Kalitta Motorsports News, Shawn Langdon News

SHAWN LANGDON, KALITTA AIR CAREERS TEAM WANT TWO OUT OF THREE

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Shawn Langdon
02
Apr

YPSILANTI, Mich. (April 2, 2024) – After a flawless season debut in Florida, Shawn Langdon’s Kalitta Air Careers Toyota team will roll into the Arizona desert as the points leader that’s ready to return to the form it showed in the season-opening race. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Season resumes April 5-7, 2024 at the NHRA Arizona Nationals in Chandler, Ariz.

The Kalitta Air Careers team and first-time crew chief Brian Husen were, indeed, spectacular at the season’s first race. Challenging weather, shortened qualifying and a dropped cylinder eliminated Langdon in the second round at Pomona, Calif., two weeks ago, but the team maintained its points lead and enters race No. 3 poised for a return to the high-level performance it enjoyed in winning the season’s first race.

“It’s good to be the points leader so we’re excited to get to Phoenix to continue what our Kalitta Air Careers team accomplished the first couple of races which have gone very well,” Langdon said. “Everything’s been good so far; we’re just looking to keep progressing with what we have going.”

What they have going is a new crew chief in Brian Husen, a new car along with some crew members who are in different positions as well as others who are new to the team.

“Everybody’s been doing a great job,” the 2013 Top Fuel champion added. “We really haven’t made any mistakes this year which is really good with a lot of new things, new people and a lot of guys in new positions. They’ve done a really good job working together and working as a team. Knowing you have a good team behind you gives you more confidence as a driver.”

That confidence and high-level team performance could give Langdon and team the nudge they need to win this week’s race after posting a runner-up finish in the desert last year.

“We feel like we have a car capable of that – that’s definitely the gameplan heading into Phoenix,” Langdon said. “I feel like our Kalitta Air Careers team has some unfinished business.

“I’ve always enjoyed racing in Phoenix,” Langdon added. “I’ve raced there since my junior dragster days in the late 1990s so I have a lot of memories at that track. I enjoy going there – I love the area; it’s an awesome area with great golf courses, and I enjoy going to that track. I’m definitely happy we’re going back, and I hope we get to race there for a long time.” 

Race Information: NHRA Arizona Nationals – Firebird Motorsports Park, Chandler, Ariz.

TV Schedule (All times eastern):   

  • Qualifying 1: 9:30-11 p.m. Friday, April 5 on FS1
  • Qualifying 2: 10:30-Noon Sunday, April 7 on FS1
  • Finals: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sunday, April 5 on FS1

2023 NHRA Arizona Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 8; defeated Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta and Leah Pruett before losing to Justin Ashley in the final round.

Shawn Langdon Career Stats: 331 events, 18 wins, 21 runner-up, 349 round wins, 20 No. 1 qualifiers.

2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results To Date:

  • Gainesville: Qualified No. 1; defeated Cody Krohn, Justin Ashley, Antron Brown and Billy Torrence.
  • Pomona: Qualified No. 7; defeated Krista Baldwin; lost to Tony Schumacher.