Jack Beckman clinched the 2024 NHRA season title with a Funny Car victory at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, defeating Austin Prock in the final round on Sunday.
Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also secured wins at the 59th annual event, rounding out the 20-race season of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Beckman recorded a career-best 3.812 seconds at 327.35 mph in his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS, marking his second win of the season since taking over for John Force in August. This victory was Beckman’s 35th career win and added to an extraordinary season.
To reach the final, Beckman eliminated competitors Terry Haddock, Blake Alexander, and Ron Capps. This victory solidified Prock and Beckman’s positions at the top of the Funny Car ranks.
“It doesn’t get any higher than this,” Beckman said. “It’s just magical at your home track. It’s special when it’s the Winternationals when the Winternationals was the first race of the year, but the Finals is finals, right? Whoever wins here gets a couple months to say we were the baddest on race day.
“This season has just been just pinch-me moment after pinch-me moment. The way John went out was terrible, but he’s still with us, and I think he’s just as valuable standing on the starting line as he is strapped in the car at the starting line. Having John here doesn’t make us want to win more. We want to win every time we go out there. It just made winning that much more special. To see Brittany [Force] win after a two-year winless drought the weekend her dad comes back and then Austin double up with her, was just great (in Las Vegas). We’re right back in another final against Austin, and this time we won it.”
Brown qualified 12th in Top Fuel but excelled during eliminations, defeating points leader Justin Ashley in the opening round with a run of 3.696 seconds at 331.53 mph. Brown also overcame Shawn Langdon to secure his semifinal spot.
“This team has been resilient,” Brown said. “We never quit. We never stop. We didn’t qualify where we wanted to, and when we saw our matchups, it was like doomsday. We had Justin Ashley first round and we knew that was a monumental matchup. Then you go to Shawn Langdon and we both were trying to throw at it and it didn’t go down. That last round against Brittany, we gotta hit the tree, go down the track, and if they run a 3.64-3.65, so be it, but we gotta give ourselves a fighting chance. That 3.69 came right on time.”
Brown earned three victories in the regular season, including his milestone 75th career Wally at the Route 66 Nationals outside Chicago. He went on to win the first two races of the six-race Countdown to the Championship, putting himself in a prime position to score his fourth world championship and his first as a team owner.
“All the glory goes to God,” said Brown, who won his first three titles (2012, 2015-2016) driving for the late Don Schumacher before launching AB Motorsports in 2022. “Here we are with all these great partners like Matco Tools, Lucas Oil, Hangsterfer’s, FVP, Summit Racing, Toyota, and Sirius XM. They all make this possible for us and keep us going each and every day. To get this championship, it’s incredible. Truly a blessing. I love all my family at home, my kids, everybody. This championship trophy is coming back to Indianapolis, Indiana. I can’t believe we did it.”
In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson triumphed over teammate Dallas Glenn with a run of 6.501 at 211.13 mph in a winner-take-all final round. This victory marked Anderson’s sixth world championship, placing him in a tie for the second-most in Pro Stock history.
Matt Smith concluded his season with a decisive win in Pro Stock Motorcycle, defeating two-time champion Gaige Herrera with a time of 6.702 seconds at 202.12 mph. This win was Smith’s second of the season and his 41st career victory.
Smith, who qualified No. 1, reached the final after defeating Aaron Pine, Marc Ingwersen, and Steve Johnson. He expressed optimism for the upcoming season despite contemplating retirement at 52.
“We came in knowing we probably couldn’t get three hats, but we knew we could get two and we did,” said Smith, referring to his achievements. “I still love it. Actually, our sponsor, Denso, told me to stop talking about retirement.”
Gaige Herrera reached his 12th final round of the season in just 15 races.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will resume on March 6-9, 2025, with the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
