BECKMAN: PERKS OF DEFENDING RACE CHAMPION
Wed, 2009-02-18 08:00
He’s Always Thinking Outside of the Box …
Winning a national event has more far-reaching benefits than just
earning a nice payday and the accompanying championship points. At
least that’s how defending NHRA Lucas Slick Mist Nationals champion
Jack Beckman sees it.
"It's always fun to go back to a race as the previous event champion," said Beckman, who defends his title in Phoenix this weekend ranked eighth in the standings after one event in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. "You usually get your name in the fan guide and in the program and the announcers talk about you a little bit more. So that's always cool.”
Last season’s victory was important in the grand scheme of his championship aspirations, but the real push towards the title came much later in the season. He’s Always Thinking Outside of the Box …
Winning a national event has more far-reaching benefits than just earning a nice payday and the accompanying championship points. At least that’s how defending NHRA Lucas Slick Mist Nationals champion Jack Beckman sees it.
"It's always fun to go back to a race as the previous event champion," said Beckman, who defends his title in Phoenix this weekend ranked eighth in the standings after one event in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. "You usually get your name in the fan guide and in the program and the announcers talk about you a little bit more. So that's always cool.”
Last season’s victory was important in the grand scheme of his championship aspirations, but the real push towards the title came much later in the season.
"Last year, even though we did win Phoenix, we didn’t really hit our stride until Denver,” Beckman said. “And there's no panic right now. We’ve had a couple of minor hiccups with the tune-up that I think we're close to getting worked out, but the way the Countdown format goes, you can take four or five races to work them out. I don't see anybody showing any signs of dominance this year.”
A great deal of last year’s success story at Phoenix can be attributed to his familiarity of Firebird Raceway, the drag strip located just south of Phoenix, in the small town of Chandler.
"I've done a lot of Sportsman racing at Firebird," said Beckman, the 2003 NHRA Super Comp champion in only his third full season of pro Funny Car competition. "I've also made a lot of passes there in testing, so I'm very comfortable at that race track. “
Jack Beckman battled the flu to win the 2008 title in Phoenix.
"It's always fun to go back to a race as the previous event champion," said Beckman, who defends his title in Phoenix this weekend ranked eighth in the standings after one event in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. "You usually get your name in the fan guide and in the program and the announcers talk about you a little bit more. So that's always cool.”
Last season’s victory was important in the grand scheme of his championship aspirations, but the real push towards the title came much later in the season. He’s Always Thinking Outside of the Box …
Jack Beckman battled the flu to win the 2008 title in Phoenix.
"It's always fun to go back to a race as the previous event champion," said Beckman, who defends his title in Phoenix this weekend ranked eighth in the standings after one event in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. "You usually get your name in the fan guide and in the program and the announcers talk about you a little bit more. So that's always cool.”
Last season’s victory was important in the grand scheme of his championship aspirations, but the real push towards the title came much later in the season.
"Last year, even though we did win Phoenix, we didn’t really hit our stride until Denver,” Beckman said. “And there's no panic right now. We’ve had a couple of minor hiccups with the tune-up that I think we're close to getting worked out, but the way the Countdown format goes, you can take four or five races to work them out. I don't see anybody showing any signs of dominance this year.”
A great deal of last year’s success story at Phoenix can be attributed to his familiarity of Firebird Raceway, the drag strip located just south of Phoenix, in the small town of Chandler.
"I've done a lot of Sportsman racing at Firebird," said Beckman, the 2003 NHRA Super Comp champion in only his third full season of pro Funny Car competition. "I've also made a lot of passes there in testing, so I'm very comfortable at that race track. “
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