Photography: John Force Racing / Gary Nastase / Auto Imagery
BROWNSBURG, Ind (Sept. 10, 2025) – The PEAK SQUAD of three-time Maple Grove Raceway Funny Car winner Jack Beckman and his John Force Racing crew are within striking distance, just one round of competition, behind teammate and point leader Austin Prock heading into Round 1 of the 2025 NHRA Countdown to the Championship in the NHRA Nationals presented by Nitro Fish in Mohnton, Pa.
Notes
- The PEAK SQUAD starts the 2025 NHRA Countdown to the Championship a mere 20 points behind Prock in first place, and then seven ahead of Matt Hagan in third, 23 ahead of Ron Capps in fourth and 38 ahead of Paul Lee in fifth.
- Beckman was a finalist in his two most recent Maple Grove Raceway appearances, winning his last Reading start in a Don Schumacher car in 2019 and reaching the finals in his first for JFR last year, losing an all-JFR final to Prock.
- The California native has two other Funny car victories at Maple Grove Raceway, in 2008 and 2015.
- Beckman has nine Countdown wins overall, including two as a John Force Racing driver (2024 at St. Louis and the Pomona Finals).
- Eight John Force Racing drivers have won 41 times in Countdown events, 2007-2024. In addition to the three current drivers, other JFR winners were Robert Hight (16), John Force (7), Mike Neff (2), Courtney Force (2) and Ashley Force Hood (1).
- Of JFR’s record 23 series championships, eight have been secured during the Countdown Era that began in 2007. John Force won 14 championships prior to the implementation of the Countdown format and Tony Pedregon won one (2003).
Most Wins, Countdown races (2007-Present)
- FUNNY CAR
- Robert Hight — 16
- Matt Hagan — 16
- Cruz Pedregon — 10
- Ron Capps — 9
- Jack Beckman — 9
- John Force — 7
- Del Worsham — 6
- Tommy Johnson Jr. — 4
- Austin Prock — 3
- Bob Tasca III — 3
- J.R. Todd — 3
- Tim Wilkerson — 3
Jack Beckman Quotes
WHAT GRADE DO YOU GIVE YOURSELF ENTERING THE COUNTDOWN?
“That’s for other people to decide.ve had a wonderful year driving the PEAK Chevrolet for John. We’ve won two races. We’ve had five No. 1 qualifiers. We’ve been in a couple of other finals, lost to our teammate and, like Austin said that they had a a generational year last year, and the way this year’s going, it looks like it could be even better. That said, we are now one round behind them.”
DID YOUR TEAM TEST AFTER THE U.S. NATIONALS?
“We stayed and tested Monday at Indy with a brand-new car. Our goal was to get a few runs on it and some spare parts and load it back in the trailer as a backup car. It ran so good, I think we’re going to run that car. So, this is a time of year where you pull out all the stops, right? It’s time to go out there and swing hard every event.”
WHAT’S YOUR DRIVING FORCE TO WIN ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP?
“You know, like trophies, you ask anybody that races, ‘How many trophies do you have’ and the correct answer is ‘One less that I want to have,’ right? You never get one and say, ‘Oh, great. That’s exactly as many as I wanted to have.’ So there’s always that motivation. Every single race for us gives the trophy away at the end of the day. It’s not the same thing for regular season baseball or football. Every one matters.
“This is the first year that they’ve had a regular season championship, and I thought that was a great idea. It really gave us a reason to fight harder, to be in first, to try to get back into first, and it was a good money bonus for that. But really, in addition to race wins, every one of us is racing for the world championship and we have six races left to do that.
“It wouldn’t matter if I was driving for John Force because I would want to do it for the (crew) guys that are putting me in that car. But those are John Force’s guys. By the way, I’m getting suited up for the final round at Indy and someone comes up behind me and starts talking, I got my helmet on. I’m thinking, ‘Oh my god, who left this person up here when I’m trying to get in the car’ and I turn around and it’s John Force. He gave me a hug. That’s all the motivation you’ll ever need.”
Jack Beckman at Maple Grove Raceway
| Jack Beckman | Race Result | Qualified | Event Round Record |
| 2006 | 1st round | 8th | 0-1 |
| 2007 | 1st round | 2nd | 0-2 |
| 2008 | Winner | 13th | 4-2 |
| 2009 | 1st round | 3rd | 4-3 |
| 2010 | 2nd round | 4th | 5-4 |
| 2011 | 1st round | 5th | 5-5 |
| 2012 | Semi-finals | 1st | 7-6 |
| 2013 | 1st round | 3rd | 7-7 |
| 2014 | 2nd round | 6th | 8-8 |
| 2015 | Winner | 3rd | 12-8 |
| 2016 | Semi-finals | 11th | 14-9 |
| 2017 | Semi-finals | 5th | 16-10 |
| 2018 | 1st round | 4th | 16-11 |
| 2019* | Winner | 3rd | 20-11 |
| 2020 | DNC | DNC | DNC |
| 2021 | DNC | DNC | DNC |
| 2022 | DNC | DNC | DNC |
| 2023 | DNC | DNC | DNC |
| 2024 | Runner-up | 3rd | 23-12 |
*2019 defeated John Force in final round
**2024 runner-up to teammate Austin Prock in first final round in return to racing
Number starts: 15
Times No. 1 qualifier: 1
Final rounds: 4
Victories: 3
Won-Lost Record: 23-12
Track records – 3.837 seconds by Ron Capps, Sept. 14, 2019; 339.28 mph by Ron Capps, Sept. 14, 2019
Track & TV Schedules (all times Eastern)
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2:30 and 5 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 12 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 14.
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday on FS1, and eliminations at 2 p.m. Sunday on FS1.
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