Post-Race #SpringNats

Doug Kalitta Races Mobil 1 TRD Top Fuel to Runner-Up Finish in Houston

Doug Kalitta and the Mobil 1 TRD team raced to their second runner-up finish of the 2021 NHRA Camping World season and it was the fourth race out of five Kalitta Motorsports had a race car in either the Top Fuel or Funny Car final round. The team opened the season with dual finalist at the Gatornationals with Kalitta’s teammate Shawn Langdon posting a runner-up and J.R. Todd winning the Funny Car title. Kalitta raced to his first runner-up at the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals earlier this season. Last weekend Todd was the runner-up at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals.
 
On race day yesterday Kalitta was in the last pair of Top Fuel dragsters as the No. 9 qualifier facing No. 6 qualifier Brittany Force. He watched has his teammate Langdon advanced to the second round and moments before his Mobil 1 TRD dragster was set to fire up rain moved in and never left the Houston Raceway Park property forcing the NHRA to postpone the completion of the first round and the race to Monday.
 
Kalitta and Force were the first pair of race cars to go down the track and it was all Kalitta for the win.  His Mobil 1 TRD dragster made an impressive 3.765 second run even though it lost power just before the finish line. In the quarterfinals facing another former world champion, Antron Brown, Kalitta’s team put their Mac Tools to good use setting his race car up to post another stellar run in the 3.7s. This time a 3.77 8 second pass, to easily outrun a tire-smoking Brown. The second round win set up a race against teammate Shawn Langdon in the semifinals.
 
For the third round in a row Kalitta had to race a former world champion at Houston Raceway Park. It was a teammate but none the less a very tough competitor. Langdon got a brief starting line advantage but Kalitta’s race car moved around him in less than 200 feet before Langdon hazed the tires as Kalitta was pulling away. It was not an easy win as Kalitta had his hands full with his race car as well and he had to pedal the Mobil 1 TRD race car to keep it accelerating for the win and another final round.
 
Looking for his 50^th career Top Fuel win Kalitta had to race No. 1 qualifier Steve Torrence in the final round. The team knew they had to give the reigning champion their best effort. The track had been consistent all race day but warmed up slightly for the final round which the Mobil 1 TRD team accounted for. Unfortunately, as Kalitta launched off the starting line his 11,000 horsepower race car over-powered the right lane and while Kalitta was able to adeptly pedal his dragster Torrence was able to get enough separation to hold on for the win even though he had his own issues.
 
“We were hoping to get this Mobil 1 car to the winner’s circle but we got the runner-up,” said Kalitta. “It was a good day overall. I am proud of everyone’s effort really. I was definitely on the tough side of the ladder racing three former world champions just to get to the final round. My guys are digging hard and we are super hungry to get another win. It is good to be moving up in the points. We are in the top five now and we just have to stay in there. We are definitely trying our hardest.”
 
Quotable: 
Doug Kalitta on heading to Epping in two weeks: “It is an interesting place to run. We are going to go out there and run hard and see what we can do. We are going in a good direction.”
 
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 9 (4.548 sec., 168.68 mph) 
Bonus points: 0

Race Details: 

First Round
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH 
Doug Kalitta                         9              .045        3.765     281.01 (W)
Brittany Force                        6              .055        4.738     171.69  
 
Second Round
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH 
Doug Kalitta                       9              .056        3.778     291.57 (W)
Antron Brown                       3              .054        5.889     116.72
 
Semifinals
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH 
Doug Kalitta                         9              .074        3.997     272.06 (W)
Shawn Langdon                    7             .049        4.181     221.09
 
Final
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH 
Doug Kalitta                         9              .052        5.706     168.26
Steve Torrence                      1              .054        4.001     260.06 (W)

Langdon Takes DHL to Semifinal Finish at SpringNationals in Houston

Shawn Langdon and the DHL Kalitta Air Top Fuel team made the most of every round of racing during the NHRA SpringNationals. The 2013 NHRA Top Fuel world champion and reigning U. S. Nationals champion qualified No. 7 and grabbed a first round win on Sunday morning before the rains moved in and forced all the teams to wait an extra day to complete the race at Houston Raceway Park.
 
The first round race was a rematch of the Gatornationals final round where Langdon came up just short against rookie Josh Hart. It was all Langdon yesterday as Hart grenaded his engine as soon as he hit the throttle and Langdon cruised to an easy first round win. Langdon got the jump off the starting line with a .048 reaction time. The win moved Langdon to the quarterfinals and a race against No. 13 qualifier Justin Ashley.
 
Today under cloudy but dry conditions Langdon rolled to the starting line against Ashley almost 20 hours after they were originally schedule to square off. Both of these drivers are tops in the Top Fuel category when it comes to average reaction time and Langdon was off the line first with another .040 light, more precisely a .046 reaction time, to give the DHL Kalitta Air dragster enough of a jump to win the race on a hole shot. Langdon lit up the scoreboard with a slower 3.797 second elapsed time against Ashley’s 3.781 second run but his starting line advantage proved to be the difference for the round win.
 
“We have a great race car and I have a lot of confidence in this DHL Kalitta Air team,” said Langdon before the semifinal race. “We had two tough racers in the first couple of rounds and now we are about to face our teammate. The good news is we are guaranteed a Kalitta race car in the final round.”
 
The semifinal match-up was a Kalitta Motorsports intra-squad race between Langdon and teammate Doug Kalitta who was flying the Mobil 1 TRD colors this weekend. Langdon was off the line first again with a .049 reaction time but Kalitta made up the difference almost immediately. As both race cars neared the 200 feet Langdon smoked the tires while Kalitta was wrestling his own dragster down the track as it mixed up cylinders. Kalitta had enough power to outrun a pedaling Langdon who never gave up on his race car.
 
The semifinal finish moved Langdon up to the No. 3 position in the Camping World Top Fuel point standings after five races. The team will head to the New England Nationals in two weeks.
 
Quotable:
Langdon on racing teammate Doug Kalitta in the semifinals: “The best time to race a teammate is in the finals when you know Kalitta Motorsports will be guaranteed a Wally. Racing Doug in the semis was the next best thing. They have a great race car and it is cool to see the Mobil 1 TRD dragster going on to the finals. Hopefully he can get his 50^th win and park that car in the winner’s circle. He is a tough guy to race.”
 
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 7 (4.407 sec., 179.92 mph) 
Bonus points: 0

Race Details:

First Round
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH  
Shawn Langdon                  7              .048        3.803     304.94 (W)
Josh Hart                              8              .067        No Time- Stopped on Track
 
Second Round
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH  
Shawn Langdon                  7              .046        3.797     318.02 (W)
Justin Ashley                        13           .079        3.781     321.50                  
 
Semifinals
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH  
Shawn Langdon                  7              .049        4.181     221.09
Doug Kalitta                          9              .074        3.997     272.06 (W)

J.R. Todd Stays Hot with Quarterfinal Finish in Houston; Second in Points

The DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car and J.R. Todd continued their hot start to the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season racing to the quarterfinals at the NHRA SpringNationals outside of Houston today. Todd has advanced to at least the quarterfinals at every NHRA national event this season. Last weekend the DHL team grabbed a runner-up finish at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals and today as the No. 8 qualifier they came up just short of another semifinal finish.
 
Todd was one of the fortunate Funny Cars to have two qualifying runs on Saturday before the rains moved in and halted qualifying action. The DHL Toyota Camry team jumped up into the top half of the field with a 3.994 second run to close out the session. Racing action was postponed from Sunday to Monday after persistent rain showers covered Houston Raceway Park with only one pair of Top Fuel dragsters remaining in the first round on Sunday.
 
On Monday morning under overcast skies Todd pulled up beside John Force who was the only driver quicker than him last weekend in the final quad in North Carolina. Today it was Todd getting the win with a strong 3.916 second elapsed time and 327.43 mph run. Todd and the DHL Toyota Funny Car never trailed in the race. The win moved Todd to the quarterfinals and also solidified his position as the No. 2 Funny Car in the NHRA Camping World point standings.
 
In the next round Todd drew the No. 1 qualifier Bob Tasca III with the chance to close the gap on the point leader. Todd took a sizeable lead off the starting line with a .061 to .100 reaction time advantage when the starting line Christmas Tree activated. Todd’s DHL Camry was charging hard the first half of the race and he was noticeably pulling away before Tasca got around him just before the finish line. The elapsed times were close, 3.993 to 3.923 seconds, when the reaction times were factored in the race was decided by .03 seconds or just about fifteen feet at over 320 mph.
 
“I am fired up to have a race car this quick and today just wasn’t our day,” said Todd. “We are off to a great start this season and we are about two rounds out of first place. I want to get more wins for this DHL Toyota Camry team and we are capable of getting on a streak. I am looking forward to a couple days off and then we will be right back at it in Epping.”
 
The DHL team will head to Epping, New Hampshire for the next NHRA national event just 42 points out of first place.
 
Quotable:
J.R. Todd on battling elements: “Everyone had to deal with the rain this weekend. We lost a qualifying session but we were lucky to get two runs on Saturday. We made the most of our opportunities for sure. I am glad this DHL Funny Car is running so well. We had a good couple of weekends.”
 
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 8 (3.994 sec., 322.58 mph)
Bonus points: 0

Race Details:
 
First Round
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH  
J.R. Todd                              8              .067        3.916     327.43 (W)         
John Force                            9              .082        3.971     323.35
 
Second Round
Driver                                    Qual       R/T         ET           MPH  
J.R. Todd                              8              .061        3.993     323.43                  
Bob Tasca III                         1              .100        3.923     327.98 (W)