Jack Beckman has many positive events to reflect upon when he returns to Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway for the Aug. 20-23 NHRA Brainerd Nationals.
He can think about his 2018 event win there, when he defeated a then-teammate in the final round. He can ruminate on his 2008 and 2010 runner-up finishes early on in his career. He can reminisce about the four times he’s been the No. 1 Qualifier, as recent as last season (2012, 2013, 2015, 2025).
But it’s another bullet point on Beckman’s racing résumé that he’ll think of most. It was two years ago at Brainerd that he made his John Force Racing debut at Brainerd. He had taken over the driving duties of the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car from 16-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion and team owner John Force, who had sustained serious injuries that June at Richmond, Va. After more than three and a half years out of the seat and working fulltime as an elevator repairman, the 2012 NHRA Funny Car World Champion returned to the track.
“People use the analogy ‘it’s like riding a bike.’ It’s not,” said Beckman. “It’s like riding a terrifyingly fast fire-breathing monster. I hadn’t driven a nitro Funny Car for three and a half years so we used Night Under Fire at Norwalk to re-up my license. It was hot there and we had the car backed off quite a bit so everything went surprisingly smooth, which was a confidence builder coming into Brainerd with a couple of runs to the finish line under my belt. The potential pressure at Norwalk was really inconsequential. I knew I could drive the car and we weren’t racing for points so it was all kind of laid back. Then we come to Brainerd and go right into qualifying. We got through it (qualified sixth) and when the national anthem plays Sunday, now it’s for keeps. A lot of people thought it was a lot of pressure, which it was, but it sure beats sitting on the sidelines for three years and nine months.”
He’s appreciated every pass down the drag strip just a little more ever since and returns to Brainerd less than two rounds (38 points) out of first place with two races remaining in the regular season.
“When we were eighth in the points, we had lost a couple of close first rounders, one in Gainesville, one in Phoenix. I knew we were better than an eighth-place car,” Beckman said. “The changes that Tim Fabrisi and Dan Hood (crew chiefs) made in the bell housing gave us a wide predictable tune up window on an exceptionally fast race car and now we’re one of the top two cars. Things ebb and flow in nitro Funny Car. Nobody stays on top forever and good teams don’t struggle for extended periods of time. I’m so confident where we are right now. Dan and Tim make good calls. The PEAK SQUAD has been exceptional in preparing a car consistently each run, and now the onus is on me to drive the thing the best that I can.”
Beckman will be signing autographs Friday, Aug. 21, from 3-3:30 p.m. at the John Force Racing merchandise hauler on the midway, and Saturday, Aug. 22, from 9-9:30 a.m. at the Mission Foods display.
Qualifying will feature two rounds at 3:30 and 6:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Aug. 21 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 12:00 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 23.
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday and 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, and eliminations at 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
This story was originally published on August 19, 2026.
The post Jack Beckman Looks to Achieve Another Brainerd Milestone first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
