Throughout the 2022 season Shawn Langdon and the DHL Toyota Top Fuel team have been making steady progress. Last weekend in Sonoma Langdon scored another semifinal finish, this one coming from the No. 9 qualifier position to move up to a tie for sixth place in the Top Fuel points just 35 points out of fifth place, which is less than two rounds of racing. Since the beginning of the summer Langdon and his DHL team have scored two semifinals and two runner-up finishes over five races and he collected a win at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Super Comp narrowly missing a rare double up with a Top Fuel runner-up finish at that same event.
“We have definitely been running really well with this DHL Toyota dragster,” said Langdon. “We have just lost some close races down the stretch. I am having a lot of fun driving because we are going rounds and that is just making the whole DHL team better. We are up to sixth in the points and we can make a move up the standings with every race.”
The last time Langdon races at the Northwest Nationals he was piloting a Toyota Funny Car to a quarterfinal finish as the No. 6 qualifier. The long layoff combined with the return to Top Fuel does not bother Langdon. The 2013 Top Fuel world champion is looking forward to getting back to Pacific Raceway where he has two final round appearances in Top Fuel from 2012 and 2015.
“Seattle has a lot of passionate fans and I am sure they will pack them in since we haven’t been here in a couple years,” said Langdon. “We have had great crowds throughout the Western Swing and I would love to get a win this weekend. We are spending time with some folks from DHL on Thursday night and I am sure we will have a lot of supporters in our pits all weekend.”
Langdon’s team has done masterful job of setting up the DHL Toyota dragster for race day success. They have seven first round upset wins so far this season with most of those wins coming from improved passes from their best qualifying efforts. The veteran leadership of team owner and crew chief Connie Kalitta along with input from crew chiefs Kurt Elliott and Jason McCulloch give Langdon one of the most powerful and dangerous Top Fuel dragsters on race day.
“You have to have a lot of confidence when you are getting in a dragster tuned by Connie Kalitta, Kurt Elliott and Jason McCulloch,” said Langdon. “Those guys have a ton of experience and have won so many races. We are a great team and this is the time to get hot. I would love to close out the Western Swing with a win and then get on a streak heading into the Countdown. That is our focus right now.”
2019 NHRA Northwest Nationals Highlights: (In Funny Car) Qual. No. 6; Beat Cruz Pedregon; Lost to Matt Hagan
Last Event Recap 2022 Sonoma Nationals: Qual. 9; Beat Antron Brown, Leah Pruett; Lost to Brittany Force
Career Stats: 299 events, 295 starts, 323 round wins, 17 wins, 37 finals, 19 No. 1 qualifiers; in Top Fuel: 251 events, 247 starts, 15 wins, 34 finals, 284 round wins, 19 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Results
Winternationals: Qual 8; Lost to Josh Hart
Arizona Nationals: Qual 7; Beat Antron Brown; Lost to Mike Salinas
Gatornationals: Qual 21; DNQ
Las Vegas1: Qual 11; Beat Doug Kalitta and Rob Passey; Lost to Steve Torrence and Brittany Force
Houston: Qual 10; Beat Leah Pruett; Lost to Brittany Force
Charlotte1: Qual 14; Lost to Clay Millican, Josh Hart
Richmond: Qual 12; Beat Doug Foley; Lost to Brittany Force
Epping: Qual. No. 12; Beat Josh Hart, Doug Kalitta; Lost to Justin Ashley
Bristol: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 9; Beat Spencer Massey, Mike Salinas, Antron Brown; Lost to Justin Ashley
Norwalk: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Tripp Tatum
Denver: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 12; Beat Greg Carrillo, Mike Salinas, Josh Hart; Lost to Leah Pruett
Sonoma: Qual. 9; Beat Antron Brown, Leah Pruett; Lost to Brittany Force
Kalitta Motorsports PR
