Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon Eyes Big Weekend at Home Track for Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals

POMONA, CA – April 8, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Racing at his home track is always special for Shawn Langdon. But racing at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip during this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals will be even more memorable this season for the past Top Fuel world champion.

It’s the first Pomona race of the year during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season and also the first for Langdon at his home track since being named to NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers list at the start of the 2026 campaign.

Langdon will be officially recognized with that honor this weekend in Pomona and it comes at a perfect time with the veteran coming off his third straight Phoenix win at the most recent NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event. The team has plenty of momentum and a win this weekend in his 12,000-horsepower Kalitta Air Careers dragster would be extra meaningful on a number of levels.

“Being on NHRA’s top 75 drivers list is kind of weird for me, but it’s humbling, and I appreciate it,” Langdon said. “Good on NHRA for recognizing the drivers and a lot of the history of the sport because that’s what got us all into it. When I was a kid, I watched all those guys. A lot of those people I looked up to as a kid and got autographs from as a kid are heroes of mine.

“We have a lot of confidence going into Pomona and we have a lot of confidence about this season. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of success at Pomona. It’s my home track and I always look forward to racing there. We’re motivated to win races and winning at Pomona is always special. Connie (team owner Connie Kalitta) gives us everything we need to race for a championship and that’s what we want to do this season.”

In 2025, Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Clay Millican (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) claimed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals wins. This year’s race will be broadcast on FS1, with elimination coverage on Sunday, April 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. It is the third of 20 races during NHRA’s milestone year and it marks the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history.

It’s part of a loaded weekend that includes two rounds of qualifying on Friday and Saturday, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty bonus race on Saturday and 75th anniversary celebrations like:

• An appearance from NHRA legend and six-time champion Kenny Bernstein, in honor of his historic 310-mph pass at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in 1994.
• Other legends scheduled to appear include milestone Funny Car winners Larson, Gray, Wilkerson and Force, as well as legends like Don Prudhomme, Richard Tharp, Gary Beck, Jim Dunn and more.
• On Friday, the first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a special NHRA 75th anniversary Winternationals event poster.

Langdon will also be honored, but the best result would be finishing the weekend with another 75th anniversary diamond Wally. He picked up one in Phoenix to pull to third in points behind reigning world champ Doug Kalitta and Gainesville winner Josh Hart.

Other stalwarts in the category include rookie sensation Maddi Gordon, reigning regular season champ Tony Stewart, Leah Pruett, who advanced to the final in Phoenix, defending event winner Millican and four-time world champ Antron Brown.

It’s a loaded field, but Langdon feels incredibly confident with his car and the team surrounding him.

“The Kalitta Air Careers team is so good,” Langdon said. “When I’m inside the car, I demand perfection of myself. This is what I love to do and what I dream of doing. The thing I love about Brian (crew chief Brian Husen) is that he demands perfection from himself, he demands perfection from the team. I think a lot of the guys on our team are taking that same approach. We have a fantastic group and they just don’t make mistakes.”

Beckman will look to win again in Pomona, this time at the 1,000th Funny Car race. Others aiming for the milestone win include points leader Chad Green, Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, back-to-back champ Austin Prock, J.R. Todd and Spencer Hyde.

Reigning world champ Dallas Glenn is coming off a win in Phoenix, taking on the likes of Anderson, Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield and Gainesville winner Matt Hartford.

All weekend, fans also get to see racing action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

The Nitro Alley Stage is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere.

Race fans at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features qualifying at 1:30 and 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 10, and the final two rounds on Saturday, April 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. Television coverage includes eliminations on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

To purchase tickets to the 2026 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association

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