Toyota Racing Sonoma Nationals Pre-race
Sonoma, CA – Todd Looks For Third Sonoma Win in Four Years; Place in History Books…J.R. Todd will be looking 
for his third Sonoma Raceway in the past four years this weekend and should he accomplish that, he would become just the third driver in NHRA history to win multiple races at one track in both Nitro classes (Top Fuel and Funny Car) – joining Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme. Todd won in Top Fuel in 2006 and 2016, while earning his first-ever Funny Car win in Sonoma in 2017.
Sonoma Special For Kalitta…Doug Kalitta will be returning to the site of his first Top Fuel win this week when the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series heads to Sonoma Raceway. The Mac Tools Toyota driver defeated Bruce Sarver in the finals in 1998 for the first of 45 Top Fuel victories. It was one of five victories (1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005) for Kalitta in Sonoma, where he ranks as the track’s all-time Top Fuel win leader.
Brown Eyes 500th Round Win – Antron Brown can become just the sixth driver in NHRA history to earn 500 Top Fuel round wins with a first-round win on Sunday. The three-time world champion enters this weekend’s even with 720 career round wins, 499 in Top Fuel and 221 in Pro Stock Motorcycle – also the sixth-highest overall title.
Langdon Hopes To Join Sonoma Elite…Shawn Langdon will attempt to become just the third driver in Sonoma Raceway history to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car with a victory this weekend. He previously won in Top Fuel in 2013. Langdon would join teammate J.R. Todd and Don Prudhomme to have achieved that feat to date. The two Kalitta Motorsports drivers are two of just 17 drivers in NHRA history to win a race in both classes in their careers.
Toyota Dragsters Shine in Sonoma…Toyota Top Fuel drivers have excelled at Sonoma Raceway, earning eight victories at the northern California track since 2009. Leading the way has been Antron Brown with four wins (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015), followed by J.R. Todd in 2016, Khalid alBalooshi in 2014, Shawn Langdon in 2013 and Larry Dixon in 2010.
Quotes:
Antron Brown, Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster: “We made some big strides in Denver in our Matco Tools Toyota. We’re really looking to going to Sonoma. I think it’s going to be a breakout race for us. I can’t wait to get out to the track.”
Shawn Langdon, Global Electronic Technology Toyota Camry Funny Car: “ We can relate Sonoma a lot to how we ran in Epping. It’s a similar situation – high barometer and we are at sea level. We will be able to make power. The key is to manage that, which I feel like we can do. I feel very confident.”
