Jack Beckman Friday qualifying at Topeka

BECKMAN GRABS PROVISIONAL POLE IN TOPEKA

TOPEKA, Kan., May 20, 2011 – The hot streak continued for Jack Beckman, driver of the Aaron’s Dream Machine /Valvoline Dodge R/T Funny Car.

The Don Schumacher Racing driver captured the provisional pole today at Heartland Park Topeka, site of this weekend’s 23rd annual NHRA Summer Nationals, the seventh of 22 national events of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season.

Jack Beckman

Photo by: Ted Rossino

“Fast Jack,” who came into the Topeka event with two wins in the last three races, rode his 8,000-horsepower Funny Car during the night session to a 4.054-second run at 313.66 miles per hour.

“We’re on a nice roll and we don’t want to lose our momentum,” said Beckman, who has a season round record of 12-4. “What I am most happy about is that we took advantage of really good conditions tonight and didn’t squander the opportunity.”

Beckman said that Saturday’s two qualifying sessions will not only be different, but critical for getting his car dialed in with a winning tune-up for Sunday’s finals.

“The key for tomorrow is to start collecting data for eliminations,” explained Beckman, who is second in driver points. “The conditions we had today -- cloudy and not that warm -- will most likely be different on Sunday. So that’s why it’s important that our Aaron’s Dream Machine/Valvoline Dodge Charger makes two more solid runs during tomorrow’s daytime conditions.”