2013 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel World Champion Shawn Langdon deploys a parachute to slow the silver Al Anabi Racing Top Fuel dragster last month in Pomona, California.
GAINESVILLE, Florida: The 45th annual Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals, considered “A Major” on the NHRA tour by many, is named for the Florida Gators, the mascot of the nearby University of Florida, and the Qatar Al Anabi Racing Top Fuel Team is due for a Gatornationals victory. Drivers Khalid alBalooshi and Shawn Langdon enter the Florida race eager to return the Qatar Al Anabi Racing Top Fuel Team, the three-time and defending World Championship team owned by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, to the Gainesville winner’s circle for the first time since 2011 at this weekend’s NHRA Gatornationals. It is the third of 24 races making up the United States’ 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Qualifying is set for tomorrow and Saturday with eliminations scheduled for Sunday.
The Qatar Al Anabi Racing Team won the Gatornationals in 2009 and 2011 with drivers Larry Dixon and Del Worsham, respectively. Neither Langdon nor alBalooshi has won the Gatornationals, but team manager Alan Johnson and crew chiefs Jason McCulloch and Brian Husen have extensive experience and multiple wins in Gainesville. With both the silver and gold Al Anabi teams running well, 2014 could be the year the team returns to the Gatornationals winner’s circle.
“I am very excited to go the third race of the season in Gainesville,” alBalooshi said. “It is a big race at good track, and our Al Anabi team has already shown we can win there; we have a good hot rod this year so I feel good about the race this week. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and getting back in the car.”
“The Gatornationals is always a big event because it’s our first event on the (United States) East coast,” Langdon said. “It’s always an event we enjoy. Depending on the conditions, you can make some really good laps in Gainesville. The Al-Anabi team is confident going into the Gatornationals with the setup we have; in the last couple of years, we haven’t had too much success there, but we still feel very confident heading into this weekend. Our team has won this race a couple of times, and I know Alan, Brian and Jason will have our cars ready to race this weekend.”
AlBalooshi enters the Gatornationals in second place in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings. He won the Circle K NHRA Winternationals last month, the season’s first race and had a disappointing quarterfinal loss at the second race of the season in Phoenix. Still, the Dubai native knows the gold Al-Anabi team has massive potential.
“I know exactly what happened with us in the second race (In Phoenix last month),” alBalooshi said. “I think everything will be OK for our team this week. I’ve been talking with my crew chief (Jason McCulloch), and I know what happened in our second round with (Doug) Kalitta. I think we will be good for the next race. Our Al-Anabi team is going in the right direction this year. But what I can tell you right now is that our team is doing a very good job, and I am excited to get to the race track and do my job in Florida this week.”
The Peninsula
