Jack Beckman wins 2012 NHRA Funny Car championship

Jack Beckman had the odds stacked against from the start of the season. New team, new crew members, new approach to the NHRA Funny Car season.

Beckman narrowly won his first NHRA Funny Car championship at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona on Sunday, beating Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps by two points in the standings.

Beckman and Capps lost in the semifinals at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. Capps lost to Courtney Force. Beckman lost to Cruz Pedregon. After Capps lost, Beckman’s crew cheered from the starting line.

Beckman raced Pedregon following the Capps and Force race. After Beckman lost to Pedregon, he found Capps and gave him a hug before he took his helmet off.

“Character is an important thing, win or lose,” Beckman said. “I feel bad for him because I feel terrible if the situation was turned. There really wasn’t anything to say. It’s going to take me a while to wrap my head around this in an incredibly positive way. It’s probably going to take Ron a while to wrap his head around it in a very disappointing way.”

Photo: Jack Beckman won his first NHRA Funny Car championship by reaching the semifinals of the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. (Credit: Tim Haddock)