They won't have to wait long as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series travels this weekend to Englishtown, N.J., for the 48th annual NHRA Summernationals.
"We had a poor showing in Epping and we only have five days to ruminate in it and we're right back out there, more motivated than ever for Englishtown," Beckman said.
The restructured Infinite Hero 2017 Dodge Charger R/T team with new crew chiefs Dean Antonelli, John Medlen and Neal Strausbaugh continue to improve but are still looking for their first NHRA event title this year. They are ranked sixth in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series points but only 27 outside of third place.
"I truly want our first win as a team this weekend and first at Englishtown, especially after being close and getting runner-up last year," said Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car world champion.
Last year, Beckman advanced to the final round but came up short to Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps.
"I don't think there's any way I can be more motivated, and I know John, Dean and Neal can't be more motivated.
"We made wholesale changes to our car right up until the warm-up for first round on Sunday. I was proud of the guys and how brave they were. I think we learned some stuff from it and when we warm that car up on Friday of Englishtown, it's with the mindset that we're there to win."
JACK BECKMAN, Terry Chandler's Infinite Hero Foundation 2017 Dodge Charger R/T
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L
2017 5th 9 0 1 2 4 2 0 0 10-9
CAREER 261 24 26 47 77 80 21 7 342-230
Best Time, Speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
Last event (June 2-4, Epping, NH): Qualified No. 5, lost in first round to Del Worsham
A year ago at Englishtown: Qualified No. 10, lost in championship round to Ron Capps
Career at Englishtown: Wins 0, Runner-ups 2 (2013, 2016), Poles 0
2017 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES FUNNNY CAR STANDINGS
(Official after Epping; 9th of 24 events; wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in CAPS)
6. JACK BECKMAN 537 -290
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 eight 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; the Papa John's Top Fuel dragster driven by Leah Pritchett and in Funny Car, 2011 and 2014 world champion Matt Hagan in the Mopar Express Lane 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 307 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jeff Wolf (wolfj@shoeracing.com), 702.524.1368
Leah Vaughn (vaughnl@shoeracing.com), 618.516.1988
