The first time Jack Beckman won the Traxxas Shootout in 2013, the veteran joked the $100,000 prize was spent just as fast as he won it after Beckman’s car exploded just after crossing the finish line.

This year, all he has to do is replace a windshield.

A split windshield was the only victim on Sunday, as Beckman stayed perfect in the Funny Car Traxxas Shootout, winning for the third time by going 3.952 at 324.67 mph to knock off Robert Hight’s 4.36. It was Hight’s fourth straight runner-up in the shootout, but when he smoked the tires midway through the final round run, Beckman, who also won in 2015, was there to take advantage.

“I think he had quite a tuneup in that hot rod and I just thought, ‘Crap.’ It’s never a good outcome when you see a fuel Funny Car driving away from you,” Beckman said. “And then just about the time I thought that, he started backing into me. So obviously he was spinning the tires and then as you go around them you’re just thinking get to the finish line. I’m happy for our team. I think our guys did a great job.”

Beckman started with a first-round win against Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. before facing off with another teammate, Ron Capps, in what turned into an eventful semifinal round.

Beckman went up in smoke almost immediately, and then got back on throttle, going up in smoke a second time. But Capps was having his own struggles, suffering an engine explosion after trying to get back on throttle after smoking early.

It allowed Beckman, who made a brilliant save after smoking the tires a second time, to chase him down and advance to face Hight with an entertaining run of 4.942 at 204.23 against Capps.

“Pulling up against Capps, we were pushing hard,” said Beckman, who has two Funny Car wins this season. “The first time it smoked, I lifted and rolled back into the throttle. The second time, it went big-time sideways and I thought, ‘Oh God, don’t take out one of the blocks,’ and then all of a sudden I saw (Capps’) nose start coming towards me and I thought they’re having problems, too, and I got back in the thing. It was one of those days where good enough is good enough and second round it was.”

Beckman became the first Funny Car driver to reach three wins in the Traxxas Shootout, a noteworthy achievement when the level of competition is considered. That fact wasn’t lost on Beckman, who heads into Monday with plenty of momentum for a second U.S. Nationals win and, down the road, a run at a second world championship.

“Just getting in (the Traxxas Shootout) is incredibly difficult,” Beckman said. “That’s what makes it exciting. There’s a big litany of ways to get into the field, but there’s only one way to get the trophy – you’ve got to beat three of the baddest fuel cars in one day. When Courtney (Force) got voted in on the fan vote, you knew you had eight first-class cars, and eight cars capable of winning the Traxxas Shootout and competing for a championship.”

HAGAN STAYS NO. 1, OUT TO MAKE HISTORY

After two productive runs in Sunday’s heat, Matt Hagan stayed in the No.1 qualifying spot for Monday’s eliminations, with Friday’s blistering 3.799 at 338.77 easily holding up.

But the defending U.S. Nationals winner had other things on his mind, as the two-time world champ can make history with a win on Monday by becoming the first Funny Car driver to win back-to-back Indy races from the No. 1 spot.

“Maybe we can make some history tomorrow,” Hagan said. “The car is going down the racetrack. We’ve had real success as far as the cool and the heat. We’re pretty excited about that. We’ve got a great car.”