:::MoparMax::: Mopar Memos

Beckman takes Funny Car win; Capps maintains slight point lead

At the NHRA race at Gateway Motorsports Park in the Funny Car class, the only car that could beat a Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge Charger R/T was, in fact, another Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge. The four-man Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Dodge Charger R/T squad basically duked it out for the Funny Car event title between themselves, with No. 1 Qualifier Jack Beckman emerging victorious.

“Congratulations to Jack Beckman from all of us at Mopar on his win at the Midwest Nationals,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “The Mopar-powered Funny Car package has been strong again this year, and we look forward to Jack and his Don Schumacher Racing teammates contending for more wins and the Championship in the final three races of the season.”

Beckman drove his Mopar HEMI-powered Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Dodge Charger R/T to a first-round win over Alexis DeJoria with a 4.127/306.12 effort, then recorded a 4.093/306.95 in his quarterfinals defeat of Jeff Arend, who was unable to make the run.

Beckman also had an easy go of it in the semifinals, defeating Tony Pedregon (who went into tire shake) with a 4.093/302.35. That set up a Mopar vs. Mopar final-round match against Matt Hagan, who knocked off current Funny Car “Countdown to the Championship” leader and Mopar-powered Dodge Charger R/T teammate Ron Capps (who defeated fellow DSR Dodge driver Johnny Gray in the opening round) in the quarterfinals during his march to the money round.

Matt Hagan

In their final-round fight, Hagan left the starting line early, earning a red-light foul and giving Beckman, who also posted a 4.132/306.53 pass, the event win. Beckman now trails teammate Capps by just 30 points in the Funny Car title fight.

“For whatever reason, the car we had Friday night didn’t show up on Saturday," said Beckman. "We kept swapping stuff, kept swapping stuff, and finally we decided today we couldn’t make big changes to this Mopar. We had to lean on it a little bit at a time, and maybe that was the advantage of qualifying No. 1. So it looked relatively easy, but it’s because of those guys (his crew). Those nine guys make me look good standing up here holding a trophy.” (Ron Lewis photos) [10/4/2012]

Mopar Memos

Volume VII, Issue 10 - October 4, 2012 - Page 1 of 1

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Comments (30)

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#30 By Wesley Young in Kettering Ohio on 12/17/2012 at 17:51

To Randy Lindamood- only class I know of might be the Super Stock GT classes. Hey aren't you Roger's son? Met you one time at Mickey D's in Dayton.

#29 By Richard Kratz in Santa Clarita, CA on 12/07/2012 at 15:53

Now actually! See out story about the new Mopar Performance Calibration program: http://www.moparmax.com/features/2012/Chrysler-Performance-1.html

#28 By Randy Lindamood in Warren, MI on 12/07/2012 at 15:41

Where can a 2011 Challenger with a gen II Hemi Race?

#27 By Con in Australia on 05/18/2012 at 03:11

Can sombody plaese get some facts on dodges future in nascar????

#26 By market apps in market apps on 03/29/2012 at 06:58

Hi, possibly i'm being a little bit off topic here, but I was browsing your site and it looks impressive. I'm building a blog and trying to make it look neat, but everytime I touch it I mess something up. Did you design the blog yourself? Could someone with little experience do it, and add updates without messing it up? Anyways, good information on here, very informative.

#25 By jim power in fontana,ca on 03/02/2012 at 18:49

Am I the only one that getting kinda sick of hearing about Alex??.. no offence Alex, I sign on to read about mopars, not you.

#24 By Wesley Young in Kettering Ohio on 01/26/2012 at 12:36

It is obviously NOT a Hemi...look at the valve train. The engine is a 1959 Rambler 327...not kidding.

#23 By bruce bodenschatz in summerhill on 12/07/2011 at 13:01

cant get thru email contest looks like 354 or 392 hemi

#22 By Kay Burk in O'Fallon, MO on 09/09/2011 at 13:39

Mopar Memos are updated weekly. And, what's, with, the, commas?

#21 By KERRY,BLAIR in athens,tn on 08/17/2011 at 23:37

you,idiots,could,update,at,least,once,aweek,with,something,new,same,old,crap,for,a,month,between,you,and,big,ho,dot,com,i,aint,got,nuttin,2,read,lets.see.some.koverage,of,the,mopar,events,from,the,little,ones,to,the,big,ones,see,you,at,bristol,thats,my,kar,they,got,on,the,mailer,its,fun,and,growing,that,is,a,nice,place,nice,people,and,i,invite,everbody,up,sept,2,3,4,something,for,everone,

#20 By Wayne Graefen in Under the X in Texas on 06/02/2011 at 15:01

That '59 Chrysler is not a limousine, it is an airport sedan and likely built by Stageway in Arkansas. The only limousines throughout that era were built for Chrysler by the Ghia Carrozzeria in Turin Italy on Imperial chassis. How do I know? I own Nelson Rockefeller's '60 Crown Imperial formal limousine by Ghia ordered when he had just become governor of New York state.

#19 By create barcode in US on 04/13/2011 at 23:44

This is a great achievement for gray to be in finals. Nice post.

#18 By Calcium Carbonate in Calcium Carbonate on 04/11/2011 at 23:31

convertible car one the most superbly design cars in the world....gr8 work.
love to see this soon...n exciting abiut its drive

#17 By Geoff Stunkard in on 03/31/2011 at 15:12

I am DIGGING how the two Drag Pack Challengers look head-on; hard to decide which one I like the best!

#16 By bruce bodenschatz in usa on 03/17/2011 at 12:16

about the force hemi. mike dunn says its about the same motor they just moved a little metal here and there. what pisses my off is the ford pro stock motor. just look at the valve covers it looks just like the dodge. mopar should sue.

#15 By Eben Hedman in Burlington, WA. on 03/12/2011 at 03:33

That looks like a Big block chevy in that crashed '64 Dodge. Am I missing something?

#14 By MoparMax in O'Fallon, MO on 03/08/2011 at 16:02

Craig, according to our sources, John Force's FC motor is a standard Top Fuel funny car motor, just with Ford branding. NHRA regs prohibit teams from developing their own engine design for both competition and safety reasons, so the only major differences between Force's engine and that of anyone else would be minor.

#13 By Craig Richard Thomas in Otsego, Michigan on 03/08/2011 at 08:56

I would like a strait and true answer also. What is the engine that John Force racing use's in it's funny car's.
Is it a Boss Hemi or a Chrysler Hemi. It look's no different than any other fuel engine on the circuit. Other than it has
Ford and Boss all over it. Is it a Chrysler design? Nobody seem's to know the answer to this question. Is it a Chrysler Hemi in
Ford Clothing for Ford sponsership dollar's?

#12 By con perdikooris in Sydney Australia on 02/17/2011 at 07:37

Hi, guys. I have heard that John Force is running a FORD engine in his funny car???? is this true or is ford plastering their brand all over a mopar design?
i have seen a couple of pics of it and it still looks like a mopar hemi design.

#11 By iron furniture in iron furniture on 01/27/2011 at 02:13

If it will success, i will definitely introduce to it in next month. I was also waiting for new car.

#10 By KERRY,BLAIR in TN on 01/26/2011 at 18:14

U,SAID,CHARGER,LOOKS,LIKE,70,CHALLENGER

#9 By Chris Hatfield in Washington Pa on 01/07/2011 at 15:07

have any of the TRUE MOPAR fans picked up the latest issue of Drag Racer they did a story on the SS/AH cars and on the cover was Harry Holtons car it was a very good story.

#8 By Jimmy Ray in Atoka, TN on 12/10/2010 at 22:24

Correction to the Holly Springs, Miss. race........

Jerry Miles was NOT the overall NSS winner (he did win NSS/F Class and runnered up in the overall). Gabriel Ray was the overall winner, and NSS/C Class winner.

Thanks for making this correction in a future issue,
Jimmy Ray (proud winners Dad, and NSS/D Class Winner!)

#7 By della woods in lake orion, michigan 48362 on 12/01/2010 at 09:13

great Mag....

#6 By Moparmajic /Flying Arrow in Oxford ,Ms. on 11/19/2010 at 10:01

Hey folks pretty good mag and has gotten the attengtion of my tech/secretary. Yea female that I am training that just loves MOPARS- esp. Vipers and the current Challenger get her fired up. Here family owned a Mopar dealer at one time so.... Yes she had worked on a Viper at my shop . Specialize in BMW/Mini somePorsche/Vipers, BUT my heart is with Mopars. Have a 77 Arrow Super Gas car i built about all by my self in the early 90s and ran it awhile until my biz got crazy. Now trying to get back in afer a bad divorce that should be over soon. Running small block parts that I bought from Herb Mc Candless/Hensley Motorsports/Hays Performance and Ed Hamburger back in the day. Trying to get a 414 and a 398 going from all the parts laying around... Matter of fact have 1 of 12 of the INDY designed cranks that Mopar had when developing the Indy engines back in the later 70s or 80s, got it from a friend on mine out of PA that also runs a cuda with Ray Barton power...

#5 By MoparMax.com in O'Fallon, MO on 07/23/2010 at 18:22

Bruce,

We're working on it! We had a reporter at Chryslers at Carlisle. Look for a complete report soon.

Matt Schramel
MoparMax.com

#4 By bruce bodenschatz in new germany on 07/19/2010 at 13:23

this is mopar max right where is your coverage of chryslers at carlisle im beginning to visit your site less because your behind in whats going on

#3 By MoparMax.com in O'Fallon, MO on 07/13/2010 at 14:00

Carolyn,

Jack Beckman, Ron Capps, and Matt Hagan drive for Don Schumacher Racing. Here is a link to their contact information: www.shoeracing.com.

Matt Schramel
MoparMax.com

#2 By Carolyn McConaughey in Pennsylvania on 07/13/2010 at 13:59

Reprinted from "Letters to the Editor"
-----

I was wondering if you could help me get a fan mail address for the Mopar Funny Car team?

#1 By Jim Richey in Lake Orion, Michigan on 07/13/2010 at 13:57

Reprinted from "Letters to the Editor"
-----

Awesome restoration. I never saw it myself but often do see Della Woods and her brother Bernie. Wish they could still own it, they are very deserving people.

Ed. Note: Our article about restoring Della Woods’ car ran in 2008. Here is the link: www.moparmax.com/features/featurecar/iii_11-della-1.html.


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