NORWALK, Ohio — Jack Beckman, the 2012 NHRA Funny Car champion, returns to the seat of a race car during this weekend’s 47th annual Cornwell Tools Night Under Fire at Summit Motorsports Park and he can’t wait to get started.
A 33-time NHRA tour winner, Beckman was a three-time winner in the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals here (2009, 2015, 2017), but he’s been out of competition since 2019.
Beckman has been hired by John Force Racing to replace 16-time Funny Car champion John Force, who continues to receive treatment for the TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) he suffered in a June 23 crash in Richmond, Va., for the remainder of the season.
“It’s been nearly four years since I stood on the throttle,” said Beckman. “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,” said the former instructor at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, whose students included Force’s daughters and his wife, Laurie. “I should be easy to spot in the pits. I’ll be the guy who can’t stop smiling.”
Beckman and Brittany Force, who will drive the Cornwell dragster this weekend at Norwalk, are among a long line of JFR drivers who have participated in what has become the biggest independent event in the sport. That roster includes Tony Pedregon, Eric Medlen, Robert Hight, Mike Neff, Ashley Force Hood and Courtney Force.
“It is an honor to be teamed up with Cornwell Tools and to feature them on our car,” she said. “Ohio is their home, so running their colors at Norwalk just feels right. It’s been a few years since I have competed (in the “Night Under Fire”), but I’m so happy to return.”