During breaks in Friday’s qualifying rounds at the 2007 O’Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park, Ron Capps and Jack Beckman from the Don Schumacher Racing Team stopped by for a visit with Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com to discuss the lighter side of life outside the quarter mile, including favorite guilty pleasures, signing autographs, and reality TV.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Capps—I wanted to be Don Garlits … “Big Daddy” Don Garlits.

Beckman—Rock star, jet fighter pilot, drag race driver.  Those were the only 3 things I ever wanted to be.  Problem is, I can’t sing, I went in the Air Force for 4 years and they wouldn’t let me anywhere near the planes, and now I’m a nitro pilot.  To be a rock star and get up in front of 20,000 and captivate them, that’s pretty badass.  But you know what?  This ain’t so bad, either.

During breaks in Friday’s qualifying rounds at the 2007 O’Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park, Ron Capps and Jack Beckman from the Don Schumacher Racing Team stopped by for a visit with Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com to discuss the lighter side of life outside the quarter mile, including favorite guilty pleasures, signing autographs, and reality TV. 

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Capps—I wanted to be Don Garlits … “Big Daddy” Don Garlits.

Beckman—Rock star, jet fighter pilot, drag race driver.  Those were the only 3 things I ever wanted to be.  Problem is, I can’t sing, I went in the Air Force for 4 years and they wouldn’t let me anywhere near the planes, and now I’m a nitro pilot.  To be a rock star and get up in front of 20,000 and captivate them, that’s pretty badass.  But you know what?  This ain’t so bad, either.

Who is your hero, someone you really admire?

Capps—Right now, John Medlen, Eric’s dad.  (The day of the interview marked the 1-week anniversary of the death of Eric Medlen, who died the previous Friday from injuries suffered while testing in Gainesville)

Beckman—I was getting food at the drive-thru the other day, and there was a guy cleaning windows on people’s cars.  In L.A. we get a lot of that.  Anyway, the guy’s got deformed arms, and duct tape to hold the squeegee on his hands.  I went and talked to him for awhile.  That guy’s a hero to me.  He’s got the odds stacked against him and keeps doing the right thing.  As far as drag racing is concerned, I’m a purist and a big historian of the sport, so, any of the old Top Fuel drivers, Garlits, James Warren, I could list a dozen.  Also, John Force has to be right up at the top.

What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?

Capps — Popsicles.  Lately, for some reason at home my wife and I will put the kids to bed and have a couple of popsicles.  She buys those sugar-free ones that are orange and grape.  Usually it’s the grape ones I grab.

Beckman—Right now it’s gotta be ice cream.  You know, the quintessential Funny Car driver mold would be like an Eric Medlen or a Ron Capps, someone who is 5 foot 7 and 155 pounds, because then you can move weight around.  I’m 191 pounds, and not nearly in shape, so I’m way overweight for a nitro driver.  I love mint-chocolate chip, but I go in spurts.

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Talk about the first time you were asked for an autograph.  What went through your mind when you walked away after signing?

Capps—I think it was when I got my license for an Alcohol Dragster, and we were testing in Woodburn, Oregon.  The kid didn’t know who I was, he just knew I had a firesuit on, so I had to be somebody.  He had me sign his hat.  I thought how ironic it was, because when I was a little kid hanging out at the ropes with guys like Don Garlits and Connie Kalitta trying to get their autographs, sort of a strange twist of fate.

Beckman—My brother and I used to race old jalopy cars and kids would come up, and I’d think, “What do they want my autograph for?”  Then you realize to that kid you could be Al Unser.  I was a little embarrassed, because you think, “What did I do that this kid wants my autograph?”  I think you get more comfortable that people want you to be all those things they imagine a professional race car driver to be.  They like to see the confidence, the outgoing personality, the positive attitude.  In Gainesville we had days when things didn’t go well, but I signed autographs for a couple of hours with the fans and I felt great after that.  You might be having the worst damn day, but that 7-year-old will never forget when you signed for him.

What person that you’ve never met would you most like to meet?

Capps — Probably Jesus.  I’d like to know exactly if what came out of his mouth is what’s written in the Bible.

Beckman — Mario Andretti would be cool.  Any kid in the last 30 years who mentions a driver’s name mentions either Richard Petty or Mario Andretti.  You know what?  I’d love to meet Neil Armstrong.  I’d love to talk about what he did on the moon.

When you’re totally relaxed, where are you and what are you doing?

Capps — Listening to music at home.  I’m a homebody.  I like my home, and I’m very comfortable there.

Beckman—I’m big on TV, I gotta admit, and as far as a weakness or indulgence, that might be worse than ice cream.  Now, it’s my son asleep on my chest while I watch the History Channel on the couch.  I am a professional TV viewer.

A&E wants to film a reality series on your life.  What will the title be?

Capps — Good question.  Probably “The Calm Before The Storm”, because I’m a mess before I leave for a race.  My wife’s always ready to boot me out of the house because when I start packing I’m not fun to be around.  Usually I’ve got to get up super-early, and I’m packing and stressed out.

Beckman—I tried not to play up the cancer angle (Beckman was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2003 and spent much of 2004 receiving chemotherapy treatments), because it was almost embarrassing.  But then I realized that it wasn’t about me, but about people going through it that might be helped by it.  The year after I completed chemo I drove the Top Fuel car, and we called it, “G-Force Therapy”.  That might be a catchy title.

You’ve been named the President of Racing.  That includes NHRA, NASCAR, Indy, etc.  What are your first 2 decisions as President?

Capps—NHRA would go to live television.  We need to be live.  Second, I’d get open-wheel back in one division, the way it should be.  Wait a minute.  I’d also put parachutes on Pro Stock bikes.  That would be interesting.  (Laughs)

Beckman—Wow, that’s interesting.  First, I’m not much of a natural born leader, and my strengths aren’t in administration, so I would appoint someone that had a good overall direction.  Secondly, I would institute some formal type of farm league for breeding the next generation of drag racers.  I would mandate that before you hop into a Funny Car that you have to do some sort of transition, say, a year in some type of Super Comp car, then a year in a Top Alcohol car, before you progress.  Or, what if I said that everybody who races Beckman is disqualified?  That would be nice.