Qatar Al-Anabi Racing driver Shawn Langdon celebrates after winning the Chevrolet Performance US Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana, yesterday.
INDIANAPOLIs: Shawn Langdon and the Qatar Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel Team, the two-time World Championship team owned by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, dazzled the Chevrolet Performance US Nationals crowd with a stellar weekend performance that saw the team win two events and set the table for a deep run into the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Play-offs at the just completed US Nationals, the 18th of 24 races that make up America’s 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season.
On Sunday, the team announced a five-year extension to the agreement between Sheikh Khalid, Al-Anabi Racing and team manager Alan Johnson. After winning Sunday’s Traxxas Nitro Shootout, Langdon and the silver Al-Anabi team saved their best for Labour Day Monday, a national holiday in the United States. With Sheikh Khalid looking on, Langdon and the silver team were simply stellar marching through the eliminations ladder with the precision of a surgeon.
Langdon defeated Pat Dakin, Terry McMillen, Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence on his way to the winner’s circle – it was the second time in as many days that Langdon defeated Torrence in a final round.
The US Nationals victory was Langdon’s class-leading fifth win of the season, and it gave him a 215-point lead over second-place Spencer Massey in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings following the final race of the regular season.
“This is the biggest race of the year by far and this Al-Anabi team just did a phenomenal job,” Langdon said. “With how special this event is and with the history behind the race, it was important for me to win it, and I wanted it badly. It was great to win another race with Sheikh Khalid here to see it; we all appreciate everything he does for our race team, and we are excited that our team will be together for another five years.”
When the six-race Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs begin in two weeks in Charlotte, North Carolina, the points will be reset, and Langdon’s lead over Massey will be reduced to just 30 points. Still, with another win and the brilliant consistency the team has displayed this season, Langdon has to be considered the favorite to win this year’s NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel championship, but only time will tell.
“This team has given me a great car and it’s a dream opportunity,” Langdon said.
“Having a car like this Al-Anabi car gives you confidence, and now it’s up to me to perform. We have a chance to contend for the Mello Yello Championship now, and we want to keep the momentum going and keep working hard. It’s a pressure situation from here on out.” On the gold side of the Al-Anabi pit area, the team had even more good news.
Dubai driver Khalid alBalooshi had an excellent weekend. After qualifying 10th, alBalooshi defeated No. 7 seed David Grubnic in the first round of eliminations when alBalooshi left the starting line well before the veteran Grubnic showing just how much the Dubai driver has improved in his sophomore season. In the second round, alBalooshi defeated Clay Millican before losing to Steve Torrence in the semi-finals.
AlBalooshi remains fifth in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He trails fourth-place Doug Kalitta by 12 points and leads sixth-place Antron Brown by 39 points.
AlBalooshi will be the No. 5 seed when the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs begin in two weeks at Charlotte, North Carolina.
When the points are reset for the Countdown, alBalooshi will trail Kalitta by 10 points and lead Brown by 10 points, and alBalooshi is poised for excellence in the six-race NHRA playoffs.
“Our team had a very good race,” alBalooshi said. “It was good to be in the semifinals. I wish we could have raced Shawn in the final round, but it was really a great weekend for our team in a lot of ways. Shawn won the Traxxas Shootout yesterday and the US Nationals today. We made it to the semifinals, and Sheikh Khalid was here to see it all. We finished the regular season first and fifth in points, and our team signed a five-year contract extension with Qatar and Al-Anabi. So for everyone on our team, it was a very good weekend.”
The Peninsula
