[h=2]Langdon set to return to NHRA Top Fuel with Kalitta team[/h] Thursday, 06 April 2017


RACER staff / Image courtesy of Kalitta Motorsports








2013 NHRA Top Fuel champ Shawn Langdon is set to return to NHRA competition action in a new entry for Kalitta Motorsports, effective with the next round of the Mello Yello Series' next event in Houston. His car will be backed by Global Electronic Technology, a payment processing company based on Torrance, Calif.
"I'm really excited about the opportunity to drive the Global Electronic Technology dragster," said the 34-year-old Langdon. "It is awesome to see new companies like Global Electronic Technology come in to drag racing and I am excited to be a part of it."
Langdown had been without a drive this season after his Don Schumacher Racing entry was mothballed for lack of sponsorship. He won three races last year while competing full-time for DSR.
"It's been a tough year so far with me sitting on the sidelines. It has been the first time since my rookie year in 2009 that I haven't been able to attend the NHRA races," Langdon said. "I cannot thank Connie (Kalitta) and Jim O (Oberhofer) enough for the opportunity. Kalitta has top quality cars that contend for wins and championships, so I feel that this partnership will work well. I also want to thank Don (Schumacher) and everybody at Don Schumacher Racing for bringing me in when I didn't have a ride and making me feel like part of the family. We did everything we could to find adequate funding, and I want to thank Don for keeping me on the payroll throughout the process of trying to find sponsorship."
"My focus is to contend for a championship. We are seven rounds out of the top 10 and we have 14 races to catch up and I am confident in my chances with the group that Kalitta is putting behind me."
The Kalitta team's new look five-team effort with Top Fuel drivers Coughlin Jr., Kalitta and Langdon and Funny Car drivers Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd will make its official debut at the NHRA SpringNationals in Houston April 21-23.
Team owner Don Schumacher thanked Langdon for his efforts in confirming he had released his former driver to pursue the new drive.
"Shawn always will be part of the Don Schumacher Racing family," said Schumacher. "He was a great, great asset to our team and an excellent teammate for our seven other drivers.
"We have been looking for partners to help us run his team, but I will never stand in the way of a driver wanting to race. If I can't give him that opportunity then I won't hold him back."