Beckman claims $100,000 Skoal Showdown victory.

Drag racing instructor-turned-Funny Car shoe "Fast Jack" Beckman won the biggest contest of his brief driving career Sunday evening at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, beating teammate Ron Capps by one-hundredth of a second for the title of the $100,000 Skoal Showdown. A three-time national event winner, Beckman has competed in just 35 NHRA events.

A three-time Skoal Showdown champion, Capps left the line first with a .093 to .104 reaction-time advantage, but Beckman's Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T had caught him by the 60-foot timer and led the rest of the way down the quarter-mile. The final numbers had Beckman crossing in 4.950 at 313.80 mph to Capps' 4.976 at 315.64 mph in his Brut Revolution Dodge Charger.

"It was close," Beckman said, "especially from 800 feet on. I could hear him out there and I was just staring at that win light going, 'Come on, come on, come on.' Even at 325 mph it takes a long time to get there.

"I saw the light come on and I was so excited but my guys didn't come on the radio like they normally do. So then I start second guessing if I saw the light and I was on the radio going, 'Did we win?' They wouldn't answer. Finally, I make the turn and the guys down there gave me the thumbs up. What a feeling."

This was Beckman's first Skoal Showdown after joining the Schumacher team after this race last year, and the first Skoal Showdown win for Don Schumacher Racing. Beckman started the day at the bottom of the ladder in the No. 8 spot, but he methodically eliminated top qualifier Robert Hight, local hero Tommy Johnson Jr., and Capps for the biggest single payday in drag racing.

"This was my first experience in the Professional ranks running a race-within-a-race but we used to do it all the time in the Sportsman classes," Beckman said. "I like it personally because you really get in the rhythm of driving and competing. It keeps you focused.

"This win really vindicates what Don Schumacher did last year. He switched drivers after this race and took a lot of heat for it but he knew we needed those races to earn points for this deal. His decision looks pretty smart right about now."

Aside from Beckman's $100,000 first prize, Capps collected $15,000 for his efforts. Semifinalists Johnson and Mike Ashley were awarded $6,000 apiece, and first-round qualifiers Hight, John Force, Gary Scelzi, and Tony Pedregon scored $5,000 each. Beckman can earn another $50,000 from NHRA should he double up and win Monday's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

Overall, U.S. Tobacco posts $239,000 for the Skoal Showdown, which invites the top eight qualifiers from the last 12 months to battle for big cash prizes. In addition to the $147,000 that was awarded Sunday, each event's low qualifier from the last year pocketed $4,000.

This was the first Skoal Showdown win for Don Schumacher Racing. Beckman joined the team after this event last year.