It would have taken a specific set of circumstances for NHRA Top Fuel points leader Shawn Langdon to clinch the title after this weekend’s Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Still, Langdon has taken matters into his own hands at the next-to-last race to put himself in the best position to inch closer to his second title.
Langdon posted the fastest Top Fuel run at an elapsed time of 3.672 seconds (332.59) to earn the No. 1 qualifying spot for Sunday’s elimination rounds, which begin at 11 a.m. for the Nitro classes (Top Fuel and Funny Car).
“We just got to (do) what we did today,” Langdon said Friday after he posted his first time during the second round of qualifying at night after a nearly two-hour rain delay pushed back that night’s sessions. “Just keep going out and doing what we’ve been doing, making good runs.
“(It’s) not getting caught up in the extra addition of little things. At the end of the day, we can’t falter because we know the history of (crew chief) Alan Johnson and Doug Kalitta (who is second in the points). We know what they’re capable of, so we still have to go out there and do our jobs at the end of the day. If we do falter, they will be right on our ass.”
Jack Beckman’s Friday run of 3.836 seconds (335.32 mph) held on after Saturday’s qualifying run to make Beckman the No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car. Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan (3.868 seconds, 332.51 mph) qualified second.
Langdon entered Las Vegas with a 139-point lead and would have to finish the Las Vegas Nationals with a 191-point advantage over his teammate Kalitta to win the title. Kalitta qualified fifth (3.695 seconds, 335.73 mph). Langdon will need to win on Sunday and have Kalitta be eliminated in the first round.
The odds of that are slim given Kalitta’s track record. He is the reigning Top Fuel champion and has four wins this season and four runner-up finishes. Kalitta is a three-time Las Vegas winner.
Saturday’s qualifying sessions were moved up an hour due to the threat of rain and inclement weather in Las Vegas later in the afternoon. On Sunday, temperatures will be in the mid-60s with mostly overcast skies, which will lead to a cool race track with the possibility for high speeds. The chance of rain will be prevalent during the first two rounds of eliminations.
Langdon’s fast run on Friday could mirror similar conditions for Sunday later in the day, especially if any early rounds are delayed due to rain.
“You got to find the power, that’s one of the big things,” Langdon said Friday. “It’s applying it to the track. The track’s good, so you have to get the power level right and get the clutch right for the track. Having two good runs (Friday) gives you a little bit of confidence to be able press it and see exactly what it can hold.”
Hagan entered Las Vegas with a 98-point lead over Jordan Vandergriff, who qualified third (3.868 seconds, 327.74 mph). Beckman entered Las Vegas 160 points behind Hagan, with still a mathematical shot at the title.
“Barring a miracle, we’re not going to catch Hagan,” Beckman said Friday. “Our goal is to win two races and if that means we finish second (in the points), that’s good.”
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
Up next
NHRA Las Vegas Nationals schedule
At Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sunday
■ Nitro eliminations: 11 a.m., 1:20, 3:15 and 4:40 p.m. (finals)
■ Pro Stock eliminations: noon, 1:55, 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. (finals)
No. 1 qualifiers
Top Fuel: Shawn Langdon (3.672 seconds, 332.59 mph)
Funny Car: Jack Beckman (3.836, 335.32)
Pro Stock Car: Dallas Glenn (6.620, 205.91)
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Gaige Herrera (6.799, 197.91)
