Shawn Langdon going for broke at Reading

Langdon says now is the time to go for broke

Shawn Langdon

Photo by: Ted Rossino

READING, Pa. (Sept. 27) – As the NHRA Full Throttle Series heads to this weekend's 27th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at historic Maple Grove Raceway, the last Eastern race of the season, Shawn Langdon and the Lucas Oil/Speedco Top Fuel dragster team are bracing for anything.

"You never quite know what to expect when you roll into Maple Grove," Langdon said. "The conditions are usually cool and with the trees surrounding the track you're going to be able to make good power. It can be really good. Of course, it could rain all weekend also."

As it always seems to be the case in eastern Pennsylvania in the fall, keeping an eye on the weather radar always is a factor at this race.

"You hope rain isn’t in the forecast when you go to a track," Langdon said. "But at this place, you pay a little closer attention because rain tends to come into play at some point during the weekend whenever we're in Reading."

The team is trying to recapture the form it had in June and July, when the Lucas Oil rail was a regular top-half qualifier.

"In every season you have your ups and downs," Langdon said. "We've hit a rough patch the past few races. Everybody needs to pull together for these last four races of the season.

"It'd be nice to be able to get hot again, maybe move up a couple of spots and build momentum heading in the offseason. We can't afford to wait, we need to make some swings now before we run out of races."

Langdon remains eighth in Top Fuel points, 49 points behind seventh place Doug Kalitta.

This weekend, Langdon also will race in Super Comp, giving him two chances to earn a Wally trophy.

"It helps me to stay focused," Langdon said of driving two cars. "You have to be near perfect on the tree every time up there in Super Comp so you tend to stay dialed in."