Superstitions, jinxes don’t haunt Beckman

Beckman has never won at Gateway International Raceway, located just outside of St. Louis in Madison, Ill., in his short four-year pro career in which he’s collected nine victories in 18 final rounds, but he doesn’t count out doing it this weekend, despite any jinxes presented to him.

“It’s funny,” said Beckman, sixth in the class point standings. “One of our crew guys, Joe Chrisman, has been with DSR for years and was on one of the Pro Stock cars before coming over to the nitro camp. And it’s funny to hear people talk about their superstitions and their jinxes and he thinks that St. Louis has been a jinx to him so far.

“I’m not a real superstitious driver. I’m a routine-oriented driver. I suit up the same each time when I get in the car, and do it the same each time. And it’s just because as a driver the less you have to think about the more effective you can be behind the wheel.

“It’s interesting to see how a lot of crew guys have their lucky shoes, have certain handshakes in the staging lanes, doing it the same way each time. So, I figure we can really go a long way towards dispelling this myth and break that St. Louis jinx if we can just go out and win this weekend.”

Mail Terminal Services will continue to send boxes of post cards of support and encouragement, along with hand-out cards of DSR drivers, National Dragster and Drag Racing Action magazines to soldiers overseas. This year the program expands the opportunity to participate beyond just the NHRA fans and are including schools and service organizations. If a school or organization would like to write post cards of encouragement to the U.S. troops, the request should be sent to mts.mfh@gmail.com. MTS will be pleased to send post cards for the project and signed handout cards from Funny Car driver Jack Beckman and a Certificate of Service for the school or organization.

To find out more about Mail Terminal Services go to www.mailterminals.com .

JACK BECKMAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 6 in 2010 Funny Car points after six events: including a semifinal finish in season-opening Pomona, Calif., event, and a victory in Phoenix
* Has never won in St. Louis
* Qualified No. 9 at 2009 St. Louis; lost first round to John Force
* Ended 2009 No. 5 in point standings, winning two events in five final rounds (Atlanta, Norwalk, Ohio)
* Entered 2009 Countdown to 1 in fifth place
* His 2009 round win-loss record is 29-22
* No. 3 in 2008 Funny Car point standings, with three victories – Phoenix, Reading, Concord – in seven final rounds
* Was bumped out of the 2007 Countdown to Four playoffs standings at the Richmond, Va., event, after his teammates Gary Scelzi and Ron Capps reached the semifinal round. Ended the season No. 5 in points
* In his 94 national events in Top Fuel and Funny Car, he has won nine times in 18 final rounds (all in Funny Car), and has a career round win-loss record of 106-80
* Is the 2007 U.S. Smokeless Showdown winner ($100,000 bonus event held at U.S. Nationals)
* Set national elapsed-time record of 4.662 seconds and national speed record of 333.66 mph (on quarter-mile) at final 2006 event in Pomona,  Calif. The ET record has since been eclipsed. Beckman still holds the speed record
* As a Funny Car rookie in the last five races of 2006, he qualified No. 1 once (Pomona 2), reached two final rounds (Las Vegas 2 and Pomona 2), won once (Vegas 2), and set both ends of the national record (Pomona 2)
* Residence: Norco, Calif.* Hometown: Granada Hills, Calif.* Date of birth: June 28, 1966
* Married, Jenna (wedding date 11/7/06), son Jason Russell (3/8/07)
* Height/weight: 6’0″, 185 lbs.
* Former instructor and current consultant at Frank Hawley’s NHRA Championship Drag Racing School; former Sergeant in U.S. Air Force (1984-88); cancer survivor; licensed in nine different NHRA categories
* First Start in TF: Las Vegas 1 2005
* First Start in FC: , Dallas,  Texas, 2006
* Competed in only 12 TF events in 2005, ended season 15th in points
* Career-best elapsed time racing to 1000 feet is 4.040 seconds (Concord 1 ’09)
* Career-best speed racing to 1000 feet is 313.66 mph (Concord 1 ’10)
* Career-best FC (quarter-mile) elapsed time: 4.662 seconds (Pomona 2 ’06)
* Career-best FC (quarter-mile) speed: 333.66 mph (Pomona 2 ’06)
* Career-best TF (quarter-mile) elapsed time: 4.563 seconds (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* Career-best (quarter-mile) TF speed: 324.28 mph (TF, Brainerd 2005)
* In 2003 won Super Comp world championship in Lucas Oil Series and Division 7 Super Comp championship
* Leads 14-time champion John Force in head-to-head round wins: 11-6 (2-1 in final rounds) – DOES NOT INCLUDE CONCORD FOUR-WIDE EVENT

WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY:
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 3:15 PM.
Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster) 4:00 PM.
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 5:45 PM.
Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster) 6:30 PM.

SATURDAY:
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 11:30 AM.
Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car) 12:30 PM.
Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car) 2:00 PM
Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car) 3:00 PM

SUNDAY:
Pre-Race Ceremonies 10:00 AM; Final Eliminations 11:00 AM.

TELEVISION:
5/01/2010 Qualifying –  9:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET/6:00 PM – 8:00 PM PT (ESPN2).
5/02/2010 Eliminations – 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET/4:00 PM – 7:00 PM PT (ESPN2).
5/05/2010 Repeat Eliminations – 3:00 AM – 5:00 AM ET/12:00 AM – 2:00 AM PT (ESPN2).