Championship Drag Racing

Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
Pomona, CA
(November 9-12)

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Jack Beckman Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger

Pomona, prerace: In the past two weeks Jack Beckman has been in a whirlwind. He claimed his first NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car title in only his fourth Funny Car race on Oct. 31 in Las Vegas, then married his longtime girlfriend Jenna Lucy on Tuesday at the Wally Parks Motorsports Museum at the Fairplex in Pomona, Calif.

Now, the driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Charger R/T looks to this weekend's Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the same track at which he works as an instructor for Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School, and where he is also a two-time (1998 and 2003 Winternationals) Super Comp winner.

"My first two national-event wins came here," says Beckman. "I work here full time, and I just got married here on Tuesday. I've got a bunch of friends that haven't been to the races in 15-plus years coming out, and we're coming off a win.

"You wanna talk about someone having momentum and luck on their side? I feel pretty good heading into this weekend.

"It's been phenomenal. I can't begin to describe how cool it all is. It's making everything worthwhile - all the trials and tribulations of trying to get into a Nitro Funny Car.

"Everything on this Don Schumacher Racing team is first class. The Matco Tools crew guys have given me possibly the best Funny Car out here. I want to do it (win) again. The reality is, we have as good of a shot as any race car here this weekend of winning. There's no reason we won't be partying with the Matco Tools distributors and customers again in the winner's circle come this Sunday."

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