Jack Beckman kept his 2025 qualifying record perfect Saturday, and all three John Force Racing Chevrolets locked up advantageous starting positions for Sunday’s 40th NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park.
Reigning Mission Foods Series and Arizona Nationals champion Austin Prock regained some of the swagger lost in a disappointing opening race at Gainesville, Fla., and will start his 341.68 mile per hour Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car from the No. 2 position Sunday on the strength of a Friday run of 3.883 seconds.
Beckman will launch his bid for a fourth desert victory from a No. 3 start in a PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevy SS that was quickest in both sessions Saturday even though it didn’t improve on Friday’s 3.895. Two-time World Champion Brittany Force will pursue her first Phoenix title from the No. 2 starting position in her national-and-track-record-holding Monster Energy dragster after failing to improve on Friday’s 3.705.
In fact, there were few position changes at all on the final day of preliminaries, especially at the top where Bob Tasca III retained the No. 1 spot in Funny Car and Doug Kalitta did the same in Top Fuel.
Nevertheless, Beckman turned heads with times of 3.925 and 3.930 seconds that enabled him to extend to six, the number of consecutive sessions in which he has earned at least one qualifying bonus point. That’s every round of qualifying this year.
“I was actually really surprised when the time slip said 3.92 because it spun (the tires) at the top end, put a hole out (dropped a cylinder) and moved over,” said the 35-time Funny Car winner. “I really didn’t expect it was going to be that quick. If we do this tomorrow, we’re going to leave with the trophy.
“I could not be more confident, satisfied and enthusiastic with the way our PEAK Chevy team has looked,” said the 2012 Funny Car World Champion. “We were second quickest, third quickest, quickest and quickest. And perhaps most important, the two sessions that we were the quickest Funny Car out there were the conditions that are most likely going to be replicated on race day.
“I love the fact that, as quick as our PEAK Chevy is on great, cool racetracks, it might even be better, relative to the field, when things get hot and nasty out there,” he said. “Can’t wait to suit up and sweat on Sunday.”
Since last August when he took over the seat of the PEAK Chevy from an injured John Force, “Fast Jack” has been top three in 24 of 35 qualifying sessions and quickest overall in 10.
The only Funny Car driver to have earned more bonus points over that 10-race span is Prock, who, on the way to the 2024 championship, was the No. 1 qualifier at 15 of the 20 races. Prock’s best on Saturday was 3.951.
“Proud of our John Force Racing team this weekend,” said the driver of drag racing’s quickest and fastest fuel Funny Car. “We haven’t had this strong of a weekend as a whole in a while. Conditions are going to be pretty similar tomorrow and all three of our race cars ran phenomenal, so I’m looking forward to standing on the gas in this Cornwell Tools / Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet SS and trying to turn on four win-lights.”
Beckman will start Sunday against No. 14 qualifier Dave Richards; Prock against No. 15 starter Buddy Hull. With only 14 Top Fuel cars participating, Brittany will open her bid against No. 13 qualifier Steve Chrisman.
“Good start to the weekend for this Monster Energy team,” Brittany said. “We had three solid passes. We’re running pretty good, especially in the heat and we’re excited to be teamed up this weekend with Powers Affordable Housing. They’re based right here in Phoenix and they’re definitely someone you want to check out.”
Sunday, she hopes to earn a breakthrough win in an event in which her dad prevailed a record eight times. If she does, he’ll be there to celebrate the moment.
“Qualifying was fun for me today; getting out there on the starting line,” said the 16-time series champion. “I have no complaints. It was some real drag racing. Cars ran good today and had no breakage. We just have to get ready for tomorrow. Daniel Hood, Tim Fabrisi and Chris Cunningham, they did a good job on the PEAK Chevy. (David) Grubnic did a great job (on the dragster) and so did Jimmy Prock with his kid. Let’s see where it goes tomorrow.”
This story was originally published on March 23, 2025.
The post JFR Chevrolets Solidly in Field at Phoenix first appeared on Drag Illustrated.