Al-Anabi
Al-Anabi Ready to Repeat 2013 Norwalk Victory
Shawn Langdon, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver):
Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon enters the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in third place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He trails second-place Antron Brown by 128 points and leads fourth-place Spencer Massey by 68.
The Al-Anabi team won the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals four of the last five years. The team won with Larry Dixon in 2009 and ’10, Del Worsham in 2011 and Khalid alBalooshi last year. One year ago at Norwalk, Langdon was the No. 5 qualifier. He defeated J.R. Todd and Bob Vandergriff before losing to Doug Kalitta in the semifinals.
Team Al-Anabi Pre-race Report – Route 66
Shawn Langdon, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver):
Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon enters the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Route 66 Nationals in third place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He trails second-place Antron Brown by 61 points and leads fourth-place Spencer Massey by 74 points.
Langdon and the silver Al-Anabi team endured a challenging weekend in Epping, N.H., last week. The team fought mechanical gremlins for much of the weekend before finding and fixing the problem prior to the final round of qualifying. From there, Langdon made a solid run in his last qualifying attempt and was the No. 11 qualifier, his lowest of the season. In eliminations, he was on a good run in the first round when the tires on the Al-Anabi dragster lost contact with the race track while Langdon was leading. The resulting first-round loss was Langdon’s second of the season.
Al-Anabi Racing Epping Race Report
Shawn Langdon – Al- Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver)
Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 11 qualifier at the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals. After battling mechanical issues through the first three rounds of qualifying, Langdon posted a 3.841-second pass at 321.50 mph in the final attempt. It was just the fourth time this season that Langdon did not qualify in the top-four positions.
Eliminations: Langdon raced Spencer Massey in the first round of eliminations. He was leading Massey when the Al-Anabi car smoked the tires around half track allowing Massey to get the win. It was just the second time this season that Langdon was eliminated in the first round.
Team Al-Anabi Enter Epping with Confidence after Langdon Bristol Win
Shawn Langdon, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver):
Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon enters the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals in third place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He trails second-place Antron Brown by 31 points and leads fourth-place Spencer Massey by 99 points. He trails points leader Doug Kalitta by 151 points.
Langdon won his first race of the season and the ninth of his career last weekend in Bristol, Tenn. He defeated his teammate, Khalid alBalooshi, Terry McMillen, Bob Vandergriff, Jr. and points leader Doug Kalitta on his way to the winner’s circle.
Team Al-Anabi headed to Bristol with High Hopes
Shawn Langdon, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver):
Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon enters the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in third place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings; it is his highest points position of the season. He trails second-place Antron Brown by 68 points and leads fourth-place Spencer Massey by 40 points.
Langdon has two final rounds (Charlotte and Topeka) and two semifinal appearances (Houston and Englishtown) in the last five races. Langdon has not yet reached the winner’s circle this season, but recent performance suggests the team has returned to the form it used in claiming the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel World Championship.
Al-Anabi Summer Nationals Race Wrap-Up
Shawn Langdon – Al- Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver)
Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 3 qualifier at the Toyota NHRA Summer Nationals. During the final round of qualifying Saturday afternoon, Langdon’s 3.761-second effort at 319.67 mph was his best qualifying run. Langdon has qualified in the top-four positions at seven of the season’s nine races.
Eliminations: Langdon defeated Terry McMillen and Bob Vandergriff before losing to Richie Crampton when the Al-Anabi car smoked the tires almost immediately in the semifinals. Langdon has two final rounds and two semifinal appearances in the last four races.
Team Al-Anabi Sets Sight on Toyota Summernationals
Shawn Langdon, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver):
Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon enters the Toyota NHRA Summer Nationals in fourth place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings; it is his highest points position of the season. He trails third-place Spencer Massey by seven points and leads fifth-place Steve Torrence by 16 points. Langdon is now just 145 points behind class leader Doug Kalitta.
Langdon has two final rounds (Charlotte and Topeka) and a semifinal appearance (Houston) in the last four races. Langdon has not yet reached the winner’s circle this season, but recent performance suggests the team has returned to the form that propelled it to the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel World Championship.
Al-Anabi Kansas Nationals Wrap-Up
Shawn Langdon – Al- Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver)
Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 3 qualifier at the NHRA Kansas Nationals. During the final round of qualifying Saturday afternoon, Langdon reached the finish line in 3.756-seconds at 323.43 mph. It was the sixth time in eight races this season that Langdon has qualified in the top-four positions.
Eliminations: Langdon, the NHRA Kansas Nationals defending champion, advanced to his second final round of the season and his second in the last four races. He defeated Pat Dakin, Doug Kalitta and J.R. Todd before losing to Spencer Massey in the final round.
Unofficial Point Standings: Langdon remains fourth in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He trails third-place Spencer Massey by seven points and leads fifth-place Steve Torrence by 16 points. While he remains fourth in points, Langdon is now just 145 points behind class leader Doug Kalitta.
Al-Anabi Racing Chasing Problems Headed into Kansas Nationals
Shawn Langdon, Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver):
Reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon enters the NHRA Kansas Nationals in fourth place in the current NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings; it is his highest points position of the season. He trails third-place Steve Torrence by 42 points and leads fifth-place Spencer Massey by seven points.
Langdon is the defending champion of the NHRA Kansas Nationals. One year ago, he was the No. 1 qualifier; he defeated Pat Dakin, Steve Torrence, Spencer Massey and Tony Schumacher on his way to his second victory of the 2013 season. The Al-Anabi Racing Team also won at Heartland Park Topeka in 2009 with driver Larry Dixon.
Team Al-Anabi Atlanta Wrap-Up
Shawn Langdon – Al- Anabi Racing Top Fuel Dragster (silver)
Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 8 qualifier at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals; it was just the second time this season that the reigning NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel champ qualified outside the top-four positions. During the first qualifying session Saturday afternoon, Langdon posted a 3.786-second effort at 324.44 mph.
Eliminations: After an eight-hour rain delay, final eliminations began shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday. Langdon and Richie Crampton made up the first pair, and both cars smoked the tires with the Langdon winning the pedal-fest. Four pairs later, competition was suspended until today when Langdon faced No. 1 qualifier Doug Kalitta. Langdon was first off the starting line, but Kalitta won the round by three thousandths of a seconds.
