Jack Beckman’s one-year anniversary was commemorated in a strong way when the two-time champion qualified No. 1, won the #2Fast2Tasty specialty event, and raced to the semifinals on Sunday.
It was another reminder of how far Beckman has come in a year’s time. In August 2024, he was called back to action after nearly four years away from the driver’s seat, substituting for John Force following the veteran’s traumatic brain injury at the Virginia Nationals.
“Well, I still fix elevators Monday through Friday most weeks. I still drive home and hate traffic in Southern California,” Beckman said. “But at least 17 times a year, because I can drive to some of the races, I hop on an airplane. I’m not a big fan of the TSA screens or any of that other crap, but I’m going to fly out to an NHRA drag race to get strapped into John Force’s Chevy. It’s pretty damn cool.”
Beckman’s first assignment was supposed to be an eight-race fill-in. Instead, it turned into a full-time ride that carried him to a runner-up finish in the 2024 championship standings, a result that he still views with disbelief.
“Last year was amazing. It was a pinch-me deal,” Beckman said. “I had been dormant for over three and a half years, and I thought that that was the end of my career.”
The return, he explained, felt like living a second dream. “One of my friends in the elevator trade said, ‘Most people don’t ever get their dreams. You’re getting yours for the second time.’ I knew that and I appreciated that,” Beckman said. “I didn’t think it’d get any better until the offseason when I got asked if I’d take the ride full time for 2025. So it did get better.”
Beckman’s performances this season have validated that decision. His Brainerd results marked a turning point — strong qualifying, specialty-race success, and a semifinal finish — all hallmarks of a driver still capable of championship contention.
But Beckman’s perspective is broader than the box score. He points to his career outside of racing as an elevator technician as a grounding influence. “When people say, ‘Well, what about the pressure? What about this? What about that?’ Taking a night call fixing an elevator is pressure,” he said. “That’s a great job, and I’m fortunate as can be to have that as a job. So for three and a half years, I would’ve done anything to feel the pressure lining up next to somebody in the final round for that Wally trophy, but I couldn’t do that because I didn’t have a ride.”
That absence shaped how he now approaches the sport. Beckman said he sees every run, every weekend, as both a challenge and a privilege. “There can be a lot of stress here and there’s a lot of things that can put you in a pressure-packed environment, but who wouldn’t want to switch places with me?” he said. “To get to climb in that Peak car, and these guys got this thing prepped so well, so often, it gives me a ton of confidence every time I step on the throttle.”
His Brainerd showing highlighted that confidence. Beckman was sharp throughout qualifying, raced with poise in the Saturday specialty event, and maintained consistency on race day before bowing out in the semifinals.
The results also reinforced that Beckman, now nearly a year into his full-time return, has reestablished himself among the class’s most capable competitors. For a driver who believed his career was over, the turnaround is remarkable.
Beckman admits that his current run still feels surreal. “I highly recommend this if you got some money to spend,” he said with a laugh, acknowledging that opportunities like his don’t often come twice.
