YPSILANTI, Mich. (Sept. 23, 2025) – Shawn Langdon has a single focus: win as many rounds as possible. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs continue with the third of six playoff races Sept. 26-28 at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill.
To do that, the 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion knows to keep his head down and avoid distractions. Langdon advanced to the second round at the first playoff race and made a semifinal run at last weekend’s first-ever four-wide playoff race. They were positive overall results, but both were short of what the 25th Anniversary Kalitta Air team expects of itself. In the four-wide final on Sunday, Langdon finished third behind his teammate, Doug Kalitta, and race winner Justin Ashley. He now trails the points leader, Kalitta, by 59 points and trails second-place Justin Ashley by nine points. The top five is separated by less than 100 points with four races remaining.
“The Kalitta Air Careers car’s good,” Langdon said. “We set the low ET (elapsed time) of the semifinals (in Charlotte), but it should have run faster than it did in the final round. We’re addressing that this week and will go from there; we’ll be alright. We really want to have a great weekend in St. Louis and get this Kalitta Air 25th Anniversary car back on top of the standings.”
The Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs is 24 rounds of championship racing, and 16 of those rounds remain; the championship battle is far from over. Langdon and his Brian Husen-led team are focused on the primary objective and understand what it will take to achieve it.
“Every round counts especially in the Countdown, and we’ll be ready to go this weekend,” Langdon added. “The guys give me a great race car every week. From my perspective, my job doesn’t change; I hit the gas as far as it goes and hold it as straight as I can. That’s my focus. I’m trying not to get sucked into all the distractions. I do my best to keep my head down and not get distracted by all the nonsense. I focus on my lane and try to win a championship. That’s all we really care about.”
Race Information:
Napa Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals Worldwide Technology Raceway; Madison, Ill.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
2024 NHRA Midwest Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 5; defeated Doug Kalitta, lost to Justin Ashley.
Shawn Langdon Career Stats: 366 events, 22 wins, 28 runners-up, 408 round wins, 21 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date (Wins in Italics):
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To do that, the 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion knows to keep his head down and avoid distractions. Langdon advanced to the second round at the first playoff race and made a semifinal run at last weekend’s first-ever four-wide playoff race. They were positive overall results, but both were short of what the 25th Anniversary Kalitta Air team expects of itself. In the four-wide final on Sunday, Langdon finished third behind his teammate, Doug Kalitta, and race winner Justin Ashley. He now trails the points leader, Kalitta, by 59 points and trails second-place Justin Ashley by nine points. The top five is separated by less than 100 points with four races remaining.
“The Kalitta Air Careers car’s good,” Langdon said. “We set the low ET (elapsed time) of the semifinals (in Charlotte), but it should have run faster than it did in the final round. We’re addressing that this week and will go from there; we’ll be alright. We really want to have a great weekend in St. Louis and get this Kalitta Air 25th Anniversary car back on top of the standings.”
The Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs is 24 rounds of championship racing, and 16 of those rounds remain; the championship battle is far from over. Langdon and his Brian Husen-led team are focused on the primary objective and understand what it will take to achieve it.
“Every round counts especially in the Countdown, and we’ll be ready to go this weekend,” Langdon added. “The guys give me a great race car every week. From my perspective, my job doesn’t change; I hit the gas as far as it goes and hold it as straight as I can. That’s my focus. I’m trying not to get sucked into all the distractions. I do my best to keep my head down and not get distracted by all the nonsense. I focus on my lane and try to win a championship. That’s all we really care about.”
Race Information:
Napa Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals Worldwide Technology Raceway; Madison, Ill.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
- Qualifying Show: 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 on FS1
- Finals: 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 on FS1
2024 NHRA Midwest Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 5; defeated Doug Kalitta, lost to Justin Ashley.
Shawn Langdon Career Stats: 366 events, 22 wins, 28 runners-up, 408 round wins, 21 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date (Wins in Italics):
- Gainesville: Qualified No. 11; defeated Justin Ashley, Tony Stewart and Jasmine Salinas; lost to Antron Brown.
- Phoenix: Qualified No. 3; defeated Scott Palmer, Justin Ashley, Brittany Force and Doug Kalitta.
- Pomona: Qualified No. 3; defeated Ida Zetterstrom and Josh Hart; lost to Tony Stewart.
- Las Vegas: Qualified No. 11: lost to Antron Brown, Mike Salinas.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 2; defeated Ida Zetterstrom and Scott Farley, Brittany Force and Josh Hart, Justin Ashley, Tony Stewart and Antron Brown.
- Chicago: Qualified No. 3; defeated Kyle Wurtzel, lost to Steve Torrence.
- Epping: Qualified No. 6; lost to Dan Mercier.
- Bristol: Qualified No. 3; defeated Cody Krohn and Josh Hart; lost to Justin Ashley.
- Richmond: Qualified No. 5; defeated Cameron Ferre, Dan Mercier and Tony Stewart; lost to Justin Ashley.
- Norwalk: Qualified No. 5; defeated Doug Foley and Brittany Force; Lost to Justin Ashley.
- Seattle: Qualified No. 2; defeated Cameron Ferre, Tony Stewart, Bye, Brittany Force.
- Sonoma: Qualified No. 10; defeated Brittany Force, Bye; lost to Antron Brown.
- Brainerd: Qualified No. 8; defeated Antron Brown; lost to Brittany Force.
- Indianapolis: Qualified No. 6; lost to Clay Millican.
- Reading: Qualified No. 5; defeated Doug Foley; lost to Shawn Reed.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 4; defeated Tony Schumacher & Doug Foley, Tony Stewart & Brittany Force; lost to
- Justin Ashley & Doug Kalitta.
The post SHAWN LANGDON’S FOCUS: HEAD DOWN, NO DISTRACTIONs first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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