Jack Beckman closed out the 2024 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Collection season with an exhilarating Humorous Automotive victory on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, defeating John Pressure Racing teammate and newly topped world champion Austin Prock within the ultimate spherical to shut out the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Antron Brown (High Gasoline), Greg Anderson (Professional Inventory) and Matt Smith (Professional Inventory Bike) additionally gained the final of the yr’s 20 races and the sixth race within the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Within the teammate versus teammate ultimate spherical, Beckman went a career-best 3.812s at 327.35 mph in his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat Prock and choose up his second win of the season since taking on driving duties for John Pressure in August. It’s been a magical trip for Beckman, a former world champion, who gained his thirty fifth profession race on Sunday.
To get to the ultimate spherical on Sunday, Beckman knocked off Terry Haddock, Blake Alexander and Ron Capps, guaranteeing Prock and Pressure/Beckman completed first and second within the loaded Humorous Automotive ranks.
“It doesn’t get any increased than this,” Beckman mentioned. “It’s simply magical at your own home observe. It’s particular when it’s the Winternationals when the Winternationals was the primary race of the yr, however the Finals is finals, proper? Whoever wins right here will get a pair months to say we had been the baddest on race day.
“This season has simply been simply pinch-me second after pinch-me second. The way in which John went out was horrible, however he’s nonetheless with us, and I feel he’s simply as priceless standing on the beginning line as he’s strapped within the automotive on the beginning line. Having John right here doesn’t make us wish to win extra. We wish to win each time we go on the market. It simply made profitable that rather more particular. To see Brittany [Force] win after a two-year winless drought the weekend her dad comes again after which Austin double up together with her, was simply nice (in Las Vegas). We’re proper again in one other ultimate in opposition to Austin, and this time we gained it.”
Prock superior to his twelfth ultimate spherical of his championship season in Humorous Automotive.
High Gasoline’s Antron Brown certified simply twelfth in his Matco Instruments/Toyota dragster, however as he’s achieved all yr, the standout was in prime kind throughout eliminations. He knocked off Justin Ashley, who entered the weekend with the factors lead, with a run of three.696s at 331.53 mph in a matchup to open eliminations after which confronted off with one other title contender in Shawn Langdon. Each drivers bumped into bother, however Brown recovered and superior to the semifinals in opposition to Pressure.
A spectacular season in Professional Inventory got here all the way down to a winner-take-all ultimate spherical, with Greg Anderson defeating KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn with a run of 6.501s at 211.13 to slide previous Glenn’s run of 6.516s. It arms Anderson a outstanding sixth world championship, tying him with Erica Enders and Warren Johnson for the second-most in Professional Inventory historical past.
In Professional Inventory Bike, Matt Smith ended his yr with a robust assertion on his Denso Auto Elements/Matt Smith Racing Buell, defeating world champion Gaige Herrera within the ultimate spherical with a run of 6.702 at 202.12. It’s Smith’s second win this season and the forty first in his profession, enabling the six-time world champion to complete second to Herrera for the primary time in his profession.
Smith, who additionally certified No. 1, took down Aaron Pine, Marc Ingwersen and Steve Johnson to achieve the ultimate spherical, establishing one other marquee matchup with Herrera. This time, Smith had sufficient to get previous the two-time defending champion,
“We got here in figuring out we in all probability couldn’t get three hats, however we knew we might get two and we did,” mentioned Smith, getting the No. 1 qualifier and winner’s hat. “We obtained the low qualifier hat and the winner’s hat, simply not the champion’s hat. Nonetheless, we had been in a position to put stress on Gaige. He’s a deserving champ, and we simply made too many errors.
“I really like doing this, however I’ve thought of getting off and placing some younger child on the bike. I’m 52 and it’s onerous to maintain up however I nonetheless find it irresistible. Really, our sponsor, Denso informed me to cease speaking about retirement. I nonetheless have a job, so I plan to return again and push onerous to get that seventh championship subsequent yr. “
Herrera superior to his twelfth ultimate spherical of the season in simply 15 races.
