Toyota report: LANGDON, alBALOOSHI ADVANCE TO SEMIS AT BRAINERD

TORRANCE, CA – Al-Anabi Racing drivers Shawn Langdon and Khalid alBalooshi each advanced to the Top Fuel semi-finals to lead Shawn Langdon – Sonoma – Competition PlusToyota in today’s NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series’ Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn.

With another trip to the semi-finals, Landon has closed in on the number one seed for the Countdown to the Playoffs. He will take an almost insurmountable 121-point lead into the U.S. Nationals. He defeated Bob Vandergriff and David Grubnic today. For alBalooshi, he registered wins over T.J. Zizzo and Doug Kalitta to move on to the semi-finals or beyond for the fifth time this season and officially clinches his first Countdown berth.

Antron Brown, Brandon Bernstein and Morgan Lucas were eliminated in their first runs of the day to round out the Toyota Top Fuel contingent.

In Funny Car, Del Worsham, Cruz Pedregon, Chad Head, Alexis DeJoria and Tony Pedregon each lost in the opening round. Despite the loss, Cruz Pedregon clinched his berth in the Countdown, although, he fell from second to third place overall.

Following a week off, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will conclude its regular season at the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30 – Sept. 2.