Toyota Seattle NHRA Preview
LANGDON CLOSING IN ON TOP SPOT FOR COUNTDOWN – After trading the point lead back and forth with Tony Schumacher 
for much of the season, Shawn Langdon has stretched his lead out to 102 points heading into this weekend’s Northwest Nationals. The Al-Anabi Racing Toyota driver is coming off his fourth victory of the season at Sonoma. Langdon hasn’t simply been fast, but extremely consistent as well. He has now advanced to the semi-finals or finals in nine of his last 11 events. He has already earned a berth in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs and if he can maintain the lead through the U.S. Nationals, Langdon will receive a 20-point bonus and begin the Countdown with a 30-point lead over second.
COUNTING DOWN – Three more Toyota drivers are likely to clinch this weekend, another appears to be safe and one other is in the midst of a fierce points battle. Antron Brown, Khalid alBalooshi and Cruz Pedregon should qualify for a spot in the Countdown playoffs this weekend, while Morgan Lucas could clinch his spot with a strong run in Seattle. For Del Worsham, though, it likely will go right down to the U.S. Nationals. Worsham is currently ninth, but just 20 points ahead of 11th.
LUCAS AIMS TO BUILD ON SONOMA – Morgan Lucas reached his second final of the 2013 season at Sonoma last weekend, now he’s setting his sights on his first win of the year. Lucas was a three-time winner last season, but has battled problems in qualifying during the middle portion of the schedule. This past weekend, he led one qualifying session and was second in another.
WINNING IN SEATTLE – Three of this weekend’s nine Toyota-sponsored entries have previously won in Seattle. Del Worsham holds the rare distinction of having won in both Top Fuel (2011) and Funny Car (1999). Antron Brown won the 2009 Northwest Nationals on the way to sweeping the Western Swing, while Brandon Bernstein won in Top Fuel in 2005
