Shawn Langdon, driver of the DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster, is making positive moves up the Top Fuel ranks as the 2022 NHRA regular season comes down the homestretch. The 2013 Top Fuel world champion has moved up to seventh place in the Top Fuel points and is only 32 points out of fifth with three races remaining before points are reset and the six race Countdown playoffs begin. Two runner-up finishes combined with semifinal and quarterfinal race results have the DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster building momentum at the perfect time of the season.
“This is when you want to start making moves,” said Langdon. “This DHL Toyota team has been making progress all season, but Bristol was a big turning point for this team I believe. Since that runner-up we have been running really well and picking up round wins on Sunday.”
Coming into Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka Langdon will be looking to win for the second time at the Midwest track. Temperatures will be consistently hot with the extreme conditions all the teams faced two weeks ago in Seattle when Langdon qualified No. 6 and raced to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual event winner Tony Schumacher.
“It was really hot in Seattle, but the NHRA Safety Safari did a great job giving us a good track to race on,” said Langdon. “I would expect it to as hot or hotter this weekend in Topeka so we will just see what we can do. That first qualifying session on Friday will be critical to setting our DHL team up for success on Saturday and Sunday.”
Langdon won at Topeka in 2013 on the way to the NHRA Top Fuel world championships. The following year he returned to the final round and left with a runner-up finish. Last year the veteran driver qualified No. 7 and raced to the semifinals defeating Antron Brown and Billy Torrence before dropping a round to Clay Millican. The competition continues to test every team, but Langdon enjoys the challenge.
“I love being in my DHL Top Fuel dragster or any race car for that matter,” said Langdon, who also races big money bracket events between NHRA national events. “I try to keep my skills sharp and running bracket races or racing my Super Comp dragster helps give me an edge. I have one win this season in Super Comp at Bristol and we almost won that race in Top Fuel. That was a good weekend and I am looking forward to getting on track in Topeka.”
Qualifying will begin this Friday with one run followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday. Top Fuel eliminations will lead off race day beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET and FS1 will broadcast the race from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. ET.
2021 NHRA Topeka Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 7; Beat Antron Brown, Billy Torrence; Lost to Clay Millican
Last Event Recap 2022 Northwest Nationals: Qual. 6; Beat Mike Salinas; Lost to Tony Schumacher
Career Stats: 300 events, 296 starts, 324 round wins, 17 wins, 37 finals, 19 No. 1 qualifiers; in Top Fuel: 252 events, 248 starts, 15 wins, 34 finals, 285 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
Seattle: Qual. 6; Beat Mike Salinas; Lost to Tony Schumacher
Kalitta Motorsports PR
