JACK BECKMAN TO DRIVE MAIL TERMINAL SERVICES DODGE
Beckman, a former Top Fuel racer who joined DSR after the U.S. Nationals in2006 to replace Whit Bazemore in the Matco Tools Dodge Charger, went from Funny Car rookie to the fastest and quickest Funny Car pilot on the planet after posting national-record passes at the season finale in Pomona: 4.662seconds, and 333.66 mph. He also claimed his first NHRA pro victory in only his fourth Funny Car race, at the season's penultimate event in Las Vegas.
Jack Beckman will return to Don Schumacher Racing for the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series to drive the MailTerminal Services Dodge Funny Car, team owner Don Schumacher announced today. Schumacher also confirmed that he has signed Beckman to drive for DSR through the 2009 season.
Beckman, a former Top Fuel racer who joined DSR after the U.S. Nationals in2006 to replace Whit Bazemore in the Matco Tools Dodge Charger, went from Funny Car rookie to the fastest and quickest Funny Car pilot on the planet after posting national-record passes at the season finale in Pomona: 4.662seconds, and 333.66 mph. He also claimed his first NHRA pro victory in only his fourth Funny Car race, at the season's penultimate event in Las Vegas.
For 2007,
the Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car Beckman powered to these national records
will take on a new look, as Mail Terminal Services comes on board as primary
sponsor. Todd Okuhara will continue as crew chief, along with assistant crew
chief Phil Shuler.
Mail Terminal Services is a business-to-business mail
sorting and forwarding company, which has a strategic partnership with the
U.S. Post Office and DHL Globalmail. Headed by President and CEO Rodger
Comstock, MTS is headquartered in Weston, Fla., and operates 23 terminals
throughout the United States.
As part of its partnership with the U.S
Post Office to handle the processing of the U.S. Military Mail to troops in
Iraq and Afghanistan, MTS will announce later this month a new "Mail from
Home" program, by which NHRA fans may send post cards of encouragement to
war-zone troops directly from racing events.
"I am proud to have Jack
back with DSR for 2007," said Schumacher. "Despite his 'rookie' status in the
Funny Car class, he demonstrated a lot of heart, gumption and talent to
establish those national records, as well as a victory, without a lot of time
behind the wheel of a Funny Car.
"It's also a testament to the
outstanding tuning ability of Todd Okuhara. He has done a terrific job for
DSR since he joined the team in 2005, and I lookforward to continued success
for Beckman, Okuhara and Shuler in 2007.
"Having Mail Terminal Services
join our family is also a great honor. Rodger and Karen Comstock have long
supported Jack Beckman and we're pleased that they will continue to back Jack
under the DSR umbrella."
"We really weren't even counting on driving
necessarily in 2006," said Beckman, 40, of North Hills, Calif., "and the
momentum was so strong endingthe season that it's breathtaking to recognize
that we will absolutely be one of the cars vying for the championship this
year. I know everybody says that in the off season, and I appreciate that
everybody has a positiveattitude. But had we been one of the final four cars
with this year's(Countdown to the Championship) points form at last year we
would have won the championship. At Vegas and Pomona we almost scored the
maximum amount of points, so no one would have beaten us. I think we are
definitely one of the favorites to win the championship in 2007.
"To
get to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a full-time pro driver is something
I have worked for my whole life and yet I still find it tough tobelieve,"
added Beckman, the 2003 NHRA Super Comp world champion.
"To say that
Rodger and Karen Comstock of MTS helped make this all possible is the
understatement of the decade. Rodger's given me the ability to go outand vie
for the NHRA POWERade championship this year. How many people are going to
step up and help give you the opportunity to drive a car for Don Schumacher?
I'm not just getting back into a top-10 Funny Car, I'm getting back into the
quickest and fastest Funny Car in the history of drag racing.
"And I
can't even begin to tell you how great it is to have Todd Okuhara and Phil
Shuler continuing to tune this rocket ship they created, and to be apart of
the Don Schumacher Racing team for a full season."
Said Comstock, "We're
very proud to continue our association with Don Schumacher Racing and we're
especially happy that Jack Beckman will becontinuing on as a driver of the
Mail Terminal Services Funny Car for DSR. In my opinion, Jack is, first, a
tremendous person and, second, a great driver. in 2006 he exceeded our
expectations and I think he will represent MTS and DSR very well in
2007."