Fresh Faces In 2012 For Al-Anabi Racing

by Motor Sports Unplugged | December 16, 2011 at 05:26 am

300 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

In one of the biggest moves in recent NHRA history, the Al-Anabi Racing team led by team manager and 14-time NHRA national champion Alan Johnson, will be feature two new faces, which will bring with them an international scope for NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing.

When Del Worsham announced his sudden retirement from his championship driver’s seat to become Alexis DeJoria’s crew chief, it was a big surprise. Then, earlier this week, it was announced Larry Dixon, the three-time NHRA Full Throttle champion, had agreed to a mutual separation from the team, which left two of the best Top Fuel seats open.

Dixon joined the Al-Anabi Racing team when it was founded in 2009. He finished second, first and fourth in his three seasons at Al-Anabi, winning 19 races.

“Larry has been an integral member of Al-Anabi Racing for the past three seasons,” Johnson said. “He was instrumental in our successes including winning our first NHRA Full Throttle championship in 2010. He represented Al-Anabi Racing, Full Throttle and the NHRA as a great champion.

“As difficult as some decisions can be, there are times when they become necessary but can be best for everyone involved. I am proud to have raced with Larry, and I have great respect for his driving ability. I know I speak for everyone at Al-Anabi Racing when I wish him all the best.”

“I enjoyed my three seasons driving the Al-Anabi Top Fuel car," Dixon said. “We had a lot of wins and definitely the highlight was the NHRA Full Throttle Championship last year. I have many fond memories of working with Alan, Jason (McCulloch) and our crew, but I am anxious to see what the future has in store for me. I want to thank Sheikh Khalid, Alan and everyone at AJR for my time there and wish them all the best.”

Almost as soon as the first Al-Anabi announcement was complete it was followed by the news that Shawn Langdon had joined the team.

Langdon, 29, comes to Al-Anabi Racing from Morgan Lucas Racing where he drove the last three years beginning with his rookie season in 2009. In his 69 career NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series starts, he has four runnerup finishes but has yet to win his first race.

He finished ninth in the NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel point standings this year, fifth in 2010 and ninth in 2009. He won the NHRA Lucas Oil Super Comp championship in 2007 and ’08. The Mira Loma, Calif., native now lives near Indianapolis.

“This is probably one of the biggest moments of my life and the biggest moments of my racing career,” Langdon said. “To get a phone call from Alan Johnson is probably one of the best phone calls you’ll ever get, but it’s a little intimidating, too. To get a call from the guy that runs such a high-caliber team, that’s one of the best tuners in the sport and that’s won 10 Top Fuel championships is a very big honor.

“I’ll be proud to fly the maroon colors for the country of Qatar, and I want to thank Sheik Khalid (Al-Anabi Racing team owner Sheik Khalid al Thani), Alan Johnson and everyone at Al-Anabi Racing for the opportunity. Hopefully, we can keep that No. 1 on one of the Al-Anabi cars for years to come.”

“All of us at Al-Anabi Racing and Alan Johnson Racing are excited to welcome Shawn to our team,” Johnson said. “We look forward to sharing with Shawn the elements of our organization that have helped us win races and championships. Shawn’s dedication to driving race cars at the highest level will be a great addition to the team of crew members that will prepare his car with that same enthusiasm.

“Shawn has yet to win a Top Fuel race, but we are confident if we provide him with a championship-caliber car he will find a way to win.”

With Worsham’s retirement on Nov. 21, Al-Anabi Racing still had one seat to fill, as the team will field two Top Fuel cars for the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season.

On Wednesday, Khalid alBalooshi was named to be the new driver of the Al-Anabi gold Top Fuel dragster, taking over Worsham’s ride. He began his tenure with a test session this week in West Palm Beach, Fla. Langdon, now the driver of the silver dragster, also participated in the test.

Prior to this week’s test session, alBalooshi had never driven a Top Fuel dragster. During the test, alBalooshi earned his Top Fuel license by completing a series of different-length passes until making the full 1000-foot pass as required by NHRA, a 3.86-second pass at 319 mph.

“I like driving the Top Fuel car and learning what is going on with the car step-by-step,” alBalooshi said. “The car is perfect. Alan and all of the crew are taking good care of me, they are paying close attention to where I need help. They are making sure I am comfortable in the car and checking on every detail, and that is very important to me.

“I appreciate everyone doing this for us. Going from 3,000 horsepower in Pro Mod up to 8,000 horsepower in Top Fuel is a big jump. In Top Fuel, you go faster and faster. It is a big difference. It is much faster from start to finish line than Pro Mod; the feeling is just so much faster. 3.86 at 319 mph is not bad; it is very good. I would like to thank Sheik Khalid and Alan Johnson for giving me this opportunity.”

During the 2011 drag racing season, alBalooshi, 32, won the 2011 NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Championship and the 2011 Arabian Drag Racing League Pro Mod Championship, winning five of the season’s seven races in Qatar. In addition, he finished second in the American Drag Racing League Pro Mod point standings. Last year, he won Qatar’s Arabian Drag Racing League Pro Mod championship, winning four of the eight races.

The Dubai, UAE native has won 158 races in the Pro Mod, Outlaw and Super Street classes combined. He began his career as a professional driver in October of 2001 and has now reached a top speed of 319 mph. Although currently living in Dubai, alBalooshi plans to relocate to the United States.

alBalooshi is not the first rookie driver Al-Anabi team manager Johnson has brought into NHRA Drag Racing. In 1997, Johnson fielded the Team Winston Top Fuel dragster with rookie driver Gary Scelzi. The team won 11 races and the NHRA Winston Top Fuel championship that year. The Johnson-Scelzi duo also won the championship in 1998 winning six races.

“Khalid alBalooshi has been a star within the Al-Anabi Racing organization for many years,” Johnson said. “We at Alan Johnson Racing welcome him to our Top Fuel team with great excitement. Balooshi is a true competitor that has made the commitment to race Top Fuel and compete at the level of excellence we expect at Al-Anabi and AJR.

“Though Balooshi is a Top Fuel rookie, he has extensive drag racing experience, and we look forward to watching him learn to compete at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series level.

“When we started this team, we said that one of our goals was to promote international drag racing awareness, specifically in the nation of Qatar. Now we have a driver who has won a championship in Qatar competing in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

“alBalooshi driving the Al-Anabi Top Fuel car will further that goal while galvanizing the reality that drag racing is becoming an international motorsport that appeals to many different cultures throughout the world.”

http://motorsportsunplugged.com/NHRA/?p=2240