Langdon Takes on Windy City Hunting Third Win

Shawn Langdon arrives in Chicago this week with a special goal on his mind. The veteran driver is seeking his third straight Top Fuel victory as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series stops at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals, held May 16-18 at Route 66 Raceway near Joliet, Illinois.

Langdon’s season so far has been strong, with two wins in the first five NHRA events. He also picked up a win last weekend at the TV Promotions Twin $50K held at Worldwide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis.

That momentum has him entering this race as the Top Fuel points leader, enjoying a 60-point gap ahead of Tony Stewart. Langdon’s most recent win came at Charlotte, where he captured the special milestone of the NHRA’s 1,000th Top Fuel race.

The accomplishment puts him in elite company, sitting beside legends like Don Garlits, who won the very first NHRA Top Fuel event. For more on the history of Top Fuel racing, you can explore the NHRA’s official archives. Langdon, who claimed the Top Fuel championship in 2013, says the good results this year make for a satisfying start.

“It’s definitely been a really good start to the season with two race wins and a runner-up and then winning the bracket race last weekend,” he said. The Kalitta Air Careers team prepared the car flawlessly, helping him earn early 2025 success.

For Langdon and the Kalitta Motorsports crew, consistency has been key. “We have to keep doing what we’re doing. We do that by going through the car to double-check everything—every part. We need to do everything we can do to make sure we don’t make mistakes,” Langdon explained. With each race, the team does careful checks aiming for mistake-free runs.

He admits Chicago has been a challenging track for him in past years. “Chicago’s always been a track where I’ve struggled a little bit so it would be nice to actually get a win there,” he added. For more details on Route 66 Raceway’s layout and history, check out the Joliet Area Historical Museum.

This weekend is a chance to change that history. Race fans can follow Langdon’s progress as qualifying begins Friday, May 16, with televised coverage from 9:30 to 11 p.m. on FS1.

There’s a second qualifying show at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 18, also on FS1. The finals will air from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

With the championship fight heating up, each round becomes even more important for the points battle. The Route 66 NHRA Nationals always draw a strong field, with other stars like Brittany Force and Doug Kalitta looking for big results. Force is aiming for redemption in Chicago, while Kalitta is “ready to roll” for another shot at victory. Fan-favorite racer Josh Hart is also looking to keep his own positive momentum alive this weekend.

Langdon says that while the 1,000th event victory was special, the main focus remains on the season-long championship race. There’s still plenty of work ahead, but the Kalitta Air Careers team has shown they can compete with the best. For deeper insights into drag racing strategy, the Society of Automotive Engineers offers valuable technical resources. Coverage of the event featuring top drivers like Jim Dunn highlights the intense competition at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals.

If Langdon captures a third consecutive victory at Route 66 Raceway, his grip on the points lead will only tighten, putting him in a strong position as the NHRA season heads into the busy summer stretch. Fans are closely watching as Randy Meyer looks to secure another runner-up finish this weekend.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.