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Shawn Langdon celebrated his first NHRA Mello Yello Series Championship victory after qualifying at his home track, Pomona, before going on to win the final round of the 2013 season in his Al Anabi Racing dragster.
It has been a sensational season for Langdon and the Qatari based team, the Top Fuel Championship their third World title. Langdon created history as the first driver to win Championships at all major of NHRA competition – NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League, the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, and the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
In the final, he confirmed his Championship by defeating Doug Kalitta in the final. He made it to the decider by defeating Steve Torrence, Australian Dave Grubnic and Clay Millican. Kalitta made it into the final after taking care of Brittany Force in the Castrol EDGE Top Fueller – her best run of the season.
FUNNY CAR
Matt Hagan took his 10th career victory in his 25th final round appearance through getting by recently crowned Champion, John Force.
The Mopar man and Force left the line with an identical reaction time, Hagan getting to the end of the strip just four one-hundredths of a second quicker than the Castrol GTX legend.
Hagan took care of Alexis de Joria, the retiring Johnny Gray and Cruz Pedregon on his way to the final, whilst Force eliminated Bob Bode, Jeff Arend and Gary Densham.
Earlier in the weekend – Force shot to a new track record time in qualifying, determining he was the fastest qualifier, the 146th time in his career that achievement had been made.
Australian, Peter Russo made a rare qualifying appearance, however was not able to make the 16 car field, qualifying 23rd.
PRO STOCK
Pro Stock crowned a first time winner in Rickie Jones. It was his first final round of the season and fourth career appearance in a decider.
He beat home Allen Johnson in his 44th final round appearance.
Johnson eliminated one of his chief rivals throughout the season in the second round in Jeg Coughlin Jr. Coughlin had earlier wrapped up the Mello Yello Championship when Jason Line was eliminated in the first round.
It is Coughlin’s fifth Championship and first since he returned from a two year sabbatical last year.
PRO STOCK BIKE
Eddie Kraewic took out Pro Stock Motorcycle defeating Scotty Pollachek.
Pollachek pushed out lady racer Katie Sullivan in the semi-finals after earlier in the day she got the best of the all girl match up in the first round with Angie Smith.
New Champion, Matt Smith was eliminated in the first round in a disappointing weekend where he could only manage to qualify 14th.
Thus ends the first season of the NHRA Championship under the Mello Yello banner and whilst crowd wise and developing the sport it can be considered a success, the departure of big name sponsors and categories at some events failing to present full fields leaves the NHRA with a great deal of consideration to be done over the winter recess.
