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Langdon and DHL Shift Focus To Sonoma Nationals after Denver Race
The DHL Kalitta Air team and Shawn Langdon were looking to the NHRA Mile-High Nationals as the chance to move up in the NHRA Camping World Top Fuel point standings and also pick up their first win of the 2021 season. The Gatornationals runner-up team had a successful test session in Indianapolis in advance of the trip out west to Denver and the focus was on making consistent runs and going rounds on race day.
Through three rounds of qualifying the DHL Top Fuel dragster made quicker runs every session with the final run earning the team the No. 8 qualifier spot. Most likely Langdon would have started even higher in the field but on his final qualifying run his engine let go just before the finish line posting a solid 3.973 second run at only just over 250 miles per hour.
In the opening session today racing veteran driver Clay Millican Langdon was giving up lane choice to slightly quicker opponent. Both drivers took off with identical reaction times and both cars are side by side for the duration of the race. Langdon made his quickest and fastest run of the weekend covering the race track in 3.931 seconds at 279.38 mph but it was not enough to get the win light against Millican who also stepped up his performance dramatically.
“We lost a close race in the first round and we will try and take the positives from this weekend to Sonoma in a few days,” said Langdon. “We aren’t making any excuse over here with the DHL Top Fuel dragster and we will look at the next two races on the Western Swing as our two chances to get race wins and pick up some points.”
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 8 (3.973 sec., 251.34 mph)
Bonus points: 0
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Shawn Langdon 8 .060 3.931 279.38
Clay Millican 7 .060 3.781 309.34 (W)
Doug Kalitta and Mac Tools Exit Early at Mile-High Nationals
The Mac Tools team and Doug Kalitta have enjoyed years of success at Bandimere Speedway competing in the NHRA Mile-High Nationals. The team has raced to the final round six times and the perennial Top Fuel champion took the Mile-High Nationals title in 2010. This weekend after a successful day of testing leading up to the event they had high hopes of securing their second win in Denver and first win of 2021 to go along with two runner-up finishes this season.
In the final two rounds of qualifying yesterday Kalitta and the Mac Tools team made solid runs lighting up the scoreboard with times of 3.993 and finally 3.849 seconds, respectively. The final run moved Kalitta up to the No. 4 qualifier spot and a first round match up with Leah Pruett.
In the opening round race Kalitta took a starting like lead but his race car lost traction and the veteran driver pedaled his throttle to work to regain traction as his 11,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragster lunged down the race track. His repeated efforts behind the wheel were unsuccessful as Pruett was able to get in front of him and hold off the tire smoking Mac Tools dragster. This was just the third time this season Kalitta has not advanced to the quarterfinals.
“I was working the throttle for all it was worth as soon as I lost traction,” said Kalitta. “I knew if I could get it to hook up again we might have a shot of getting that round win. We made a couple good runs to close out qualifying yesterday and I felt good coming into race day today. We wanted to get the Western Swing started with a strong race in Denver but we will start focusing on Sonoma now.”
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 4 (3.849 sec., 299.33 mph)
Bonus points: 0
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 4 .064 7.384 108.12
Leah Pruett 11 .121 3.824 316.45 (W)
J.R. Todd and DHL Funny Car Team Leave Denver with Eye on Sonoma Win
J.R. Todd and the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car team were looking to add a Funny Car title to Todd’s resume today at the NHRA Mile-High Nationals from Bandimere Speedway. The 2018 Funny Car world champion had two Top Fuel wins and he was looking to become just the third driver in Mile-High Nationals history to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. The 19-time national event winner was also looking to make a run at sweeping the Western Swing with three wins in a row starting this weekend in Denver.
Last night during the final qualifying session Todd powered his Toyota Camry to the second quickest run of the session and picked up two qualifying bonus points. Todd entered race day as the No. 7 qualifier with lane choice over the Funny Car point leader Bob Tasca III.
In the opening round Todd pulled up beside Tasca as the duo was the last pair of Funny Cars in the first session. When the starting line Christmas Tree flashed amber Todd took off with a sizable starting line advantage and was pulling away from Tasca. As his race car was accelerating down track it made a quick move towards the center line after it dropped some cylinders on the right hand side. Todd worked the steering wheel to stay in his lane but his Funny Car crossed the center line forcing his run to be disqualified and handing the win to his opponent.
“You never want to lose a race like that but these cars are incredibly powerful,” said Todd. “I was doing everything I could to keep it straight. We have a great race car and this DHL team will be right back at it in Sonoma next weekend. We will put this race behind us.”
This was the first time this season that Todd did not advance to at least the quarterfinals. The DHL Funny Car team will head to the Sonoma Nationals sitting in the No. 4 position in points.
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 7 (4.055 sec., 314.90 mph)
Bonus points: +2 (2nd quickest of Q3)
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
J.R. Todd 7 .073 No Time
Bob Tasca III 8 .100 4.108 315.78 (W)