TJ Pruitt
Alan Johnson Racing announced that it will be fielding one Top Fuel dragster driven by 2013 Mello Yello world champion Shawn Langdon at the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season opener next week, the 55th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals in Pomona.
Alan Johnson Racing is moving forward into the new season while exploring multiple sponsorship options for 2015 and beyond after unexpectedly losing its funding in the final days of 2014. Longtime Alan Johnson Racing crew chiefs Brian Husen and Jason McCulloch will serve as co-crew chiefs on Langdon’s Alan Johnson Racing dragster. With the separation from Al-Anabi Racing, Khalid alBalooshi is no longer driving for Alan Johnson Racing.
“We enjoyed our six years with Al-Anabi Racing, and we experienced great success,” said Johnson. “We appreciate the opportunity to compete for Al-Anabi Racing and thank Sheikh Khalid [Al-Anabi Racing team owner, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani] for everything he did for us. We had a great run, but now we must move on and focus on the future.
“We are going to Pomona with every intention of winning the Winternationals; we are in discussions with multiple entities about sponsoring our race team, and part of that process is showing the level of excellence at which our team competes. We won the Winternationals last year, and our goal is to repeat as Winternationals champions next weekend.”
AJR won NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world championships in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2010, 2011, and 2013. The team won 42 races in the last six seasons with drivers Larry Dixon, Del Worsham, Langdon, and alBalooshi. The team will make another announcement regarding its future when it has additional information; until that time, team members remain unable to grant any interview requests.
Langdon is also on the entry list for the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals in Phoenix.
