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Things don’t always work out as planned, and that is the case for the Qatar Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel team, the three-time and defending World Championship team owned by HE Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad al-Thani, entering this weekend’s penultimate race of the season. |
Reigning World Champion Shawn Langdon and his teammate, Khalid al-Balooshi of Dubai enter this weekend’s 14th annual Toyota NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada, the 23rd of 24 races making up the United States’ 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the fifth of six events that comprise the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs, looking to salvage the 2014 playoffs.
Qualifying is set for tomorrow and Saturday with eliminations scheduled for Sunday.
Langdon entered the NHRA Playoffs as the third seed with aspirations of successfully defending his 2013 World Championship, but two first-round losses in the first four races of the playoffs have the defending world champs entering this weekend’s race in fourth place with two races remaining.
It is still possible for Langdon to win the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel World Championship, but Langdon and his silver Al-Anabi team would need two perfect races and a great deal of help from points leader Tony Schumacher who enjoys a commanding points lead on the strength of three wins in four playoff races.
“At this point, we just need to focus on getting the Al-Anabi car where we want it,” Langdon said. “We’re not focused on points, we’re not focused on what other people are doing. Tony (Schumacher) has a seven-round lead with eight rounds to go so if there is a chance for us, we’re going to need a lot of help.
“Everything is going to have to fall our way. We can’t go into these last two races with any expectations, but if things fall our way, we’ll do the best job we can possibly do to contend for the championship.
“If we can’t, we’re going to do the best job we can to contend for second place. With the intense competition in Top Fuel, second place isn’t a bad thing, but as long as we have a chance, we’re still shooting for the championship.”
Al-Balooshi and his gold Al-Anabi team reached the final round of eliminations at the first playoff race and surged from seventh to fourth in the point standings, but first-round losses at the next two races dropped the third-year Top Fuel driver back to eighth place with two races remaining.
Still, the Dubai native has a career best two Top Fuel wins this season, and while he is realistic about the point standings, he knows his gold Al-Anabi team is capable of putting more wins in the win column.
“We are in eighth place in the points, but we are close to fifth,” alBalooshi said. “We need to try our best to move up in the points in the last two races. We are looking for a strong finish in the last two races. At the next race, we want to have our stuff in good shape and race on the good track they have over there (in Las Vegas).
“I am happy with what the Al-Anabi team has done this year, but I know our team can do better. This year, we have been in way better shape than in the last two years, but still, we are looking to make the season better with what we can do in the last two races.”
