Team chemistry powers al-Balooshi, Al-Anabi forward

By Our Correspondent/Sonoma, California

Team chemistry: it is a vital part of any successful team regardless of the sport. And for Khalid al-Balooshi and his Qatar Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel team, the two-time World Championship team owned by His Excellency Sheikh Khalid Hamad al-Thani, team chemistry is playing a very important role in the team’s success.

This weekend’s 26th annual Sonoma NHRA Nationals, the 15th of 24 races making up the United States’ NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, is the second race of the grueling NHRA “Western Swing,” races in Denver, Colorado, Sonoma, California and Seattle Washington on three consecutive weekends. Qualifying is set for Friday and Saturday with eliminations scheduled for Sunday.

Al-Balooshi is enjoying his second season in the Al-Anabi Top Fuel car way more than his first. Despite last week’s first-round loss, al-Balooshi is enjoying a successful season. He has won 16 rounds of racing so far, and that is two more round wins than his total round wins last year. With a win, two final rounds and two semi-final appearances, al-Balooshi is a strong fourth place in points and inching closer and closer towards the top of the standings. Al-Balooshi and his team have established an effective bond, and it is starting to pay dividends.

“Our Al-Anabi car was one of the best of the show last week in Denver,” al-Balooshi said. “We made some very good runs including when we lost in the first round, but I am excited to get to Sonoma this week so we can start finding our luck again. I feel that things are very good for us this season; our bad luck from last year is gone. This year, the crew guys know me, and I know them. I know what my crew chief is doing, and he knows what I am doing in the car. Everybody knows each other now; we are good together.”

Al-Balooshi and the gold Al-Anabi team debuted a new car a few races ago, and they are refining its tune-up in preparation for the final four races of the regular season. Improved communication between driver and crew chief is helping this team make great strides as the regular season begins to draw to a close.

“Before a run, I know 95 percent what the car is going to do,” al-Balooshi said. “I trust my crew chief, and I know exactly how he is thinking and how he puts the power in the car. I ask Jason (crew chief Jason McCulloch), “What do you think?” “What do you want to do on this run?” He tells me exactly what he wants the car to do. He tells me to do this so the car will do that, and the car does exactly what he tells me every time. That makes me feel confident in Jason and our crew. The car is going to the finish line – let’s go do it.”

Silver Al-Anabi driver Shawn Langdon increased his points lead and clinched his spot in the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs when he won his first-round race in Denver last weekend. Langdon’s team debuted a new car last weekend, and in the last four races of the regular season, the goal for the Al-Anabi team is to make any minor adjustments on the new car, refine the tune-up and maintain the points lead so that when the Countdown begins, the Al-Anabi team will be ready to make a run for a championship.

“The Al-Anabi car continues to run well, and we’re going rounds,” Langdon said. “That’s the biggest thing. The car makes very quick runs in qualifying so we are getting the qualifying bonus points. We’re qualifying towards the top of the field most of the time, and winning some rounds each week so we are earning points consistently. That’s what we need to keep doing.

“Now that we have clinched our spot in the Countdown, our main focus is to stay in first place so we can get as many points going into the Countdown as possible. That top seed is really important because of the extra points that come with it, and it’s something everybody wants. We know it won’t be easy, but going into the Countdown as the No 1 seed is our No 1 goal for the next few races. As long as we keep earning points like we are now, everything should work out in the end.”