Pomona: Langdon makes quickest run in history

Shawn Langdon

Shawn Langdon claimed the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel Saturday afternoon in record-setting fashion at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals. The final round of qualifying was cancelled due to rain.

Langdon set Auto Club Raceway at Pomona track records for time and speed with a performance of 3.700 seconds at 328.30 mph. Langdon's time will become a national record if he can certify the performance by posting another run on Sunday within 1 percent of 3.700 seconds – a time of 3.737 seconds or quicker. This is the 17th time in his career that he has secured the No. 1 qualifier.

"It was just a picture perfect run," Langdon said. "It left, had the front end up, it was accelerating hard and it just pulled all the way until I shut it off. I went through the finish line and I thought I got a glimpse of the 3.70 on the scoreboard but wasn't really sure. On a 100 degree day on the track, I really wasn't even thinking about a 3.70. It wasn't really until I turned the corner and saw everyone hooting and hollering that I was like 'Ah, I guess I did see that.'"

Courtney Force

Courtney Force (Funny Car) and Erica Enders-Stevens (Pro Stock) also will lead their respective categories into Sunday's 11 a.m. eliminations at the 2015 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series opener.

Force set a career best time in the third round, posting a 3.995-second effort at 322.65 mph in a Chevy Camaro. This marks the eighth time Force has raced to the No. 1 qualifying position in her career. She was the Winternationals No. 1 qualifier in 2013.

Enders-Stevens, the 2014 Pro Stock world champion, was able to reconcile a disappointing first day of qualifying by taking the lead in the third round on Saturday. Her 6.516 second sprint at 213.10 mph in a Camaro moved her to the top in Pro Stock heading into race day. On Friday, Enders-Stevens did not complete a full pass in either of her first two qualifying attempts as she struggled to keep traction.