Shawn Langdon, Kalitta Air Careers Top Fuel Dragster
Finals Broadcast Replay: 8:30-11:30 p.m. eastern time Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 on FS1
Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 4 qualifier at the In ‘n Out Burger NHRA Finals. After entering the season’s final race 45 points behind first-place Justin Ashley. With 30 points available through each round of qualifying, Langdon hoped to earn at least 16 points in qualifying to move within one round of Ashley entering Sunday. Unfortunately, rain caused cancelation of both Friday sessions leaving only Saturday’s two sessions to set the field.
Langdon smoked the tires in the first session and was not in the field entering the final qualifying session of the season. No problem for the Kalitta Air Careers team. Langdon made the quickest run of his career with a 3.653-second pass at 331.45 mph. That run put Langdon atop the field, but three drivers made quicker runs moving him to the No. 4 position. Despite losing the first two sessions, Landon picked up 12 points on Ashley, moved to second in points and entered eliminations 33 points out of first place.
Eliminations: Langdon defeated Josh Hart in the first round setting up a second-round matchup with Antron Brown who defeated points leader Justin Ashley in the first round and entered race day trailing Langdon by three points. Langdon’s Kalitta Air Careers dragster smoked the tires almost immediately when the run began, but Brown also smoked the tires. Langdon pedaled the car, but Brown’s car hooked up first. He won the round, advanced to the semifinals, took the points lead and went on to win the 2024 NHRA Top Fuel Championship.
Unofficial Point Standings: Langdon finished the season in fourth place in the NHRA Mission Foods Top Fuel point standings.
Langdon on Pomona: “I had a good car and a good shot to win the championship. We just came up a little short. Brian did such a great job in his first year as a crew chief. I’m very proud of Brian and very proud of the team for what they did this year. Brian’s a championship-caliber crew chief. We’ve known it for years, and after he got the opportunity, he almost won a championship in his first season.
“I’m so thankful (Team Owner) Connie Kalitta believed in me and gave me an opportunity to drive his race car. Then they gave Brian Husen a chance to be a crew chief and gave everybody on this Kalitta Air Careers team an opportunity to be a part of the team. After these last couple of weeks, we’re more than a team, we’re a band of brothers. We may have finished fourth this season, but in my mind, Brian and this Kalitta Air Careers team are champions. We came up a little bit short, but this team is a great group of guys. We had a good year – a lot of hard work went into it, but we’ll come back next year and fight for a championship.”
The post I had a good car and a good shot to win the championship. first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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Finals Broadcast Replay: 8:30-11:30 p.m. eastern time Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 on FS1
Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 4 qualifier at the In ‘n Out Burger NHRA Finals. After entering the season’s final race 45 points behind first-place Justin Ashley. With 30 points available through each round of qualifying, Langdon hoped to earn at least 16 points in qualifying to move within one round of Ashley entering Sunday. Unfortunately, rain caused cancelation of both Friday sessions leaving only Saturday’s two sessions to set the field.
Langdon smoked the tires in the first session and was not in the field entering the final qualifying session of the season. No problem for the Kalitta Air Careers team. Langdon made the quickest run of his career with a 3.653-second pass at 331.45 mph. That run put Langdon atop the field, but three drivers made quicker runs moving him to the No. 4 position. Despite losing the first two sessions, Landon picked up 12 points on Ashley, moved to second in points and entered eliminations 33 points out of first place.
Eliminations: Langdon defeated Josh Hart in the first round setting up a second-round matchup with Antron Brown who defeated points leader Justin Ashley in the first round and entered race day trailing Langdon by three points. Langdon’s Kalitta Air Careers dragster smoked the tires almost immediately when the run began, but Brown also smoked the tires. Langdon pedaled the car, but Brown’s car hooked up first. He won the round, advanced to the semifinals, took the points lead and went on to win the 2024 NHRA Top Fuel Championship.
Unofficial Point Standings: Langdon finished the season in fourth place in the NHRA Mission Foods Top Fuel point standings.
Langdon on Pomona: “I had a good car and a good shot to win the championship. We just came up a little short. Brian did such a great job in his first year as a crew chief. I’m very proud of Brian and very proud of the team for what they did this year. Brian’s a championship-caliber crew chief. We’ve known it for years, and after he got the opportunity, he almost won a championship in his first season.
“I’m so thankful (Team Owner) Connie Kalitta believed in me and gave me an opportunity to drive his race car. Then they gave Brian Husen a chance to be a crew chief and gave everybody on this Kalitta Air Careers team an opportunity to be a part of the team. After these last couple of weeks, we’re more than a team, we’re a band of brothers. We may have finished fourth this season, but in my mind, Brian and this Kalitta Air Careers team are champions. We came up a little bit short, but this team is a great group of guys. We had a good year – a lot of hard work went into it, but we’ll come back next year and fight for a championship.”
The post I had a good car and a good shot to win the championship. first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
Continue reading...
