News has just come down that Jack Beckman, former NHRA Funny Car World Champion and all around awesome guy, will be climbing into John Force’s funny car for the remained of the 2024 season. On a personal note, I am hoping that this is another step that will get Beckman back into an NHRA Nitro Funny Car full time in 2025. Jack is a hell of a guy, obviously talented behind the wheel, and has always represented his sponsors and fans well.
Good luck Jack, we wish you well.
Here is the announcement from NHRA.
July 30th, 2024
Former Funny Car world champion Jack Beckman has been named as the replacement driver of John Force’s Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS for the remainder of the 2024 season and will earn points for the sidelined 16-time world champion.
Former Funny Car world champion Jack Beckman has been named as the replacement driver of John Force’s Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS for the remainder of the 2024 season and will earn points for the sidelined 16-time world champion.
Former Funny Car world champion Jack Beckman has been named as the replacement driver of John Force’s Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS for the remainder of the 2024 season in what the team is calling “Joint Task Force – Mission Championship.”
With an NHRA championship still very much in play, John Force Racing President Robert Hight announced Tuesday that Beckman will make his debut in the Peak Camaro in this week’s non-championship event, the 47th annual Cornwell Tools “Night Under Fire” at Summit Motorsports Park, where he and John Force Racing teammate Brittany Force in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet dragster will both compete.
While Force continues to recover from a TBI (traumatic brain injury) suffered in a June 23 crash in Richmond, “Fast Jack” will slide into the seat occupied by the 157-time tour winner during the season’s first nine races.
When Force was injured, he was second in points behind John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock. By NHRA rules, when a driver is unable to compete, the race team may employ a substitute who can earn points for the original driver in a maximum of eight tour events. This means when Beckman rolls to the starting line for qualifying at the 42nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd on Aug. 16, he’ll be pursuing a 17th championship title for Force. He currently sits sixth in the driver standings with two races remaining before points reset for the Countdown to the Championship.
“When you think about someone who can handle the driving, can deal with the media, take care of the sponsors and take care of the fans, there was only one obvious choice, and that was Jack Beckman,” Hight said. “Plus, he has history with Chris Cunningham [co-crew chief on the Peak Chevy with Dan Hood and Tim Fabrisi] and has the respect of John’s family.”
A 33-time event winner in Funny Car, Beckman last raced competitively in 2020 when he returned to being a full-time elevator technician, a career that he left 22 years earlier to follow his drag racing dream.
The 58-year-old Californian is keenly aware of the unique situation.
“It’s been nearly four years since I stood on the throttle, and I thought that feeling was something I’d never experience again. Though the circumstances that brought me back are regrettable, the opportunity presented to me is beyond my ability to find words. I’m not replacing John … nobody could ever do that. John is one of a kind, and his impact on this sport, and my life, cannot be overemphasized. I know how fortunate I am to have been picked to fill in for John, and I should be easy to spot in the pits. I’ll be the guy who can’t stop smiling.”
