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NHRA: Beckman Becoming A Stealthy Title Contender
Written by: Amanda Brahler
Go2Geiger.com   http://www.go2geiger.com
07/02/2009
Porter, TX
 
"Fast" Jack Beckman got a birthday gift from the drag racing gods Sunday when he survived a too-close .001-second reaction time to win his second race of the season and become a somewhat stealthy title contender.

The result moved Beckman and his Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T up two positions in the point standings and slid the part-time drag racing instructor into fourth place entering the always-challenging Western Swing.
“The fan in me always watches the points,” Beckman said. “The racer in me, I don’t know that our philosophies change much. We want to go out and win every weekend. (Go2Geiger.com) » More Photos

Although his spot in the Countdown to 1 playoffs is looking pretty secure at this point, the always-analytical former Air Force Sergeant has his own take on the upcoming stretch of six regular season races.

"The fan in me always watches the points," Beckman said. "The racer in me, I don’t know that our philosophies change much. We want to go out and win every weekend.

"If you just step back and look at the big picture, you have to ask yourself, maybe we should use some of these races to test so that we are ready to go at the end of the year.

"It's different from years prior to the Countdown. We might need to try a couple of things we normally wouldn’t try in the middle of the season to make sure we’re going to be great for that six-race stretch at the end of the year.”

In between Norwalk and next weekend’s race in Denver, the kickoff of a three-week stretch of consecutive races, Beckman has had a few moments to reflect on his win. He says he not only feels indebted to crew chief and the combined data of Don Schumacher Racing for keeping up with Norwalk's ever-changing surface, but the track owners for making the changes they did.

Entering the race week, speculation flew as to what type of racing Norwalk might provide after the Bader family opted to resurface part of the racing surface after issues with water seepage crept up in a recent event.

"It is so easy to Monday morning quarterback," Beckman said. "They spent a lot of money to took a big risk right before the race. I believe what they did was weigh the risk and the reward. I felt that even though they were going to have green asphalt there, it would have been safer to do that than have the chance of water seeping through the track if they got any rain.

“In hindsight it was a brilliant call. The rain came in on Thursday and it rained again on Sunday morning. Between those two storms, we most likely would have had to postpone
the race because of water seepage issues. They totally made the right call.

"It’s actually a little exciting going to a racetrack that doesn’t have a lot of rubber on it and consequently doesn’t offer a lot of traction. It puts a little bit more into the driver’s hands when the car goes out there and spins the tires."

Prior to the start of the first round eliminations on Sunday, a heavy downpour delayed the start of the race for over an hour. Once the weather cleared, temperatures soared, with track temps reaching upwards of 130 degrees.

Beckman watched as fellow competitors smoked their tires while his team confidently clicked off round wins until he was the last man standing. Not only did his performance earn him a Wally, it also sent a message to the rest of the Funny Car class that his group can navigate tricky race tracks.

"Typically the cars that fare well in the championship chase have been the cars that can run well in the hot conditions," Beckman said. "Of our 24 races, 14-16 of them are held under some pretty hot conditions. The objective becomes figuring out a good hot-weather tune-up.

"Denver is going to be unique. They have a cooling system under the first 100-foot of the race track. They are at a mile altitude so it affects the downforce of the car and it affects the horsepower of the car. The race track might be 140 degrees but the first 100 feet, it might cool down to 95 degrees. Our tune-up notes for Denver are in their own book."

Despite his place in the standings and the success he’s had to date, Beckman is going to take full advantage of the off week and not only reflect on his win but also enjoy the Fourth of July weekend with his family.

"The reality is there are still bills to pay," Beckman said. "I have a wife and a young boy. There is enough stuff to keep me occupied. I’m a pretty regular guy. A lot of people think it's a rock star lifestyle but I’m pretty much an average Joe Average that gets to drive a really fast car. When I’m not doing that, I like to come home, watch the History Channel, play with my son, and hang out with my wife.

"She even makes me go shopping with her."
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