Beckman qualified sixth but could only muster a 4.319-second run at 289.65 mph to a subpar but quicker 4.146 (305.22) by John Force Racing's Hight.
"We had to scramble to change engines before the second round," said Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car world champion who has won twice this year.
"We had an issue where we didn't even get to warm (the car) up on nitro. We got behind the eight-ball and that really affected the performance of the car. And it's really unfortunately because I think we had a car that could've won."
The NHRA travels next week to northern California for the second stop of the annual Western Swing for the 30th annual NHRA Nationals at Sonoma.
Beckman claimed the title at Sonoma in 2015 and hopes to bring Chandler's Dodge back to the winner's circle in 2017.
DSR FUNNY CARS
Event winner: Robert Hight (John Force Racing)
No. 1 qualifier: Courtney Force (John Force Racing), 3.889 sec., 328.30 mph - track records
JACK BECKMAN, Terry Chandler's Infinite Hero Foundation 2017 Dodge Charger R/TCrew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh
SUNDAY CHAMPIONSHIP ELIMINATIONS
First round: BECKMAN (4.027 sec., 320.20 mph) def. Alexis DeJoria (4.056, 316.90)
Second round: Robert Hight (4.146, 305.22) def. BECKMAN (4.319, 289.63)
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Qualified: No. 6
FRIDAY: 7.990 sec., 87.61 mph, (Session 1); 4.024, 319.60, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 4.037, 314.75, (Session 3); 3.978, 316.97, (Session 4)
DENVER BY THE NUMBERS
Last event (July 9), Joliet, Ill.: Qualified No. 2, lost in second round to Tim Wilkerson
A year ago at Denver: Qualified No. 6, lost in first round to Ron Capps
Career at Denver: Wins 3 (2007, 2012, 2015); Runner-ups 1 (2008); Poles 1 (2012)
2017 NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES FUNNY CAR STANDINGS
(Official after Denver; 14th of 24 events; wins in parenthesis; DSR drivers in CAPS)
1. RON CAPPS (6) 1,244 -----
2. MATT HAGAN (3) 1,058 -186
4. Robert Hight (1) 973 -271
3. JACK BECKMAN (2) 970 -274
5. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1) 925 -319
6. Courtney Force 793 -451
7. John Force (1) 757 -487
8. Tim Wilkerson 634 -610
9. J.R. Todd 612 -632
10. Cruz Pedregon 538 -706
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 312 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
