By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio
Jack Beckham will drive the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS for John Force Racing and will pursue the Funny Car championship in the NHRA’s 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Beckman, who won the NHRA Funny Car championship in 2012 and the NHRA Super Comp title in 2003, won twice last season while competing as a relief driver for John Force, who was injured in a high-speed crash at Richmond, Va., last June.
Force continues to recover and receive treatment for a Traumatic Brain Injury. He has made significant progress in his recovery but he remains under the care and evaluation of TBI specialists.
“The last eight races we saw that the NHRA is definitely better for having Jack Beckman back in the driver’s seat,” said Brian Bohlander, Director of Sports Marketing for OWI. “We’re excited to have John, Jack, and the entire JFR organization representing the PEAK and BlueDEF brands for years to come. Jack has done a tremendous job, on and off the track, and has earned this opportunity to race full time for the championship.”
Beckman competed in eight races in the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series last season. He advanced to the final round three times and notched wins at St. Louis, Mo., and at the season-finale In-n-Out Burger Finals at Pomona, Calif. He finished second in points behind JFR teammate Austin Prock.
“I am thrilled to continue a partnership with PEAK and BlueDEF and look forward to returning to JFR in 2025,” Beckman said. “As a car enthusiast, I believe in using the best products available for both personal and professional applications. PEAK and BlueDEF products are trusted for our support vehicles and haulers, ensuring reliability and performance.
Beckman has won 37 NHRA national events, 35 of them in a Funny Car. The U.S. Air Force veteran and cancer survivor is the 10th different driver to win a national Funny Car event for JFR.
“Beckman’s doing the job for PEAK and BlueDEF,” Force said. “I’m still going to therapy every week and working as hard as I can to get back out there with the sponsors and the fans in a sport I love, and I miss. I’ve still got a lot of things I want to do, so I don’t want anybody thinking they’ve seen the last of John Force. We’ll have a lot more to talk about after the holidays.”
