New England Dragway; Epping, N.H. Post-Event Wrap-Up, Shawn Langdon

Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 3 qualifier at the NHRA New England Nationals. His 3.745-second effort at 324.98 mph Friday night was just .003 seconds behind the time posted by the top qualifier. It was the eighth time in 10 races this season that Langdon has qualified in the top-six positions.

Eliminations: Langdon’s Knuckle Sandwich/Bass Pro Shops Toyota dragster smoked the tires almost immediately in the first round, and Terry McMillen took the round win. It was Langdon’s second loss to McMillen in 17 meetings.

Unofficial Point Standings: Langdon dropped one spot to seventh place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He trails sixth-place Doug Kalitta by 19 points and leads eighth-place Brittany Force by 17 points.

Still Searching for Sponsorship: Alan Johnson Racing is still searching for primary sponsorship after unexpectedly losing its funding a month before the 2015 season began. Langdon is currently driving the Knuckle Sandwich Bass Pro Shops Toyota Top Fuel dragster. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Alan Johnson Racing’s longest-standing partner having first joined the team in 2001, is funding the team. Thanks to Toyota’s increased backing, the team is racing while searching for primary sponsorship. Alan Johnson Racing hopes to race the entire 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and compete for the 2015 Top Fuel championship, but it must secure long-term primary sponsorship.

Langdon on New Hampshire: “We definitely had high hopes for today, but things didn’t work out for the Knuckle Sandwich/Bass Pro Shops Toyota team. The car was excellent in qualifying, and we felt good about race day. Unfortunately, we just overpowered the race track a little bit and smoked the tires. The results may not be showing it right now, but we’re still moving in the right direction. We know it’s a matter of time before this Knuckle Sandwich/Bass Pro Shops Toyota team starts winning rounds consistently. We’ll keep working until we get it right, and that starts next weekend in Thunder Valley.”

Next Race: Alan Johnson Racing will be back in action June 19-21, 2015 at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn. For additional information, please visit nhra.com. For additional information on Alan Johnson Racing, please visit alanjohnsonracing.com.