Al-Anabi Ready for the Big Go!
Shawn Langdon, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver):
Shawn Langdon enters the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals, the final regular-season event, in first place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He leads second-place Spencer Massey by 121 points and is seeking the top seed in the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs. The scenarios through which Langdon could clinch the top seed are far too numerous to list, but as long as Langdon wins his first round of eliminations at the U.S. Nationals, he will clinch the top seed regardless of what any other driver does.
Langdon prior to Indianapolis:
“Since we clinched our spot in the Countdown in Denver, our goal has been to enter the playoffs as the top seed, and we are in position to do it. It’s there; we just have to continue doing what we’ve been doing, and the rest will take care of itself. Obviously, if we were lucky enough to win Indy, it would be a huge accomplishment for our team.
To be able to win Indy heading into the Countdown would get our momentum built up. I think we’ve been to 11 of the last 13 semifinals so we’re right there. The car is very close to being a dominant car, but we just need to focus on qualifying, winning the Traxxas Shootout, winning Indy and being able to double up. If we can do that, the points and seeds will take care of themselves.
“There’s a lot going on at the U.S. Nationals; it’s a busy race from all the media attention and the stuff you do leading up to the event. For me, my Mom’s coming in for the race, and I have a friend coming in to run my Super Comp car. I’m throwing out the first pitch at the Indianapolis Indians game Tuesday night, and we have the Traxxas Shootout event downtown on Wednesday with all the cars on display, and they’re choosing the eighth driver for the Traxxas Shootout who I race in the first round. Then the Eric Medlin Charity Golf Tournament is Thursday so there’s a lot of stuff leading up to the race. It’s our biggest event of the year, and there are always a lot of fans there so Lucas Oil Raceway will be packed with fans. We’re definitely excited for the biggest event of the year, and I know everyone on the Al-Anabi team will be ready to go this weekend.
“The Traxxas Shootout is going to be tough because really, you pretty much have the best cars in the class. The run times are later in the day on Saturday with the final round around 8:30. During testing last week, our early-morning runs were a 3.74 and a 3.75 so it’s going to be fast Friday night. You have eight of the best cars in a shootout for $100,000 – it’s basically the biggest payout of the year. It’s gonna be a battle. It’s a big race for the drivers, it’s a big race for the crew guys and it’s a big race for everybody involved. There’s a lot of bragging rights when you go into a shootout for the season’s biggest payday and have a chance to beat the best drivers in the class.
“As a driver, the U.S. Nationals is the biggest race of the year. The race is so big that if you don’t win the Mello Yello championship, but you win Indy, you can still look back and say it was a good year. Winning the most prestigious race on the tour would be a great accomplishment, but you kind of have to treat it just like any other race. It’s very easy to get caught up in all the hype and all the history and all of the attention on this one particular event. As a driver, you just have to stay focused, do your job and really not put the race up on a pedestal. You just have to treat it like every other race, do your job and give your team the best opportunity to win.
Khalid alBalooshi, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (gold):
Khalid alBalooshi enters the Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals, the final regular-season event, in fifth place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He trails fourth-place Doug Kalitta by seven points and leads sixth-place Antron Brown by eight points. AlBalooshi has clinched his spot in the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs.
AlBalooshi prior to Indianapolis:
“The U.S. Nationals is very special. For the fans, it is the biggest race of the year, and it is always special. But if you are talking about the drivers and the crews, it has to be just another race. Everybody on our team does his best every time the car runs, and it doesn’t matter what the race is. The driver, the crew chief and the crew must treat the US. Nationals like any other race. The Al-Anabi team has been very good this year. We are first in points, and we are fifth in points. Everyone on our team does his best every time the car goes down the track whether it’s testing, qualifying or racing, we do our best every time.
“I like the big events because they are the best ones, and big events with a lot of other things going on help our sport. Any special race helps the sport, and that is good. At Indy, we have a lot of fans, we have the Traxxas Shootout, and a lot of different things are going on. That is good for the race and good for the sport.
“I am excited to race in the Traxxas Shootout. Both Al-Anabi cars are in it, and I think we have a good chance to win it. So far this year, the Al-Anabi cars are two of the best cars in the show, and this time of the year, especially for the Indy race, I think we’ll have the best car and the best time. It doesn’t matter who we race – I think we have a good chance to win. I have had good luck against Antron (Brown) this season, but I know how good he is. I know how good his team is. When those guys catch it, they catch it good. No doubt about Antron – he won the championship last year; he is a very good racer, and I think it will be a very good race with him in the first round. Any car in the Traxxas Shootout can win it – I just hope it is Al-Anabi.”
