Shawn Langdon Joins Don Schumacher Racing
Langdon, who began the season with Alan Johnson Racing, had locked up the sixth seed in the six-race Countdown to the Championship that begins at this weekends event, however AJR were unable to secure funding to continue running the in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and announced yesterday they were ceasing operations.
After yesterday's announcement, team owners Alan Johnson and Don Schumacher agreed on a deal that would allow Langdon a chance to compete in the Countdown driving their third Top Fuel entry, which missed the Countdown field after parting ways with driver Spencer Massey just prior to last weeks US Nationals in Indianapolis. Langdon will replace his former teammate Khalid alBalooshi, who drive the car at Indianapolis.
Langdon, the 2013 NHRA Top Fuel World Champion, has notched one victory this season at the opening race at Pomona in February.
“It’s unfortunate that Alan Johnson Racing cannot compete for the Mello Yello championship this year," Johnson said. “Our arrangement with DSR is the best for NHRA drag racing, the best for the fans, the best for Shawn, and it helps out a fellow competitor – it really should work out well for everyone involved. Sometimes, it’s good to put ‘what’s best for the sport’ ahead of everything else. I think this circumstance is one of those times."
Term of the deal reached between the two organizations were not disclosed, however AJR said that Langdon would resume his duties with the team at the end of the 2015 season.