Langdon wins all Al-Anabi Racing at Summernationals

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – Shawn Langdon defeated Al-Anabi Racing Toyota teammate Khalid alBalooshi in the Top Fuel finals to win the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series’ Toyota Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.

The win is Langdon’s second in a row and the third of the season and propels him into the series point lead. The southern California native ran the low E.T. for each of today’s four rounds to stretch his low E.T. streak to seven consecutive elimination rounds dating back to Topeka.

Shawn Langdon

Photo by: NHRA

“They’re the ones responsible for this, I just drive the car straight. We didn’t qualify where we wanted to, but it’s race day that counts and we were strong every time down the track today.”

For alBalooshi, he reached his second career final by dispatching Larry Dixon, Dom Lagana and Tony Schumacher. Antron Brown, Morgan Lucas and Brandon Bernstein all lost in their opening rounds today.

Del Worsham led the way for the Toyota Funny Car contingent by advancing to the semi-finals after a season-best second in qualifying. He defeated Paul Lee and John Force in the first two runs before falling to Jack Beckman.

Cruz Pedregon registered the low E.T. in round one and appeared to be headed to another win in round two before smoking the tires against Jack Beckman.

Alexis DeJoria ran her quickest time of the weekend only to fall to Tim Wilkerson, while Chad Head lost to Beckman – both in the opening round.

After a week off, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series begins a four-races-in-four-weeks stretch beginning with the Thunder Valley Nationals, June 14-16 at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn.

Khalid alBalooshi, Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Top Fuel Dragster: “It was just a great weekend for your entire team. Congratulations to Shawn and the team. Our Al-Anabi car was very good today and I'm just so happy with what this team has been able to do.

It just didn't matter how hot it was or what the track temperatures reached because my crew chief, Jason McCullough, just gave me the magical set-up every time we went down the race track. We're fifth in points now, so that's good."

Del Worsham, DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car: “We really ran well today. We really wanted to win today with Toyota sponsoring the race and this being a very important race to DHL and everyone at Kalitta, but right now we’ll settle for advancing to the semi’s. We’re running better and better and now we’re starting to win rounds – and I don’t think it will be long before we start winning races.”

Cruz Pedregon, Snap-On Tools Toyota Camry Funny Car: “We made a lot of consistent runs this weekend at the Toyota Summernationals, including low ET in both the third qualifying round, as well as the first round of eliminations. We feel our Snap-on Tools Toyota is back in action, back where we need it to be.”