Mopar Funny Car win

Jack Beckman, driver of the Mopar HEMI-powered Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, racked up his seventh career victory and first of the season with his triumph on Sunday, April 19 at the Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. The win jumped Beckman into second in the Funny Car point standings behind fellow Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) and Mopar-powered teammate Ron Capps.

Beckman bested John Force Racing (JFR) driver Robert Hight, JFR patriarch John Force and Tim Wilkerson to set up a rematch of the Houston final earlier this year with Ashley Force Hood. Beckman came out on the winning end this time, launching first with a .073 reaction time to Force Hood’s .112. Force Hood struck the tires late in her run and Beckman took full advantage, with his run of 4.128/303.43 bettering Force Hood’s 4.157/248.39.

“In addition to the three Force cars, we got Tim Wilkerson in the other round,” said Beckman. “So, to beat four awesome opponents makes today feel a lot more special.”

Mopar-fueled DSR driver Matt Hagan is fifth in the point standings, putting three Mopar HEMI-powered Funny Car drivers in the top five of the standings. Next up for the DSR crew is the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway outside of St. Louis, Mo., May 13.