Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon Looks to Keep Rolling at Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals after Snapping Dry Spell

POMONA, CA – March 20, 2024 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – In picking up his first win in nearly four years to open the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, Shawn Langdon also picked up a handful of significant milestones along the way.

Along with the first Gatornationals win for the former Top Fuel world champ, Langdon also helped Kalitta Motorsports pick up its first-ever double-up in the nitro categories, handing Brian Husen a victory in his first race since being name crew chief before the season. It also gave Langdon his first victory at a season-opening race since 2015, summing up the fact that things couldn’t have gone much better for the veteran.

That 2015 season-opening victory came in Pomona, where Langdon will be this weekend for the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. It’s still a very special race for the Mira Loma, Calif. native, especially since he’ll have the chance to continue his strong start at the second race of the 2024 season in his 11,000-horsepower Kalitta Air Careers Toyota dragster.

“A lot of this sport is results-driven, so when you go in a drought, you (see) the things online,” Langdon said. “But you take it with a grain of salt, keep your head down and keep working. But you’re with a great organization and we get the best of everything. Connie (Kalitta, team owner) is a great leader and sets a great example, so we really feel like we race as a family. It’s a great atmosphere over here. We’re going to get everything ready for Pomona and we consider it one of the majors. We’re going to keep working and try to progress as a team.”

Last year, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) took home top honors in their respective categories at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. To repeat their titles, they’ll need to get past some of the biggest names in the sport at a race that will again be broadcasted on FS1, including eliminations coverage on Sunday, March 24 at 7 p.m. ET.

It’s the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA season and Langdon couldn’t be happier with the start in Gainesville, which also included his first No. 1 qualifier since 2020. Things won’t get easier in a loaded Top Fuel lineup that includes teammate and defending world champion Doug Kalitta, Brittany Force, Ashley, Tony Schumacher and Top Fuel newcomer and racing legend Tony Stewart.

But with Husen calling the shots, things have…