The 54-race drought is over for Jack Beckman.

The veteran NHRA nitro Funny Car driver and 2012 world champion finally returned to the winner’s circle at a national event since the year he won his world title.

Beckman clocked a career-best 3.983-second elapsed time at 308.78 mph to win the Four-Wide Nationals March 30 at zMax Dragway in Charlotte, N.C.

“This all feels surreal,” Beckman said.

This was Beckman’s 16th career victory and first since he beat Matt Hagan in the finals in St. Louis in 2012.

“Once you start racking up wins you expect to win and I have had some great crew chiefs the past three years, but we just haven’t got it done,” Beckman said. “You never know when your last win is your last win. You keep thinking this snowball is going to roll on forever and then you go two and a half years and you start to wonder.”

In 2013, Beckman had a solid season, finishing third in the point standings, highlighted by his victory in the $100,000 Traxxas Nitro Shootout all-star event at Indianapolis.
This season, championship tuner Jimmy Prock became Beckman’s crew chief and he is joined by stalwart assistants John Medlen and Chris Cunningham, and the team’s hard work finally paid dividends at Charlotte.

Beckman defeated Del Worsham (4.012), Chad Head (7.455) and Tommy Johnson Jr. (12.177) in the finals.

"Toward the end of last year we didn't even know if we'd have a team, and I thought I might be going back to working on elevators," said Beckman, who finished 11th in the 2014 point standings. "But then Terry Chandler decided to fund our team to benefit the Infinite Hero Foundation and continue supporting our Make-A-Wish team (with driver Tommy Johnson Jr.).

"Without Terry supporting this team I might not have had the chance to win this trophy, but I also might have had to get a real job."

Beckman’s win also gave him a jolt in the points chase, as he rocketed up from 14th to seventh. He is 97 points behind leader Worsham. Beckman’s place in the points is impressive considering he failed to qualify for the season-opening Winternationals.
 
 

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