MADISON, Illinois: Reigning World Champion Shawn Langdon and his Silver Al Anabi Racing Team just might have found the consistent form that has been missing this season for the Qatar Al Anabi Racing Top Fuel team, the three-time and defending NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel World Champions.
Langdon made two excellent passes on Friday on the first day of qualifying for the third annual AAA Insurance NHRA Nationals just across the Mississippi River from St Louis, Missouri, the 21st of 24 races making up the United States’ NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and the third of six races that comprise the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Play-offs. Eliminations are set for today.
In the first session, Langdon blasted down the track in 3.819 seconds at 322.11 mph and was second quickest after the first qualifying attempt.
More importantly, the run placed Langdon in the last pair of cars in the evening session when air and track conditions are most conducive to quick runs.
By the time Langdon ran, 10 teams had passed him in the qualifying order.
The Al Anabi team made a brilliant run, a 3.780-second effort, but two other teams also recorded identical 3.780-second elapsed times and tied Langdon for third – ties are broken by speed. Because the Al Anabi car dropped a cylinder during the run, the car slowed to just 315 mph at the finish line so Langdon’s 3.780 at 315 mph relegated him to fifth after the first day of qualifying.
Langdon’s elapsed time was one thousandth of a second behind that of the second-place driver.
“That was a very good first day,” Langdon said. “We made two good runs down the track, and that’s something we haven’t been able to do in the last few races.”
On the gold side of the Al Anabi pit area, Khalid AlBalooshi had a more difficult day.
The gold Al Anabi team did not deploy enough power in the first run and the car went into tire shake forcing AlBalooshi to abort the run; he was 17th after the first qualifying attempt.
In the second session, AlBalooshi dazzled the crowd with an excellent 3.812-second pass at 319.98 mph and was second in the qualifying order. However, nine other teams made quicker runs later in the evening, and AlBalooshi dropped all the way to 11th. THE PENINSULA
