"Fast" Jack Beckman raced the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge
Charger R/T directly into his seventh career final round today at the
Mopar Mile-High Nationals and into the No. 10 spot in the NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings.
No. 10 qualifier Beckman charged his way through the field en route to
the final, dismissing Tommy Johnson Jr., Gary Densham and Cruz Pedregon
along the way, with passes of 4.296/292.33, 4.362/281.77 and
4.334/290.82 on a 1000-ft. dragstrip for the first time in pro nitro
NHRA history.
He faced points leader Tim Wilkerson in the final stanza without lane
choice. Beckman launched first at the starting lights with a .046
reaction time to Wilkerson's .098 (.000 is perfect). Heading to what
Beckman was hoping would be his second victory of the season, the
Valvoline/MTS Dodge lost traction early, slowing to a losing
4.661/205.41 pass, while Wilkerson, who also lost traction later in the
run, claimed the victory with a 4.398/262.23.