if track or weather conditions will be the same. We definitely don’t have the same clutch pack in the car – which has been our Achilles heel most of this year. We’ve been trying to understand what the car wants and hoping it will incorporate with our tune-up changes. I would say we’re cautiously optimistic.
“We still aren’t in a comfort zone like we were this time last yea,r but we’ve got the ability to make the changes we need to be successful.”
FULL ARTICLE
The Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car funded by Terry Chandler left Gateway on Sunday with the event title when Beckman defeated Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final round.
The win was the team’s first win since the Chicago in mid-July.
“Coming off a win, subconsciously, everybody walks a little taller and has a little bit more confidence,” Beckman said of his team led by crew chief Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham.
This weekend the team returns to Maple Grove Raceway, where they are the reigning event champion after rain wiped out three of four qualifying sessions.
With only one round of qualifying, Beckman entered race day as the No. 3 seed. Throughout the course of race day, Beckman knocked out Alexis DeJoria, Johnson, DSR teammate Ron Capps and Chad Head from competition.
“They’ve moved Reading up a few weeks and I think that’s a wise because last year, we almost lost the entire event because of rain. We only got one qualifying run in. It’s such a crapshoot during first round of eliminations – tons of tire smoke.
“And it’s a good decision to put it before Dallas this year. The weather around Reading this time of year tends to be favorable. I would definitely sacrifice world record conditions to have a higher likelihood of running without rain.”
The weather forecast for this weekend currently looks cooler which could result in big racing numbers for the NHRA teams.
“I’m not the weatherman and all the nitro teams are going to be faced with the same conditions. When we unload, we’ll figure out what the weather has in store for us,” Beckman said.
After their win last weekend, the team jumped from eighth in the standings to third and only 70 points behind leader Capps.
Despite the team’s win last year, Beckman says the team needs to focus on this year’s fight for the Funny Car championship.
“I don’t know if winning last year is going to be any factor because we don’t know if track or weather conditions will be the same. We definitely don’t have the same clutch pack in the car – which has been our Achilles heel most of this year. We’ve been trying to understand what the car wants and hoping it will incorporate with our tune-up changes. I would say we’re cautiously optimistic.
“We still aren’t in a comfort zone like we were this time last yea,r but we’ve got the ability to make the changes we need to be successful.”
FULL ARTICLE
Monday, September 26, 2016
FOX SPORTS: Langdon takes a Wally as Don Schumacher Racing dominates St. Louis
Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Alex Laughlin
(Pro Stock) and Jerry Savoie (Pro Stock Motorcycle) took their
respective class wins at Sunday's AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals
at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis.
For Don Schumacher Racing, it was a huge day as they secured all four spots in the Top Fuel and Funny Car final rounds.
In Top Fuel, it was Shawn Langdon and Tony Schumacher facing off for DSR in the final. The points had already been shaken up after Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta, Steve Torrence and Brittany Force - the top four in points coming in - all failed to make it to the semis. Tony Schumacher capitalized on the situation, sitting fifth on the points coming in, while Langdon had to hold off Brown, Kalitta and Crampton just to make it to the final. At the end of the day, it was Langdon knocking out yet another top-name competitor as he took his third win of the season.
Likewise in Funny Car, it was an all-DSR final as Tommy Johnson Jr. and Jack Beckman advanced out of the semis. Of the three points leaders entering - Ron Capps, Del Worsham and John Force - only Capps made it through to the semis, where he was knocked out by Beckman. For Johnson, making the final was a big opportunity as he came in fourth in the points. However, it was Beckman taking the win as Johnson hit trouble down the track in the final, and Beckman moved up to third in the points.
FULL ARTICLE
For Don Schumacher Racing, it was a huge day as they secured all four spots in the Top Fuel and Funny Car final rounds.
In Top Fuel, it was Shawn Langdon and Tony Schumacher facing off for DSR in the final. The points had already been shaken up after Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta, Steve Torrence and Brittany Force - the top four in points coming in - all failed to make it to the semis. Tony Schumacher capitalized on the situation, sitting fifth on the points coming in, while Langdon had to hold off Brown, Kalitta and Crampton just to make it to the final. At the end of the day, it was Langdon knocking out yet another top-name competitor as he took his third win of the season.
Likewise in Funny Car, it was an all-DSR final as Tommy Johnson Jr. and Jack Beckman advanced out of the semis. Of the three points leaders entering - Ron Capps, Del Worsham and John Force - only Capps made it through to the semis, where he was knocked out by Beckman. For Johnson, making the final was a big opportunity as he came in fourth in the points. However, it was Beckman taking the win as Johnson hit trouble down the track in the final, and Beckman moved up to third in the points.
FULL ARTICLE
NHRA.com: Langdon, Beckman, Laughlin, and Savoie collect victories at AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals
September 25, 2016
....
Beckman posted a 3.928 at 324.51 in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T to better Tommy Johnson Jr.’s 4.185 at 231.40 in his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T during the Funny Car final. Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car world champion, claimed his 24th career victory and second at Gateway Motorsports Park with the performance. The 2015 season runner-up moved to third in the points standings. Beckman beat Dale Creasy Jr., 16-time champion and recent Charlotte winner John Force, and points leader Ron Capps in the earlier rounds.
“Our team was in a slump, and we did what was incredibly difficult with the way our car was acting unpredictably,” said Beckman, who won earlier this year in Chicago. “I’m not quite sure what changed, but I think I had a good outing as a driver today; the guys tuned smart, and we turned on the win light every time.”
...
FULL ARTICLE
....
Beckman posted a 3.928 at 324.51 in his Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T to better Tommy Johnson Jr.’s 4.185 at 231.40 in his Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger R/T during the Funny Car final. Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car world champion, claimed his 24th career victory and second at Gateway Motorsports Park with the performance. The 2015 season runner-up moved to third in the points standings. Beckman beat Dale Creasy Jr., 16-time champion and recent Charlotte winner John Force, and points leader Ron Capps in the earlier rounds.
“Our team was in a slump, and we did what was incredibly difficult with the way our car was acting unpredictably,” said Beckman, who won earlier this year in Chicago. “I’m not quite sure what changed, but I think I had a good outing as a driver today; the guys tuned smart, and we turned on the win light every time.”
...
FULL ARTICLE
Sunday, September 25, 2016
USA Today: Shawn Langdon, Jack Beckman win NHRA Midwest Nationals
MADISON, Ill. (AP) — Shawn Langdon raced to his third Top Fuel victory of the year Sunday in the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park.
Langdon powered to a 3.798-second pass at 323.66 mph to beat eight-time season champion Tony Schumacher for his 14th career victory and first at Gateway. The 2013 season champion moved to fourth in the standings after two events in the six-race NHRA Mello Yello Countdown.
"We didn't really have a dominant car in qualifying, but we just kept picking away at it," said Langdon, also the winner at Bristol, Tennessee, and Norwalk, Ohio. "That's what we've been doing since we got those two victories (earlier this year). The car has just responded well. All in all, this was a great team effort. The whole team did a great job and gave me a great racecar today."
Jack Beckman won in Funny Car, Alex Laughlin in Pro Stock, and Jerry Savoie in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Beckman had a 3.928 at 324.51 in a Dodge Charger R/T to edge Tommy Johnson Jr. Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car champion, claimed his 24th career victory and second at Gateway. He's third in the standings.
Laughlin sprinted to his first final-round appearance and victory by powering his Chevy Camaro to a 6.611 at 208.68 to outlast Bo Butner. Laughlin failed to qualify for the Countdown.
Savoie raced to first victory of the year with a 6.933 at 189.36 on his Suzuki and against Angelle Sampey. Savoie is fourth in the standings.
FULL ARTICLE
DSR: Beckman, Infinite Hero team earn second win of the season, move to third in Countdown after Midwest Nationals at Gateway
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 25, 2016) – Jack Beckman and the Infinite Hero Foundation team, sponsored by Terry Chandler, brought home the Wally trophy at the fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals.
This victory is the team’s second win of the season and Beckman’s second win at Gateway Motorsports Park. However, the win on Sunday was not an easy feat.
“When you look back at all your wins, you never look back and say, ‘Well that one wasn’t fun.’ Every one of them is special for one reason or another,” Beckman said.
“This one will go down as, ‘our team is in a slump and we did what was incredibly difficult with the way our car was acting unpredictably.’ ”
The Infinite Hero team, led by Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham, have not won an event since their victory in Chicago in July.
In qualifying, the Infinite Hero Foundation team struggled to make passes down the racetrack. Their only clean lap came on Friday night with a 3.907-second pass at 325.22 mph to seed them No. 2.
They faced Dale Creasy Jr. in the opening round of competition on Sunday. Beckman dropped a cylinder but still turned on the win light with a 4.042 at 309.27.
The big match up came in the second round when Beckman rolled up next to John Force. Beckman won the round with a holeshot victory with a 3.978 to Force’s quicker 3.961.
“Beating John Force is always huge,” Beckman said. “To the average fan, they don’t necessarily understand reaction times and ET and how you can manipulate those numbers and a lot of guys do it on race day.
“They just roll the car in deep. And for me, I just want to race smart and try to reserve lane choice for the team. You really have to be up on your toes and leave on time.
“So to leave on a holeshot that way is extra gratifying. And let’s face it, to beat the Babe Ruth of our sport, that’s never a bad thing.”
Beckman then faced his Don Schumacher Racing teammate and current NHRA Mello Yello points leader, Ron Capps in the semifinals.
Beckman ran a 3.954 to send him into the final round where he met another DSR teammate: Tommy Johnson Jr.
Beckman and Johnson’s Dodge Charge R/T Funny Cars are both funded by Chandler, making the two teammates in a very special way.
As the two Funny Cars rolled up, Chandler stood in the center to see both of her teams race for the event title. The final was even more special because next week is her birthday.
In the final round, Beckman made a stellar pass at 3.928 and 324.51 mph as Johnson went into tire smoke.
“I’ve had some pretty mediocre outings as a driver the last few races,” Beckman said. “You want to be there with your driving in case the car is not dead-on and the car saved me a couple of times too.
“The car was smoking the tires and I think my confidence was down. I’m not quite sure what changed but I think I had a good outing as a driver today and I’ve had a few of those that don’t end up in the winner’s circle. The guys tuned smart, I did my job as a driver and we turned on the win light every time.”
FULL ARTICLE
This victory is the team’s second win of the season and Beckman’s second win at Gateway Motorsports Park. However, the win on Sunday was not an easy feat.
“When you look back at all your wins, you never look back and say, ‘Well that one wasn’t fun.’ Every one of them is special for one reason or another,” Beckman said.
The Infinite Hero team, led by Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham, have not won an event since their victory in Chicago in July.
In qualifying, the Infinite Hero Foundation team struggled to make passes down the racetrack. Their only clean lap came on Friday night with a 3.907-second pass at 325.22 mph to seed them No. 2.
They faced Dale Creasy Jr. in the opening round of competition on Sunday. Beckman dropped a cylinder but still turned on the win light with a 4.042 at 309.27.
The big match up came in the second round when Beckman rolled up next to John Force. Beckman won the round with a holeshot victory with a 3.978 to Force’s quicker 3.961.
“Beating John Force is always huge,” Beckman said. “To the average fan, they don’t necessarily understand reaction times and ET and how you can manipulate those numbers and a lot of guys do it on race day.
“They just roll the car in deep. And for me, I just want to race smart and try to reserve lane choice for the team. You really have to be up on your toes and leave on time.
Beckman then faced his Don Schumacher Racing teammate and current NHRA Mello Yello points leader, Ron Capps in the semifinals.
Beckman ran a 3.954 to send him into the final round where he met another DSR teammate: Tommy Johnson Jr.
Beckman and Johnson’s Dodge Charge R/T Funny Cars are both funded by Chandler, making the two teammates in a very special way.
As the two Funny Cars rolled up, Chandler stood in the center to see both of her teams race for the event title. The final was even more special because next week is her birthday.
In the final round, Beckman made a stellar pass at 3.928 and 324.51 mph as Johnson went into tire smoke.
“I’ve had some pretty mediocre outings as a driver the last few races,” Beckman said. “You want to be there with your driving in case the car is not dead-on and the car saved me a couple of times too.
“The car was smoking the tires and I think my confidence was down. I’m not quite sure what changed but I think I had a good outing as a driver today and I’ve had a few of those that don’t end up in the winner’s circle. The guys tuned smart, I did my job as a driver and we turned on the win light every time.”
FULL ARTICLE
DSR: Beckman, Infinite Hero Dodge team qualify No. 2 spot for Sunday's eliminations in NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway near St. Louis
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 24, 2016) - Jack Beckman and the Infinite Hero
Foundation team, sponsored by Terry Chandler, Sunday at Gateway
Motorsports Park in the No. 2 qualifying position and look for their
second event win of the season.
This weekend, Beckman and the crew struggled during qualifying as they only made one clean pass down the racetrack at the fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals.
However, the one clean pass was good enough for the No. 2 qualifying position.
"If you look at the Infinite Hero team at the end of qualifying, you'll see that we qualified No. 2 and that doesn't tell the whole story," Beckman said.
"If you look at the details, you'll see we smoked the tires three out of four times and that doesn't tell the whole story."
During the opening round of qualifying on Friday, Beckman went into tire smoke but then during second session, he clocked a 3.907-second pass at 325.22 mph. He also picked up two bonus points in the session as he was second best of the round.
Unfortunately, on Saturday there was more tire smoke for the Infinite Hero Foundation team as they fought to go down the hot, sticky track in summer-like conditions during the first weekend of fall.
Beckman and his crew chief, Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham, will face Dale Creasy Jr. on Sunday for the first round of eliminations.
"Qualifying No. 2 gives you a pretty decent first round match-up. We can probably afford to go up there and do a little bit of experimenting but we also need to try and run a mid-3.90," Beckman said.
"We'll run very well when the car responds to all of our changes. With the recent revisions we've made in the bellhousing, we need data. So the fact that we smoked the tires on three of the four runs doesn't mean we're lost. It means we're trying different things and seeing what the car likes there."
Aside from the NHRA event Wally trophy, Beckman and his team are looking to advance in the NHRA Mello Yello points standings as they compete for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
When entering the race weekend, the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team was eighth in points. A good race weekend could place them in a better positon for the NHRA Championship title.
"2012 was the last time I won St. Louis and that year ended for me about as perfect as a year could end for a driver," Beckman said, referring to his 2012 Funny Car world championship.
"At this point, every single round is huge. The cars that are top three and four in points, they're not going out first early. We can't rely on them stumbling. We have to go deep every single race day from here on out."
FULL ARTICLE
This weekend, Beckman and the crew struggled during qualifying as they only made one clean pass down the racetrack at the fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals.
However, the one clean pass was good enough for the No. 2 qualifying position.
"If you look at the Infinite Hero team at the end of qualifying, you'll see that we qualified No. 2 and that doesn't tell the whole story," Beckman said.
"If you look at the details, you'll see we smoked the tires three out of four times and that doesn't tell the whole story."
During the opening round of qualifying on Friday, Beckman went into tire smoke but then during second session, he clocked a 3.907-second pass at 325.22 mph. He also picked up two bonus points in the session as he was second best of the round.
Unfortunately, on Saturday there was more tire smoke for the Infinite Hero Foundation team as they fought to go down the hot, sticky track in summer-like conditions during the first weekend of fall.
Beckman and his crew chief, Jimmy Prock with assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham, will face Dale Creasy Jr. on Sunday for the first round of eliminations.
"Qualifying No. 2 gives you a pretty decent first round match-up. We can probably afford to go up there and do a little bit of experimenting but we also need to try and run a mid-3.90," Beckman said.
"We'll run very well when the car responds to all of our changes. With the recent revisions we've made in the bellhousing, we need data. So the fact that we smoked the tires on three of the four runs doesn't mean we're lost. It means we're trying different things and seeing what the car likes there."
Aside from the NHRA event Wally trophy, Beckman and his team are looking to advance in the NHRA Mello Yello points standings as they compete for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
When entering the race weekend, the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team was eighth in points. A good race weekend could place them in a better positon for the NHRA Championship title.
"2012 was the last time I won St. Louis and that year ended for me about as perfect as a year could end for a driver," Beckman said, referring to his 2012 Funny Car world championship.
"At this point, every single round is huge. The cars that are top three and four in points, they're not going out first early. We can't rely on them stumbling. We have to go deep every single race day from here on out."
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| Photo Credit: Auto Imagery |
Thursday, September 22, 2016
DSR: Beckman, Infinite Hero Foundation team fight to stay in the hunt for NHRA championship this weekend at NHRA Midwest Nationals
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 21, 2016) - The Infinite Hero Foundation team has some ground to make up this weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis at the fifth annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals.
Last weekend at the Countdown to the Championship opener, the Carolina Nationals near Charlotte, Beckman and his team suffered a first-round loss to the lower qualified but reigning world champion Del Worsham of Kalitta Motorsports.
After their early loss, they fell from fourth in the points to eighth and will begin racing Friday trailing Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps by 110.
"Right now, I can't say how essential St. Louis would be because I don't have a crystal ball," Beckman said.
"What I can say is the maximum number of rounds you can compete in during the Countdown is 24. We just crossed four of those rounds off the list from Charlotte with zero points. When you got out first round, you can't earn any points for the rest of the day."
"Now for us, there's a maximum of 20 rounds left and each win pays 20 points. John Force already has four round wins after winning the Charlotte trophy. Ron Capps has two round wins. We have none.
"We have to create some momentum and show the capabilities ow what this team can do. And for everyone's mental wellbeing, we need to hold another trophy real soon to remind us what we're capable of."
The Infinite Hero Foundation team won their first and only event title earlier this season near Chicago.
"2012 was the last time I won St. Louis and that year ended for me about as perfect as a year could end for a driver," Beckman said, referring to his 2012 Funny Car world championship.
"This time last year, we had won six races, set the record four times and it looked like we were on our way to the championship and things just didn't work out for us. But we still had a wonderful year."
In 2015, Beckman came up short of winning the championship after winning seven event titles.
"Right now, we've won one race, we've reset the national record once this year. It looks like the odds are stacked against us for the championship. But we're only six rounds out of the lead. What we need to do is try to take advantage of as many of those 20 rounds as we can possibly participate in. That really means we have to go the final in St. Louis if we have a realistic shot at winning the title."
For additional information, please visit Don Schumacher Racing.
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| Photo Credit: Auto Imagery |
After their early loss, they fell from fourth in the points to eighth and will begin racing Friday trailing Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps by 110.
"Right now, I can't say how essential St. Louis would be because I don't have a crystal ball," Beckman said.
"What I can say is the maximum number of rounds you can compete in during the Countdown is 24. We just crossed four of those rounds off the list from Charlotte with zero points. When you got out first round, you can't earn any points for the rest of the day."
"Now for us, there's a maximum of 20 rounds left and each win pays 20 points. John Force already has four round wins after winning the Charlotte trophy. Ron Capps has two round wins. We have none.
 |
| Photo Credit: Auto Imagery |
The Infinite Hero Foundation team won their first and only event title earlier this season near Chicago.
"2012 was the last time I won St. Louis and that year ended for me about as perfect as a year could end for a driver," Beckman said, referring to his 2012 Funny Car world championship.
"This time last year, we had won six races, set the record four times and it looked like we were on our way to the championship and things just didn't work out for us. But we still had a wonderful year."
In 2015, Beckman came up short of winning the championship after winning seven event titles.
"Right now, we've won one race, we've reset the national record once this year. It looks like the odds are stacked against us for the championship. But we're only six rounds out of the lead. What we need to do is try to take advantage of as many of those 20 rounds as we can possibly participate in. That really means we have to go the final in St. Louis if we have a realistic shot at winning the title."
For additional information, please visit Don Schumacher Racing.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
DSR: Beckman, Infinite Hero Dodge team experience frustrating day with first-round loss near Charlotte to start Countdown playoff
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 18, 2016) – Jack Beckman and the Infinite Hero Foundation team, funded by Terry Chandler, left zMAX Dragway near Charlotte frustrated after a first-round loss at the ninth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals.
Beckman lined up against reigning world champion Del Worsham of Kalitta Motorsports in the opening round of Sunday’s championship eliminations after making three solid qualifying passes that seeded them No. 5 position over No. 12 qualifier Worsham.
Beckman and crew chief Jimmy Prock had lane choice over Worsham but their day ended quickly when Beckman went into tire smoke as he slowed to a 4.275-second pass at 220.31 mph to Worsham’s 3.976.
“Frustrating. We struggled first round in Indy and we never really found the smoking gun. Now, we know the cause – it’s a bellhousing issue,” Beckman said.
“You’ve got a series of clutch discs that apply torque as soon as you step on the throttle and when they don’t do it in a predictable manner, you have to change something. We made a change coming into Charlotte.
“It looked pretty decent in qualifying. It was a really a warm racetrack in the first round but we had data from that. Everything we did should have allowed this car to go down the track and run a 3.95.
“Then we went out to 400 feet and knocked the tires loose and now we’ve painted ourselves into a corner. We will make a (clutch) disc change going into the next race – something you really don’t like doing this late in the year. The problem is our consistency. We run good numbers but every once in a while, it’s like Russian Roulette and that bullet comes up and our car does something unpredictable.”
Beckman and the Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T team know the importance of round wins during the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. In 2015, they entered the Carolina Nationals as the points leader but because of an first-round loss, the points lead went to Worsham, who went on to win the 2015 Funny Car Championship.
“Here we are in the Countdown and we didn’t just lose first round, we lost the ability to gain points over four rounds of racing.
“It’s a very different sport in drag racing. You can’t go back out there after having a spin out in the first lap and make laps to gain points. You’re finished for the day. We lost 80 points today and we can’t keep spotting those other teams those points when you’re competing for a championship.”
FULL ARTICLE
Beckman lined up against reigning world champion Del Worsham of Kalitta Motorsports in the opening round of Sunday’s championship eliminations after making three solid qualifying passes that seeded them No. 5 position over No. 12 qualifier Worsham.
Beckman and crew chief Jimmy Prock had lane choice over Worsham but their day ended quickly when Beckman went into tire smoke as he slowed to a 4.275-second pass at 220.31 mph to Worsham’s 3.976.
“Frustrating. We struggled first round in Indy and we never really found the smoking gun. Now, we know the cause – it’s a bellhousing issue,” Beckman said.
“You’ve got a series of clutch discs that apply torque as soon as you step on the throttle and when they don’t do it in a predictable manner, you have to change something. We made a change coming into Charlotte.
“It looked pretty decent in qualifying. It was a really a warm racetrack in the first round but we had data from that. Everything we did should have allowed this car to go down the track and run a 3.95.
“Then we went out to 400 feet and knocked the tires loose and now we’ve painted ourselves into a corner. We will make a (clutch) disc change going into the next race – something you really don’t like doing this late in the year. The problem is our consistency. We run good numbers but every once in a while, it’s like Russian Roulette and that bullet comes up and our car does something unpredictable.”
Beckman and the Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T team know the importance of round wins during the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. In 2015, they entered the Carolina Nationals as the points leader but because of an first-round loss, the points lead went to Worsham, who went on to win the 2015 Funny Car Championship.
“Here we are in the Countdown and we didn’t just lose first round, we lost the ability to gain points over four rounds of racing.
“It’s a very different sport in drag racing. You can’t go back out there after having a spin out in the first lap and make laps to gain points. You’re finished for the day. We lost 80 points today and we can’t keep spotting those other teams those points when you’re competing for a championship.”
FULL ARTICLE
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