Photography: John Force Racing
BROWNSBURG, IND. (Aug. 28, 2025) – The iconic blue Brute Force paint scheme that announced to the world in the mid-1970s that John Force had arrived on the NHRA drag racing scene will adorn the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS Funny Car which Jack Beckman will compete in during the Aug. 27-Sept. 1 Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Beckman, a two-time U.S. Nationals Funny Car winner (2015, 2020) who enters the final race of the 2025 NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series regular season second in the point standings to John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock, somehow visualized the Brute Force car paint scheme before the start of the season though he didn’t realize it at the time.
“This blue paint scheme is where you got the Brute Force lettering and the iron gauntlet insignia and it really ties in well with the PEAK SQUAD colors,” said Beckman, the U.S. Nationals Funny Car Champion in 2015 and 2020. “This is the one thar really made the big statement that ‘I’m John Force and I’m going to be racing nitro funny cars.’
“Ironically, the paint scheme design on the helmet I’ve been wearing all year is a tribute to John. The helmet looks like it was painted to match the Brute Force car but, when I had it painted, I didn’t know we would be doing the tribute car. It was then great for the Peak SQUAD to have a hand in the planning. It’s just very iconic and cool that the car I chose to emulate on my helmet is the one that was later chosen to be the car paint scheme tribute to John.”
The Brute Force paint scheme is incorporated into the season-long look of the PEAK SQUAD that has taken Beckman this season to two victories (Pomona and Chicago), one runner-up (Virginia) and four No. 1 Qualifier positions (Gainesville, Chicago, Virginia, Brainerd).
“Running a tribute car like this is something that John and I have discussed for years, and the timing is now right as we head into NHRA’s 75th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of John’s ‘Brute Force’ Funny Cars” said Brian Bohlander of Old World Industries. “The fans have been asking for this particular car for years, and the perfect place to run it at the biggest race of the year, the U.S. Nationals. Jack and our PEAK SQUAD have been involved with us in planning this for several months so we can’t wait for Friday night for the fans to finally see the car in action.”
Force, the 16-time NHRA Funny Car Champion and five-time U.S. Nationals winner (1993, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2019), couldn’t be prouder to see the Brute Force paint scheme back on the track in Beckman’s very capable hands.
“I’m very honored and proud to have the Brute Force paint scheme back out on the track and I have to thank Brian Bohlander with PEAK who came up with the idea,” said Force. “It’s one of the original Brute Force designs that I raced with in Australia and then in the NHRA for years. It’s got the big fist on the side with the lightning bolts … I think it’s pretty awesome.”
The top eight NHRA Funny Car drivers will compete in the PlayNHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout. John Force Racing teammates Austin Prock and Beckman are the top two seeds, based on their positions in the point standings. Selections for the opening round will be made Saturday, Aug. 30, with the first round taking place at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 31. The driver who makes the quickest winning run in the opening round gets to select their semifinal opponent, with that round taking place at 2:15 p.m. The final round is at 4 p.m. and a special broadcast of the Callout takes place at 5 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.
Beckman will also participate in this week’s Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge after earning the No. 1 qualifying position for the Aug. 17 Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway.
Qualifying for the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals will feature one round at 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 29, two rounds at 12:30 and 3:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 30 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 12 and 2:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Sept 1.
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and eliminations at 12 p.m. on FS1 on Monday, shifting to FOX at 2 p.m.
