Sonoma, CA – Only one other NHRA driver has enjoyed as much success at Sonoma Raceway as J.R. Todd when it comes to winning in Top Fuel and Funny Car at the Sonoma Nationals. Todd picked up two Top Fuel titles, winning in 2006 and 2016, and then added a Funny Car win in 2017 to join legendary driver Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, 1989 Funny Car winner and 1992 Top Fuel winner as the only two Nitro double-up winners. This year Todd and the DHL Toyota Camry team will be looking to add his second Funny Car win at the track and of the season with a win on Sunday in front of a packed set of grandstands.

“I am excited about the track being at 100 percent capacity,” said Todd. “I saw the news and that is what we need. A lot of the races we have been to so far this year they seem to be close to full capacity knowing that place can have full capacity I guarantee it will close to if not a sold-out crowd. That is awesome for NHRA and drag racing.”

The return to Northern California is also a welcome addition to Todd who missed racing at the track in 2020 when the race was cancelled due to the pandemic. With over two years between events the 2018 Funny Car world champion is eager to get back to one of his favorite race tracks.

Continue reading →

Sonoma, CA – When Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools Top Fuel team roll into Sonoma Raceway for this weekend’s Sonoma Nationals it will be a welcome stop for the perennial NHRA Top Fuel championship contender. Kalitta is looking for his 50th career Top Fuel win and the friendly confines of the beautiful track located in the heart of wine country could be just the location for him to jump back into the winner’s circle. It has been two years since any NHRA teams flew down the race track in Sonoma and all the competitors are eager to get back on one of the fastest and quickest tracks on the tour.

Kalitta is the winningest Top Fuel driver in Sonoma Raceway history with five wins and six final round appearances. It has been some time since he hoisted the winner’s trophy but that does not take away from his streak of dominance that began in 1998 and led to three consecutive victories and then back-to-back wins in 2004 and 2005. A 2002 runner-up finish was bracketed in the middle of those two streaks.

“It has been a little while since I have won the Sonoma Nationals,” said Kalitta, in advance of the Western Swing. “I have had great success there and I am real hungry to get another win there for sure. It will be fun to get back up there and I think we have the race car to get the job done.”

Continue reading →

Sonoma, CA – For Shawn Langdon and the DHL Kalitta Air Top Fuel team racing in Northern California is a welcome challenge. The sea level conditions create the perfect opportunity for legendary team owner, driver and crew chief Connie Kalitta to get aggressive with a tune-up and for Langdon to show his skills on the race track. In 2013 when Langdon won his Top Fuel world championship the Sonoma Nationals was an event he added to the win column and the following season he returned to post a runner-up finish. Continued success in Sonoma is something Langdon is looking for as the Western Swing makes its second stop.

“It would be nice to win there. It is always a fun race and I enjoying heading to Sonoma,” said Langdon.

The last time Langdon was on track at Sonoma Raceway he was sitting behind the 11,000 horsepower motor racing a Toyota Camry Funny Car. He qualified No. 2 and raced to the quarterfinals in 2019. Returning to his roots of sitting in front of the motor in a Top Fuel dragster has Langdon comfortable and eager for more wins. The reigning U.S. Nationals champion and 2021 Gatornationals runner-up understands how tough wins are to come by.

Continue reading →

Morrison, CO – J.R. Todd and the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car team were looking to add a Funny Car title to Todd’s resume today at the NHRA Mile-High Nationals from Bandimere Speedway. The 2018 Funny Car world champion had two Top Fuel wins and he was looking to become just the third driver in Mile-High Nationals history to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. The 19-time national event winner was also looking to make a run at sweeping the Western Swing with three wins in a row starting this weekend in Denver.

Last night during the final qualifying session Todd powered his Toyota Camry to the second quickest run of the session and picked up two qualifying bonus points. Todd entered race day as the No. 7 qualifier with lane choice over the Funny Car point leader Bob Tasca III.

In the opening round Todd pulled up beside Tasca as the duo was the last pair of Funny Cars in the first session. When the starting line Christmas Tree flashed amber Todd took off with a sizable starting line advantage and was pulling away from Tasca. As his race car was accelerating down track it made a quick move towards the center line after it dropped some cylinders on the right hand side. Todd worked the steering wheel to stay in his lane but his Funny Car crossed the center line forcing his run to be disqualified and handing the win to his opponent.

Continue reading →

Morrison, CO – The Mac Tools team and Doug Kalitta have enjoyed years of success at Bandimere Speedway competing in the NHRA Mile-High Nationals. The team has raced to the final round six times and the perennial Top Fuel champion took the Mile-High Nationals title in 2010. This weekend after a successful day of testing leading up to the event they had high hopes of securing their second win in Denver and first win of 2021 to go along with two runner-up finishes this season.

In the final two rounds of qualifying yesterday Kalitta and the Mac Tools team made solid runs lighting up the scoreboard with times of 3.993 and finally 3.849 seconds, respectively. The final run moved Kalitta up to the No. 4 qualifier spot and a first round match up with Leah Pruett.

In the opening round race Kalitta took a starting like lead but his race car lost traction and the veteran driver pedaled his throttle to work to regain traction as his 11,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragster lunged down the race track. His repeated efforts behind the wheel were unsuccessful as Pruett was able to get in front of him and hold off the tire smoking Mac Tools dragster. This was just the third time this season Kalitta has not advanced to the quarterfinals.

Continue reading →

Morrison, CO – The DHL Kalitta Air team and Shawn Langdon were looking to the NHRA Mile-High Nationals as the chance to move up in the NHRA Camping World Top Fuel point standings and also pick up their first win of the 2021 season. The Gatornationals runner-up team had a successful test session in Indianapolis in advance of the trip out west to Denver and the focus was on making consistent runs and going rounds on race day.

Through three rounds of qualifying the DHL Top Fuel dragster made quicker runs every session with the final run earning the team the No. 8 qualifier spot. Most likely Langdon would have started even higher in the field but on his final qualifying run his engine let go just before the finish line posting a solid 3.973 second run at only just over 250 miles per hour.

In the opening session today racing veteran driver Clay Millican Langdon was giving up lane choice to slightly quicker opponent. Both drivers took off with identical reaction times and both cars are side by side for the duration of the race. Langdon made his quickest and fastest run of the weekend covering the race track in 3.931 seconds at 279.38 mph but it was not enough to get the win light against Millican who also stepped up his performance dramatically.

Continue reading →

Morrison, CO – The DHL Kalitta Air Top Fuel team and Shawn Langdon will be getting the famed Western Swing started this weekend at Bandimere Speedway’s NHRA Mile-High Nationals. Kalitta Motorsports has a long history of success on the mountain with Langdon’s crew chief, NHRA icon Connie Kalitta, winning the event twice in the mid-1980s. Langdon’s Top Fuel teammate Doug Kalitta has six final round appearances and a win in 2010 to his credit. The three races in a row will have a new look for 2021 with the run kicking off in Denver, then moving to Sonoma and in a historic switch the inclusion of the postponed Winternational at Pomona capping the swing.

“We are looking forward to heading out there and doing well,” said Langdon. “You are looking at the last couple of races of the regular season and hopefully we can do well. We want to end the regular season on a high note to get the car ready for the Countdown. To win three races is a great feat and we would be very proud to sweep the swing.”

Continue reading →

Morrison, CO – The NHRA Mile-High Nationals begin this weekend and DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car driver J.R. Todd is eager to make a run at history. The 2018 NHRA Funny Car champion has been rewriting the history books as he has developed first as a Top Fuel driver and over the past five seasons as one of the most competitive and successful Funny Car drivers in recent memory. The 10-time Funny Car winner picked up his latest win at the season opening NHRA Gatornationals and this weekend Todd will be looking to join another elite group of drivers. Only two NHRA nitro competitors, Kenny Bernstein and Mike Dunn, have won the Mile-High Nationals in Top Fuel and Funny Car. Todd could add his name to that list by turning on four win lights in his DHL Funny Car on Sunday.

“I am excited to be going back to tracks that we didn’t get a chance to compete at in 2020,” said Todd. “The Western Swing is grueling but I look forward to it. I feel like it challenges the tuners because you go from Denver where you bring out your one time a year mountain tune up then you go to sea level conditions at Sonoma. That is one of my favorite tracks on the tour. It is a tough three race stretch and I don’t want to say it is a make or break point of the year but definitely if you can come out of there with some good momentum that is the right time of year to do it.”

Continue reading →

Norwalk, OH – A tough weekend of qualifying at the NHRA Norwalk Nationals continued on race day for Shawn Langdon and the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster. On Thursday Langdon displayed his race car for SealMaster and ThorSports employees in Sandusky, Ohio, in advance of this weekend’s race. The team rolled into Friday looking to post solid qualifying numbers and grab another NHRA Norwalk Nationals victory.

In 2016 Langdon took the win at the Norwalk Nationals but this weekend after three sessions he made the field as the No. 16 qualifier. He was slotted to run against the point leader and No. 1 qualifier Steve Torrence as the first round unfolded for the 2013 Top Fuel world champion.

Langdon was aggressive off the starting line with an amazing .024 reaction time to get his dragster out in front but his lead was short lived as his dragster lost traction almost immediately in the left lane. Torrence moved around him and Langdon attempted to pedal his race car to start tracking down his opponent. There was too much lost momentum for the Gatornationals runner-up and his weekend at the Norwalk Nationals came to a close.

Continue reading →

Norwalk, OH – In one of the closest races of the first round of the NHRA Norwalk Nationals Doug Kalitta and his Applied Imaging Top Fuel dragster came up one car length short of advancing to the quarterfinals. After two tough days of qualifying the team made their best pass of the weekend in the opening round of eliminations. The 2015 Top Fuel winner was looking to win the Norwalk Nationals for the second time at “America’s Racetrack,” Summit Motorsports Park.

On Saturday the team made two qualifying passes and rolled into race day as the No. 11 qualifier. The Applied Imaging team worked overnight on improving their performance for race day. Their efforts were rewarded with a much improved 3.855 second run at 312.35 mph.

In spite of Kalitta’s improved performance Antron Brown also stepped up and got the win. Kalitta’s race car dropped a cylinder as it was passing half-track robbing the Applied Imaging Top Fuel dragster of critical horsepower.

Continue reading →