Post-Race Report
Event 17 of 24: NHRA Brainerd Nationals
Brainerd International Raceway
Brainerd, MN
August 16-18, 2019
Langdon Clinches Countdown and Races to Semifinals at Brainerd
Shawn Langdon and the Global Electronic Technology Toyota Camry team took full advantage of excellent race conditions during the NHRA Brainerd Nationals racing to a semifinal finish today. The team continued their strong qualifying efforts heading into race day as the No. 6 Funny Car on the property. Additionally, with their success on race day they clinched a spot in the Countdown to the Championship.
“Your list of goals every season starts with making the Countdown,” said Langdon. “We accomplished that goal today and I am excited to see the constant improvement on this Global Electronic Technology Funny Car. I think we are building momentum at the perfect time.”
In the first round Langdon took on returning Funny Car veteran Paul Lee in a critical round for the second year Funny Car racer. A round win would put more pressure on the teams trailing the Global Electronic Technology Toyota Funny Car team in the points with only one race after today in the regular season.
Langdon was taking no chances as his launched first and never trailed in the race. His 3.905 second run at 323.35 mph was his quickest run of the event. His winning time was quick enough to give him lane choice over Bob Bode in the quarterfinals.
A quarterfinal race featured Langdon racing veteran and part time racer Bode. Langdon was not taking the journeyman lightly posting another stellar run of 3.903 seconds, besting his best time from the first round. The Global Electronic Technology Camry never trailed in the race and will take lane choice into the semifinal round versus Ron Capps.
“The first two runs of the day we just about perfect,” said Langdon. “We ran our quickest times of the weekend in back to back rounds and got important wins. Those points mean a lot and we are fired up to be heading to the semifinals.”
Langdon’s quest to reach his third final round of the season came up short in the semifinals. Racing beside Capps Langdon was narrowly second off the starting line but quickly made up the difference as both Funny Cars charged to the finish line. As Langdon was approaching half-track his Camry began to haze its Goodyear slicks and that was just the opening Capps needed to pull away for the win. Langdon slowed to a 4.377 second pass to end his day.
“I don’t think we did anything differently on that run. We had lane choice and I felt really good. This is tough racing out here and everything has to go perfectly. We will go back and look at the data to see what happened. I am really pumped to get to the semifinals and I think we have a race car that can go a lot of rounds the rest of the season,” added Langdon.
Quotable:
Langdon on heading to U.S. Nationals: “I can’t wait to get to the U.S. Nationals. This Global Electronic Technology Toyota Camry Funny Car has been running great. We raced to the semifinals in Brainerd and I think there is a lot more we can do with this race car to get even better. I am feeling more comfortable every race. It will be an exciting weekend for sure.”
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH Shawn Langdon 6 .075 3.905 323.35 (W)
Paul Lee 11 .101 4.385 235.31
Second Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH Shawn Langdon 6 .070 3.903 325.69 (W)
Bob Bode 14 .081 4.544 186.07
Semifinals
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH Shawn Langdon 6 .076 4.377 201.43
Ron Capps 7 .064 3.938 322.27 (W)
Kalitta Races LaBounty to Semifinals at Brainerd Nationals
On a weekend when he was representing new sponsor LaBounty, a member of the Stanley Black & Decker family, Doug Kalitta accomplished a lot on and off the track. His solid performance on race day led to another semifinal finish and his success during qualifying locked the long-time championship contender into the Countdown for the Championship. Kalitta will be one of ten Top Fuel racers vying for the coveted Mello Yello Top Fuel world championship in the six race play-offs following the U.S. Nationals. Kalitta’s semifinal finish also moved him up to No. 3 in the Mello Yello point standings just two points out of second place.
To begin race day Kalitta was nearly psychic off of the starting line launching the LaBounty Top Fuel dragster with a .027 reaction time. He never trailed in the race posting a 3.735 second run to get the win light. It was his quickest run of the weekend and set him up with a showdown against the Mello Yello point leader Steve Torrence in the quarterfinals. The LaBounty Top Fuel team would have lane choice in the quarterfinals.
Facing the Top Fuel point leader in the second round Kalitta once again took a starting line advantage with a strong reaction time and won another important round of racing. The veteran driver of the LaBounty Top Fuel dragster took the lead just before half-track and never relinquished it getting the win light. His winning elapsed time of 3.733 seconds was his best of the day and continued to show the strong capabilities of Kalitta’s team.
The LaBounty Top Fuel dragster was once again strong off the starting line in the semifinals but as Kalitta closed in on the timers at the 500 foot mark his tires began to lose traction. The veteran driver tried unsuccessfully to lift off the throttle and “pedal” his 11,000 horsepower dragster to regain acceleration but he could not catch up to his opponent. It was a tough lose for Kalitta who stayed philosophical about the race day.
“We made some great runs today in the LaBounty Top Fuel dragster,” said Kalitta. “I think we put on a good show for the fans and also a new sponsor. Of course you would like to get into the winner’s circle but today wasn’t our day. I have won some races here in Brainerd and I felt good especially after the first round. We will get ready for Indy and we are definitely excited about making the Countdown.”
Quotable:
Doug Kalitta on heading to the U.S. Nationals: “You get a whole new mindset heading into Indy. It will be a busy race for sure and you have to block out a lot of distractions. I know everyone on the Mac Tools team will be focused on coming out strong on Friday night and then carrying some success through Saturday and Sunday. The race on Monday will be big. It will be the last race of the regular season so a lot of people will have a lot of pressure. I will be focusing on getting that U.S. Nationals win.”
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH Doug Kalitta 7 .027 3.735 330.47 (W)
Terry McMillen 10 .068 4.705 169.21
Second Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH Doug Kalitta 7 .045 3.733 331.28 (W)
Steve Torrence 2 .052 3.757 322.19
Semifinals
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH Doug Kalitta 7 .065 4.066 271.08
Mike Salinas 3 .091 3.800 272.50 (W)
Crampton Exits Brainerd with Focus on Strong Finish to Regular Season
Richie Crampton and the DHL Top Fuel dragster team were looking to the Brainerd NHRA Nationals as a chance to build some momentum for the end of the regular season. The team consistently improved through the first three rounds of qualifying lowering their qualifying time with every run. Unfortunately, they could not bust into the top half of the field forcing a rough first round match-up with fellow Countdown contending racer Clay Millican.
In the first round Crampton was eager to take on the No. 6 qualifier. Both Top Fuel dragster launched together but Millican laid down the quickest run of the weekend in the category to take the round win. Crampton’s DHL dragster stared to haze the tires as it approached half-track and he wisely clicked it off to avoid damage to his motor.
“We knew we were facing a tough opponent in the next lane,” said Crampton. “The conditions were really good. It was cool and we knew some killer times were out there. We might have been a little too aggressive but that is what you have to do. Millican made the quickest run of the race in the lane beside us. Now our focus is going to shift to winning Indy and getting into the Countdown.”
Heading into the final race of the regular season, the prestigious U.S. Nationals, Crampton will be striving to hold onto his No. 9 position. He has an unofficial 84 point lead over the team in 11th place. With a strong qualifying effort the DHL team should be in excellent shape to make the Countdown and race for their first Mello Yello Top Fuel championship.
Quotable:
Richie Crampton on heading to the U. S. Nationals: “It is the biggest race of the year and a win there can make your whole season or career. I know I have a car and team that can win Indy we just need to have a few things go our way. I am excited to be racing so close to home too. There will be a lot of friends and family at the race which will be great.”
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH Richie Crampton 11 .063 4.843 158.78
Clay Millican 6 .054 3.696 327.43 (W)
Todd Uses Brainerd to Clinch Countdown Turns Attention to U.S. Nationals
Reigning Funny Car world champion J.R. Todd and the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car team will be defending their 2018 NHRA Funny Car championship. Through their qualifying efforts this weekend at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals Todd clinched a spot in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship and will be one of ten Funny Car racing for the $500,000 world championship winner’s payout.
Over two days of qualifying at Brainerd International Raceway Todd and the DHL team battled an issue with dropped cylinders. In the second session with stout conditions Todd launched hard but his motor was not cooperating and he was forced to lift before the finish line. On Saturday the team looked to have the issue under control as Todd made two solid runs to move as high as No. 9 in the qualifying order before settling into the No. 10 spot for race day. His best time came in the final session a clean looking 3.963 second run at 321.27 mph.
On Sunday morning Todd pulled up beside the runner-up from the previous race, Ron Capps, in a battle of Countdown championship contenders. Todd took off first but was once again plagued by cylinders chaotically firing off as his accelerated down track. He had his hands full as the Toyota Camry accelerated and darted towards the guardwall. He was able to avoid contact but sacrificed the chance to advance to the quarterfinals.
“We are trying to figure a few things out with the DHL Camry to see why it is mixing up cylinders,” said Todd. “We have a week before Indy and I think Nicky and Del will be all over it. We have a lot going on at the U.S. Nationals so I am looking forward to getting the Countdown started.”
Quotable:
J.R. Todd on heading to Indy for U.S. Nationals: “It is the biggest race of the year and we have won it the past two seasons. No one has won it three times in a row so that is a big goal. I am not going to let that get into my head. We are going to take care of our business and these Yella Fellas will give me a great race car.”
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