Shawn Langdon Pleased with Return to Racing in DHL Top Fuel

Indianapolis – For Shawn Langdon driver of the DHL Top Fuel dragster getting back to the track this weekend was mainly a difference of horsepower and elapsed times. For the past five weeks Langdon has been campaigning his private sportsman dragster at big money bracket races staying sharp to get back to his day job, winning NHRA National events for Kalitta Motorsports. By Langdon’s count he has logged 132 passes down the track and he added one more important round win today.

Langdon qualified No. 8 after two rounds yesterday saw the 2013 Top Fuel champion step up in the final session to grab a top half position and lane choice over upstart and second generation pro Justin Ashley.

“We just had a long layoff and came out this weekend and made some good, decent conservative runs. That was our game plan. We’ll come back next week and try to get a little more aggressive,” said Langdon.  “It was amazing (on being back in the car after the layoff). I’ve been racing the whole off-season. It’s different out here with limited fans. I’m glad to be back racing, but it’s just different.”

Langdon and Ashley were the first two cars down the track to restart the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the race was well worth the wait. Ashley had a nearly psychic reaction time of .018 and briefly was in front of Langdon and the DHL Top Fuel dragster. On a rocket shot of a run that at the time was the second quickest of the event 3.789 seconds and over 315 mph Langdon took out Ashley and set up a race against No. 1 qualifier Steve Torrence.

The quarterfinal battle was close for most of the race but Langdon’s car slowed off its first round pace and Torrence posted the quickest run of the round.

“There wasn’t much that we could do in the second round against Torrence. We weren’t trying to run that fast,” said Langdon.

Quotable:
Langdon on returning to Indy next weekend: “I am looking forward to getting right back to this track. We have some good data and I think this DHL dragster can run with anybody.”

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 8 (3.919 sec., 314.02 mph)
Bonus points: 0

Race Details:

First Round
Driver                          Qual    R/T      ET        MPH
Shawn Langdon         8          .066     3.789   315.19 (W)
Justin Ashley                9          .018     3.960   256.99

Second Round
Driver                          Qual    R/T      ET        MPH
Shawn Langdon         8          .070     3.828   316.38
Steve Torrence            1          .053     3.760   324.75 (W)