JUST NOW: A former drag racing great man has made a very sad announcement about professional drag racer  Jack Beckman’s career…

He’ll head to World Wide Technology Raceway for the first time in four years, full of excitement to race at this weekend’s 13th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals. Beckman has enjoyed a strong playoff run thus far, advancing to the finals in Reading and the semifinals in Charlotte, sitting third in points as he tries to win a 17th championship for the iconic Force.

In fact, the only thing left for Beckman to do is to win a race in the 11,000-horsepower Peak Chevrolet Camaro SS – well, and beat points leader and John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock, too.

Prock has continued his dominant 2024 season in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, winning the first two playoff races and stretching his winning streak to three races. He’s knocked off Beckman in the finals and semifinals at the playoff stops, but the good news for both is JFR continues to impress at the most important time of the year.

“I think everything has gone well for us,” Beckman said. “Austin is the guy with the target on his back, and what they’re doing this year has just been dominant. What they’ve done is unprecedented. We’ve done a good job and went rounds, but we’ve lost points to the one car we’re chasing for a championship.

“All of us are up for the challenge, and [we’re] planning to showcase that this weekend in St. Louis. This Peak Chevy team has earned bonus points in eight straight qualifying runs, and 11 of the last 13, which is unprecedented. That kind of consistency surely will translate into race wins soon.”

Last season, Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all collected wins in St. Louis, and this year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, with eliminations coverage airing at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 29. It is the 17th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and closes a stretch of three straight race weekends to open the Countdown to the Championship.

Like many, Beckman is thrilled to return to St. Louis, which has annually drawn huge crowds for the playoffs race. He has two career victories at the facility, while Force has won three times in St. Louis. That bodes well for success, but Beckman remains impressed by what his teammate is doing, as well as the rest of a talented Funny Car category that includes Bob Tasca III, who is seven points ahead of Beckman in second and 129 points back of Prock, reigning world champ Hagan, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, and rookie Daniel Wilkerson.

Things, though, are trending in the right direction for Beckman, who hopes to make another big move this weekend in St. Louis.

“Right now, there’s so many great cars out there. Our goal is to win a race, and the way Austin is running, it’s going to be tough on all of us,” Beckman said. “But Tasca is running well, Hagan, J.R., and on down the line. It’s going to be a real challenge, and the winner in all this is the fans, but at the end of the year, we want Team Force No. 1 and No. 2. Our mission – winning the championship for John Force – is becoming more clearly defined.”

NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:30 and 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 27, and the final two rounds on Saturday, Sept. 28 at noon and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, Sept. 29. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 27 and 2 p.m. ET on Sunday Sept. 29, with eliminations starting at 3 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.

Tickets may be purchased at the WWTR ticket office, by phone at (618) 215-8888, or online at www.wwtraceway.com. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general-admission area with a paid adult.