Brian Bohlander, director of marketing at Old World Industries, added, “We’re happy to have the Peak team back on track, and Jack is the right person for this job until John can return. It’s great for the fans and our customers as Jack is an automotive enthusiast and DIYer who will fit right in with our program on and off the track.”

Although he won the Funny Car championship in 2012, Beckman’s best season was 2015 when he advanced to nine final rounds and won seven races, coming up just 56 points shy of being a two-time Funny Car champion.

A cancer survivor and U.S. Air Force veteran, Beckman has taught more than 7,000 students the basics of drag racing as an instructor at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School. Among them were Force’s daughters, Ashley, Brittany, and Courtney, and his wife, Laurie, who also earned her Super Comp license under Beckman’s tutelage.

Before distinguishing himself in the Funny Car division, Beckman won the 2003 NHRA Super Comp world championship. He is licensed in 12 different NHRA competition categories, including Top Fuel, the class in which he made his professional racing debut in 2005.

The following year, he made his Funny Car debut late in the season, and in just his fourth race in the category, he won the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Two weeks later, in the season-ending NHRA World Finals, he qualified No. 1, set NHRA national records for time and speed, and finished runner-up to Force.  

Eventually, Beckman would become one of only a few drivers in the sport to enjoy a winning record against the Hall of Fame driver and car owner. Force won the most recent of his 16 championships in 2013 after starting the Countdown from the No. 4 position.  Beckman won his Funny Car championship from the No. 3 starting position. Team President Hight made history in 2009 for himself and JFR when he won his first championship from the No. 10 starting position.