LANGDON CLINCHES TITLE; BERNSTEIN #1 QUALIFIER AT POMONA
POMONA, CA – Brandon Bernstein won the pole, but fellow Toyota driver Shawn Langdon clinched the 2013 Top Fuel championship 
by qualifying second for Sunday’s Auto Club NHRA Finals at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Langdon topped two of the weekend’s four qualifying sessions to earn the six bonus points that pushed him over the top in his pursuit for the world championship.
by qualifying second for Sunday’s Auto Club NHRA Finals at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Langdon topped two of the weekend’s four qualifying sessions to earn the six bonus points that pushed him over the top in his pursuit for the world championship.The championship is the first Top Fuel title for Langdon and the third for Al-Anabi Racing in the last four years. Toyota has now sponsored each of the last four Top Fuel champions – Larry Dixon in 2010, Del Worsham in 2011, Antron Brown in 2012 and Langdon this season.
“This is something I worked for my whole life,” said Langdon, who grew up in nearby Mira Loma, Calif. “I spent a lot of time at this track growing up. We struggled by Al-Anabi standards last year, but nobody stopped believing in this team. This is the single moment that I worked for my whole life. I’m very thankful to be part of such a great team. The first championship is just a great feeling – but we’ve still got a race to win tomorrow.”
Long-time Toyota driver Brown was the only driver left with a chance at the title after Thursday’s first qualifying. The reigning NHRA Mello Yello Series champ pushed Langdon to the very final run in qualifying today after topping the morning session, but just couldn’t pull off his fourth straight top-two qualifying run of the weekend. He would eventually place fifth overall and will head into tomorrow’s eliminations looking to place second overall in the championship.
Bernstein, the defending race champion, registered the quickest pass of the weekend on his final run on Saturday, turning in a 3.748-second pass to earn his first pole of the season. His teammate, Morgan Lucas, placed sixth overall, while Khalid alBalooshi was 10th.
In Funny Car, it was Del Worsham leading the way in his DHL Toyota Camry, placing fourth overall after topping Saturday morning’s first session and placing second in Friday’s run. Worsham will be looking for his second straight NHRA Finals win at Pomona after winning here in Top Fuel in 2011 before a one-year retirement in 2012. Cruz Pedregon placed sixth, Chad Head was seventh and Alexis DeJoria was 15th. Tony Pedregon did not qualify.
The NHRA Finals ESPN2 qualifying coverage can be seen twice on Sunday – from 2:30 – 4:00 a.m., and then from 2:00 – 3:00 pm. Sunday’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series eliminations are scheduled to run on ESPN2 from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (all times EDT).
