The DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster and driver Shawn Langdon rolled into race day at the NHRA Midwest Nationals on the strength of his best qualifying performance of the 2022 NHRA season. The 2013 Top Fuel world champion was No. 3 on the qualifying sheet with a season quickest 3.697 second pass to close out Saturday’s final day of qualifying. The veteran driver was ready for his first round match up with part-time Top Fuel driver Kyle Wurtzel.
The DHL Toyota team which was also flying the colors of www.kalittaair.com/careers this weekend knew they would need to be at the top of their game. Langdon jumped off the line with a strong .072 reaction time which proved to be the difference maker. The DHL Toyota dragster crossed the finish line with a winning time of 3.760 seconds in front of Wurtzel’s quicker 3.747 second run. Langdon’s margin of victory was estimated to be nine feet at nearly 330 mph.
In the quarterfinals Langdon faced Tony Schumacher another tough Countdown contender. It was a wire-to-wire win for Langdon as he was first off the line and never trailed in the race in front of a tire smoking Schumacher. It was another winning. 3.760 second pass for Langdon and set up another semifinal race for the DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster.
“You need to take out Countdown car when you get the chance if you want to race for the championship,” said Langdon. “This DHL Toyota dragster has been running really well this weekend. It has been a complete team effort and we are going to keep working together over these last three races.”
Langdon once again took off first in the semifinals and was leading the race as the race cars crossed the halfway mark, but Josh Hart’s dragster got a nose around Langdon and held on for a close win. Langdon’s 3.744 second pass was just behind Hart’s 3.712 second run.
Langdon will head to the back half of the Countdown in the Top Ten and looking to put pressure on the teams in front of him. In addition to closing the gap in the points Langdon’s two win lights equated to 40,000 meals for Feeding America as part of a program with sponsor DHL where Kalitta Motorsports donates 10,000 meals per win light and DHL matches the donation.
In two weeks Langdon and the DHL Toyota team will be racing outside Dallas at the Texas Fall Nationals and Stampede of Speed at Texas Motorplex.
Statistics:
Qualified: Qual. 3 (3.697 sec, 329.02 mph)
Bonus points: +2 (2nd quickest of Q3)
Race Details:
First Round
Qual Driver RT ET MPH
3 Shawn Langdon .072 3.760 328.70 (W)
14 Kyle Wurtzel .103 3.747 327.19
Second Round
Qual Driver RT ET MPH
3 Shawn Langdon .057 3.760 322.58 (W)
6 Tony Schumacher .088 9.253 65.40
Semifinals
Qual Driver RT ET MPH
3 Shawn Langdon .050 3.744 326.16
2 Josh Hart .071 3.712 333.82 (W)
Kalitta Motorsports PR
