The Global Electronic Technology Toyota Camry Funny Car is peaking at the right time on the performance curve and that has second year Funny Car driver Shawn Langdon fired up for the Countdown. Langdon is one of only two drivers to have avoided a first round loss since June. The race day win lights have been adding up and the former Top Fuel world champion knows that wins are right around the corner.
“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to win the championship and win races,” said Langdon. “We are close. We have had a great car in qualifying. There are just some minor improvements on race day really just some minor tweaks and we can get this Camry in the winner’s circle. It is very capable. I really feel like we have a top three race car right now.”
Last year it was teammate J.R. Todd who took the win at Maple Grove Raceway and then dominated in the Countdown for his first Funny Car world championship. Langdon picked up the Top Fuel win in 2013 and cruised to his own world championship. This weekend the driver of the Global Electronic Technology Camry Funny Car will be focused on getting four win lights on Sunday no matter where he is positioned in the Top Ten.
“Especially at the nine spot it is crucial that first race you can’t lose first round,” explained Langdon, who has an eight race streak of first round wins. “Really you want to avoid first round losses at any of the races but that first race is critical. We are going to go to Reading with the same temperament we had (in Indy) of just maintaining the quality of car that we had here throughout qualifying. The car responded well to the changes. We were able to find some weak spots and we fine-tuned those. We made a great run the first round (in Indy).”
The drive for a Funny Car championship has Langdon leaning on his experiences from 2013. That season he entered the Countdown as the Top Fuel regular season champion and was able to maintain his top spot through the final six races. The mental toll is one that Langdon is preparing for once again with a fast race car and high expectations.
“There is a lot of mental work in the Countdown as a driver,” said Langdon. “There is no easy way to go about it. I do know that being in the No. 1 spot it is yours to lose. That is a tough spot to be in and you have a lot of eyes on you. I like being an aggressive driver. I feel like coming from the nine spot will let me express my competitive nature and my aggressive driving style. I just want to do what I need to do to make sure this Toyota is in the mix at the end.”
Langdon also has experience in the Countdown moving up and around drivers who finished the regular season ahead of him. In 2012 he moved up three positions over six races. Two seasons ago he jumped up three spots as well. For Langdon he feels that the starting position doesn’t mean anything once the Countdown starts.
“We have six races left and with win lights on Sunday you can make up ground pretty quickly,” said Langdon. “The points have been reset so there aren’t any big leads in front of me. I will be aggressive and I know my guys will give me a great race car. I won this race in 2013 and went on to win the championship. It would be cool to try and duplicate that in Funny Car. It won’t be easy because I really think anyone of the Funny Cars in the Top Ten could win the championship. I am going to do everything I can to make sure it is the Global Electronic Technology Toyota Camry Funny Car.”
A win this Sunday in Reading, Pa., would also put Langdon in elite company. The 2013 Top Fuel winner would join teammate J.R. Todd along with Hall of Famers Kenny Bernstein and Gary Scelzi as the only drivers to have Top Fuel and Funny Car wins at the Maple Grove Raceway NHRA national event.
2018 NHRA Maple Grove Highlights: Qualified No. 6; Lost to Robert Hight
Last Event Recap (2019 NHRA U.S. Nationals): Qual. No. 7; Beat Tommy Johnson Jr.; Lost to Matt Hagan
Quotable: Langdon on Countdown: “I have a lot of confidence right now in this Global Electronic Technology Toyota Camry Funny Car. It is running the best it has all season so I definitely think we are peaking at the right time. The Countdown is about consistency and avoiding mistakes. I can’t wait to get to Maple Grove.”
Career Stats: 250 events, 247 starts, 281 round wins, 15 wins, 32 finals, 18 No. 1 qualifiers; in Funny Car 42 events, 42 starts, 31 round wins, 1 wins, 2 finals, 0 No. 1 qualifiers
2019 Season:
Winternationals: Qual. No. 6; Beat Jim Campbell; Lost to Tommy Johnson Jr.
Arizona Nationals: Qual. No. 7; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt Hagan
Gatornationals: Qual. No. 10; Lost to Cruz Pedregon
Las Vegas1: Qual. No. 8; Lost to Tim Wilkeron and Jeff Diehl
Houston: Qual. No. 10; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Ron Capps
Charlotte1: Qual. No. 5; WINNER; Beat Jeff Diehl and Terry Haddock; Beat J.R. Todd and Tommy Johnson Jr; Beat Robert Hight, John Force and Matt Hagan
Atlanta: Qual. No. 6; Lost to Ron Capps
Richmond: Qual. No. 5; Beat Tim Wilkerson; Lost to J.R. Todd
Chicago: Qual. No. 4; Lost to Jeff Arend
Topeka: Qual. No. 8; Lost to Robert Hight
Bristol: Qual. No. 2; Beat Jeff Diehl; Lost to Ron Capps
Norwalk: Qual. No. 12; Beat Blake Alexander; Lost to Jack Beckman
Epping: Qual. No. 5; RUNNER-UP; Beat Jim Campbell, Robert Hight, Tim Wilkerson; Lost to Matt Hagan
Denver: Qual. No. 9; Beat Tim Wilkerson; Lost to Robert Hight
Sonoma: Qual. No. 2; Beat Terry Haddock; Lost to John Force
Seattle: Qual. No. 6; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt Hagan
Brainerd: Qual. No. 6; Beat Paul Lee, Bob Bode; Lost to Ron Capps
Indianapolis: Qual. No. 7; Beat Tommy Johnson Jr.; Lost to Matt Hagan
Kalitta Motorsports PR
