LAS VEGAS (Oct. 29, 2017) - After a stellar qualifying effort, Funny Car driver Jack Beckman leaves The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway frustrated after he smoked the tires Sunday in the semifinals of the NHRA Nationals.
"The frustrating thing is you really have to strike when the iron's hot," Beckman said. "We had a phenomenal car. Except for the first qualifying run (Friday), we were near the quickest every time down the racetrack after that, and not even close to being in trouble."
Beckman and Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team entered the event with not only the No. 1 qualifying position but they earned a total of nine out of 12 qualifying bonus by being the quickest in three of the four qualifying sessions.
But their day ended early on Sunday and likely ended hopes for a series championship when racing resumes in two weeks with the season-finale at Pomona, Calif.
"When you go out there and the car smokes the tires two feet into the run we're scratching our heads. We don't know why it even would've thought about doing that. But boy that's why in drag racing you don't count your chickens before they hatch."
Beckman will start fourth and only seven points out of third but a gargantuan 177 out of first. At 22 of the first 23 Mello Yello events including Las Vegas, the most a driver can earn is 130 points but points will be enhanced by 150 percent for Pomona with it possible for a driver to earn 191.
Beckman defeated Jim Campbell in round one with a 3.918-second pass at 330.15 mph. He then defeated his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr., also funded by the Chandlers, with a 3.947 (328.54).
In the semifinals, he met up with DSR teammate Matt Hagan. After the step of the throttle, Beckman went up in tire smoke and Hagan got the round win with his 3.967 and went on to win the event title.
"I really thought we had a final-round car and the best overall Funny Car here this weekend," Beckman said. "So, we're scratching our heads. We will stay and test tomorrow to get some more data. We will go to Pomona with our heads up ready to win that race."
JACK BECKMAN, Terry and Doug Chandler's Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T
Crew chiefs: Dean Antonelli, John Medlen, Neal Strausbaugh
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
First round: BECKMAN (3.918 sec., 330.15 mph) def. Jim Campbell (6.399, 104.15)
Second round: BECKMAN (3.947, 328.54) def. Tommy Johnson Jr. (8.344, 93.10)
Semifinals: Matt Hagan (3.967, 329.42) def. BECKMAN (7.223, 103.32)
QUALIFYING
Qualifying position: No. 1
FRIDAY: 8.006 sec., 77.86 mph, (Session 1); 3.867-ties track record, 329.50, (Session 2)
SATURDAY: 3.930, 330.31, (Session 3); 3.854, 335.57-track records, (Session 4)
Pts Events Wins Rup Semi Qtr 1st rd Poles DNQ W/L
2017 4th 23 2 2 6 9 3 1 0 34-20
CAREER 275 26 27 51 82 81 22 7 366-241
Career best time, speed: 3.825 sec., (2016 Pomona 2); 334.15 mph (Seattle 2016)
BY THE NUMBERS
Last event, Oct. 15, Dallas: Qualified No. 3, lost in semifinals to Ron Capps
A year ago at Las Vegas 2: Qualified No. 1, lost in semifinals to John Force
This spring at Las Vegas 1: Qualified No.5, lost in second round to Jonnie Lindberg
Career at Las Vegas 2: Wins 1 (2006), Runner-ups 2 (2009, 2012), Poles 1 (2016)
Career at Las Vegas: Wins 1 (2006), Runner-ups 2 (2009, 2012), Poles 2 (2016-twice)
FUNNY CAR
1. Robert Hight (4) 2548 ----
2. RON CAPPS (8) 2533 -15
3. Courtney Force 2423 -125
4. JACK BECKMAN (2) 2396 -152
5. MATT HAGAN (4) 2387 -161
x-6. John Force (1) 2306 -242
x-7. TOMMY JOHNSON JR. (1) 2276 -272
x-8. Tim Wilkerson 2237 -311
x-9. J.R. Todd (2) 2233 -315
x-10. Cruz Pedregon 2163 -345
x=eliminated from championship contention
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 317 NHRA national event titles and 16 world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
