Monday, September 24, 2012

On The Cusp: Interview with Shawn Langdon

Gary Nastase Photo
Shawn Langdon for many years had been looking for an opportunity to showcase his driving ability. He got a tremendous opportunity when over the winter Al Anabi, the 2 Time Defending Top Fuel Championship team with both Del Worsham and Larry Dixon left during the off season. Alan Johnson quickly hired the young hot shoe along with defending NHRA Pro Mod Champ Khalid Al Balooshi to complete their line-up for the 2012 full throttle season. At the most recent O'Reilly AutoParts Nationals at Z Max DragWay, Langdon finally scored his long awaited first national event win, defeating 7-time Top Fuel Champion Tony Schumacher and the US Army Dragster in the final round 3.78 to 3.80. The Avon Indiana resident had finally won.


Toyota Racing Photo
Shawn's career began at age 14, when he won the national championship in the NHRA Jr Dragster league. In 2007-08, Shawn captured The Lucas Oil Drag Racing series Super Comp championship, and in 2009 made his Top Fuel debut contending for Rookie Of the Year. Today, Shawn has his best shot that he has ever had at winning a top fuel championship driving for Alan Johnson Racing. I was able to interview this young gun about a multitude of subjects, one of which were his feelings upon winning his ever national event:

"It was definitely a great feeling, the fact that being 87 races into (my career), and the 18th race with Al Anabi; I obviously wanted to win a lot quicker than that" Said the Avon Indiana resident "The biggest thing about the win is that I didn't get a lot of self satisfaction out it, I just felt so happy for the guys on the team. I was so proud to be part of the team." Shawn added 
"For Sheikh Khalid, and for Alan to restructure the whole team at the beginning of the year, and with the results not coming quickly as we would've liked. But the guys kept their heads up, never gave up. It was just an overall great team effort"



Driving for one of, if not the most respected tuner in the sport in Alan Johnson, a driver knows that he is in very good company. With Alan tuning for some of drag racing's best in Blaine Johnson, Gary Scelzi, Tony Schumacher, Larry Dixon, and Del Worsham, Shawn immediately knew he was in good company when he received the phone call notifying him of his new ride for 2012:
His excellency Sheikh Bin Khalid Al Thani


"It was a very humbling feeling because I thought of Alan Johnson in the highest regard. All of the drivers that he has had driving for him have been some of the biggest names in the sport" A fact not lost on Shawn "For me to get the phone call from Sheikh Khalid and Alan was humbling because I look at it to be very blessed. Definitely one of the nicest phone calls i've ever gotten. I feel so fortunate to be driving for them"




                                                                With just one race down, and 5 to go in the Countdown to the Championship; the win by Langdon and the Al Anabi team showed that peeking at the right time is paramount in winning the Top Fuel Title. The Avon, Indiana native described to me his feelings on the subject:


"At the begining of the year, we made some good runs and it showed signs of improvement but it still wasn't quite there." Said Langdon "Some of the time it would make a good run, it would be a little better than what we thought. Other times it wouldn't. But now I think we have a pretty good handle on the car to get to within a hundredth of what they think it can run" Shawn then said "Even during the Western swing the car would make good runs but it wasn't quite there. But once we got to Indy and Charlotte, the car definitely turned the corner in the right direction"


With races being decided by thousandths of a second, reaction times can be a tremendous difference in determining the winner in drag racing. With Shawn being known as one of the best leavers in the sport, I asked him what makes a driver such as him so good at leaving the start line:


"Thats a million dollar question LOL. I would love to say it takes some special talent. I really think it's just my love and passion for the sport and to be doing what I am doing" Said the passionate Al Anabi Driver "I'm a competitive person, and I will do my best to beat my opponent and not do it half assed. If I'm going to do my best, I am going to give it       my all"


The 2012 season in Top Fuel has been one of the most competitive on record with 7 different drivers winning in the 18 events up to this point. With winners such as Steve Torrence and the resurgence of the Kalitta team and Morgan Lucas, Top Fuel is proving to be a dog fight for the 2012 championship. I asked the Silver Al Anabi Top Fuel Pilot what he felt are the reasons why the TF class is so close:




"Everyone is getting smarter, and they're (other teams) are looking at the finer details of the race car. Their not just trying to get the car to go down the track" Said the most recent winner on the circuit "I think it's the multi car teams (IE DSR, Kalitta, Al Anabi, Morgan Lucas Racing) that are helping each other, being able to gather more data to share amongst each other. It's just the way that things are currently going. Those are some big reasons why this year in top fuel has been            so close"



As the NHRA teams tested during the winter months of 2011, the attention was riveted on the canopy that Don Schumacher racing debuted at West Palm Beach Florida aboard the US Army dragster. In the months leading into the 6 race "Countdown", the NHRA for months wrestled with when to approve it for use in drag racing. It was given the green light for competition at the US Nationals. Drivers and teams questioned the timing of approving the canopy. I got Shawn's thoughts and feelings on the subject to which he wasn't shy about stating:

Don Schumacher Racing Photo
"Obviously, I do see the safety side of it (running the canopy vs not running it) and the purpose is to keep the driver completely safe" said the well spoken young driver "My biggest thing was that it was approved right before the "Countdown" If all ten teams that are in the countdown wanted to get it today, it wouldn't be available." Shawn then stated "We (Al Anabi) are not letting things such as that distract us from our goals and that is to make our car running as best as we can and what we         want to do with our team"


With Shawn getting his first national event win under his belt, he currently sits 3rd in points just one round out of the lead in the championship (Behind Tony Schumacher). Some drivers tend to get a little bit of butterflies as the championship gets underway. But the ever cool Langdon sees it this way:

Al Anabi Photo


"Obviously, we want to treat it just like it's another race. We try not to get too wrapped up and get ourselves nervous" The calm Avon Indiana driver told me "You really want to take it one race at a time, keeping it in the back of your mind that there are only 5 races left, and you try as hard as you can to capture as many bonus points as you are capable of" Shawn added "For me as a driver I try not to get too nervous about it (the countdown). I just try and do my job and let the team do their job as well. Im following their lead because they have been in this situation before (with Larry and Del).I'm letting them show me the way"



Many drivers consider themselves to be of the supersticious sort. Putting on their left boot first, or a glove, or even their head sock. Some drivers even have lucky socks, or gloves that they wear. But Shawn decided to grow a "Playoff beard" that has gotten it's own twitter following. "Fear The Beard" has become the rallying cry for the young driver and so I asked if he was a supersticious person himself:


"I think every driver is supersticious in a way. I myself try not get to overly supersticious just because i've been there and have done it before and then something gets messed up" Said the gregarious Langdon "I don't' want to get too wrapped up. The beard thing was just one of those fun things that grew and people started to talk about it more" Shawn then said "When you win, maybe you should shave it much the way Garlits did (67 US Nationals). But I think we will keep it as is and ride this streak as long as we can"

Photo Credit: Al Anabi Racing, Gary Nastase, Toyota Racing, Raceweek Illustrated, Drag Racing Online, NHRA, and DragRaceCentral.com

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Countdown Is On!

Race #2 in the @NHRA "Countdown To The Championship takes place at the Texas Motorplex, the first of the So-Called super palaces of speed. The Texas Motorplex was the first all-concrete stadium-style drag racing facility ever constructed. Built in 1986, The Texas Motorplex has been the place of many drag racing milestones and world record performances. The Billy Meyer-owned facility hosts a number of racing and car show events between March and November each year and also features the Champions Club – an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m2) facility – that serves fully catered events throughout the year.

“My thinking back then was simple,” Meyer said. “I thought we had a big league sport, but we played in minor league parks. It would be like the Dallas Cowboys playing in a high school stadium. So I had a facility designed with racer safety, sponsors, media and fans in mind. We wanted to invite more fans, race safely on the track and be able to involve the corporate world with our sport.”

One of the unique aspects of the MotorPlex was added in 2004,  starting line balcony seating in front of the tower suites, giving fans one of the most unbelievable views in drag racing.

“Drag racing is unique in that the atmosphere is considerably different than any other sport,” Meyer said. “It operates off multiple senses – smell, sounds, vibrations; a lot of different senses come out versus other sports. People like to see crashes and see things on the edge, but one of the reasons why drag racing unique is because the fatality rate is so incredibly low. People like to watch something that looks dangerous with lots of scary moments, but they also want to see people walk away.”

The Texas MotorPlex has given fans of The NHRA some of the most unforgettable moments over the years. And here are some of those moments:


Nov. 1985: Billy Meyer signs an agreement to host an NHRA event the following September, before ground was broken on the facility.
Jan. 1986: Ground breaks for the Texas Motorplex – designed to be the first post tension, all-concrete, quarter-mile facility specifically created for drag racing.
Sept. 25, 1986: Darrell Gwynn runs 5.280 to set Top Fuel E.T. record with the first national event pass on the track.
April 1997: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first non-NHRA-owned track to host two national events.
1997: The Texas Motorplex opens the Divisional 4 Hall of Fame, becoming the only track to host a hall of fame.
1997: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first facility to build a permanent hospitality structure to host fans in a VIP atmosphere; originally known as The Top Eliminator Club and now known as the Champions Club.
April 9, 1988: Eddie Hill turns in the first four-second quarter mile pass – a 4.990 run.
Oct. 19, 1997: Cory McClenathan makes the first pass in the 320 mph-range – a 321.77 run.
Oct. 24, 1998: Gary Scelzi, John Force, Warren Johnson and Larry Kopp lead the quickest qualifying field in NHRA history.
Oct. 23, 1999: En route to his first, NHRA championship, Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher earns his first national event victory.
Oct. 23, 1999: John Force clinched his ninth NHRA Funny Car championship by defeating Tommy Johnson Jr. in the quickest side-by-side race in Funny Car history. (At that time)
Sept. 23, 2004: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first NHRA track in the country to have starting line balcony seating in the tower suites.
Sept. 26, 2004: Greg Anderson clinches his second consecutive NHRA Pro Stock title at the Texas Motorplex. Anderson clinched the title faster than any other driver in NHRA history.

The track has also given fans some jaw-dropping ET's and record speeds:

Top Fuel: 3.784 seconds by Brandon Bernstein (Sept. 2010); 324.05 mph (521.51 km/h) by Spencer Massey (Sept. 2011).
Funny Car: 4.062 seconds by Matt Hagan (Sept. 2010); 309.63 mph (498.30 km/h) by Jack Beckman (Sept. 2011).
Pro Stock: 6.553 seconds by Jason Line (Sept. 2011); 211.20 mph (339.89 km/h) by Jason Line (Sept. 2011).
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 6.828 seconds by Hector Arana Jr. (Sept. 2011); 196.10 mph (315.59 km/h) by Eddie Krawiec (Sept. 2011).
The Texas Motorplex has been a part of the heritage along with the growth of the sport of drag racing, which wasn't lost on the former funny car driver:
“It’s exciting to be part of the growth of the sport and be connected to a special time in the sport’s history,” Meyer said. “Since the Motorplex was built, the quality of the facilities has greatly improved and it’s nice to be part of that and help the progression of building bigger and nicer places for the sport.”

And as Race #2 in the Countdown gets underway this weekend, be sure to see more history made at the Motorplex. The track that started the concrete craze in drag racing

Article Sources: Wikipedia

Monday, September 10, 2012

The Dynamic Duo Of Pro Mod: Interview with Andrew and Dina Parise


When it comes to Drag Racing, rivalries have formed the very fabric of the sport. And it is not just the fans but even the drivers and teams that have also kept drag racing at the forefront of our sporting lives. Plus the fact that it indeed makes racing much more exciting. 

Andrew & Dina Parise(Courtesy of Roger Richards)
Now just imagine, a husband & wife facing each other for bragging rights. You can sense the tone of conversations that take place at the dinner table or race shop. When you look at the Husband & Wife Pro Mod Duo of Andrew & Dina Parise out of the sate of New York, you will get just that. There motto "When the helmets go on, the Wedding Bands come off" is something that they take quite seriously.

I got the opportunity to interview this dynamic duo to get their thoughts and dreams for the sport of Pro Mod Drag Racing. I started by asking Dina what is it about Pro Mod that makes it so exciting for both fans and drivers alike 

"These cars are tough to handle" The excited NY Pro Mod Driver told me "It also keeps the fans coming back. Race fans love Pro Mod of the reasons the drivers do"

Dina added "The fact that our class runs 3 different power plants (Supercharged, Nitrous, and Turbos) creates more diversity for our fans. And then there are the wild paint schemes. It's what many fans have admired about Pro Mod since its inception"


 Andrew offered his thoughts on why Pro Mod is exciting to witness: 

"We're always on the edge. Pro Mod drivers get sideways and will pedal the car for the win" Said the Driver also known as "Bam Bam" " Fans love Pro Mod because drivers take it to the edge all the time"





There is difficulty in obtaining sponsorship and/or publicity for any particular racing team in any series. It is what continues to drive those who have a dream to battle the best of the best in Drag Racing. I asked the NY Pro Mod Husband & Wife team their thoughts on this subject:



"(Pro Mod) is such an amazing class. It has some of the bet drivers and tuners" Exclaimed Andrew "Pro Mod brings personality to racing, the drivers talk to their fans and can be themselves"Dina then told of the benefits of adding Pro Mod full time to NHRA schedule could be: 

Dina then told of the benefits of adding Pro Mod full time to NHRA schedule could be:

"Adding us would really open things up for the class." Stated Dina "I believe it would create a better platform for marketing opportunities for individual teams as well as increase the number of peeps in the stands"

As the thrill of the competition for bragging rights heats up, your opponent in the other lane uses certain tricks to take you off of your game. In that process your chances of giving up a thousandth of a second are great, and both Andrew & Dina use that to great effect when facing one another:


"Are you kidding, I live for it. I tree his butt consistently" Dina exclaimed " We don't have the motto "When the helmets go on, the wedding bands come off" for nothing". 

                                                              Of course, Andrew let his feeling be known on the subject:

"She gets off the starting line before me but who gets the trophy is the winner and so far it's been me" The confident Mr. Parise stated "Seriously it is very exciting for me. From the side by side burnouts to all the trash talk in the pits. But to be racing against each other, I wouldn't have it any other way 



Attend any event in drag racing, and ask the fans what their favorite racing series is and their are absolutely no shortages . The more opportunities that a drag racer has to race, the better, and that is something that Andrew & Dina frequently do when and wherever they can. So I asked them which series they enjoy the most:

"Both series are exciting (NHRA and ADRL) For me personally" Answered Andrew "I love the quarter mile racing"

                                                                Dina then gave her thoughts on her favorite series:

"I find it hard to compare" Dina told me "ADRL does now run a Pro Mod class in their series. Although it is only 1/8 mile rather than a 1/4 mile. Given the chance, we would run both series"

Both Andrew & Dina Parise have traveled across the midwest to some of the finest drag strips in the United States, thus the choice as to their favorite strip as well as a majority of racers is clear:
Courtesy of ZMax Dragway

"My favorite drag strip would have to be ZMax DragWay in North Carolina. This is like Trump Towers goes racing" Stated Andrew "The facility and the grounds are amazing" 

Then Dina added:

We have spent quite a bit of time racing and testing at Virgina Motorsports Park, but I love ZMax because it is a racing wonderland"




Courtesy of Shakedownatetown.com
If you walk across the pits at a drag racing event, there is no shortage of makes and models of every type of pro Mod racing car. From Plymouth/Dodge to Chevys and Pontiac GXP's, sheet metal of every manufacturer. Racers tend to have their favorites as far as race cars go, and both Andrew & Dina weren't shy in telling me their favorite and why:
" Well I have been around old cars my whole life and the '53 brings back a lot of memories as a kid"

Then Dina gave her reasons for choosing the '63 chevy as her race vehicle;

"For me I always wanted a '63 split window coupe since I was twelve years old" An excited Dina told me "Although I never imagined it having 2,700 HP & the amazing paint scheme it has".


With a schedule of 10 races, Pro Mod teams and drivers need time to unwind from the stress of running the Pro Mod circuit. From riding MotoCross, driving vintage funny cars, to yes even dabbling in the culinary arts; there are many options at the drivers disposal. Dina described what she does to relax:

" I enjoy working out and as a former professional skater for the Ice Capades, I do like to hit the ice now and then" The Ice princess stated "I enjoy cooking new dishes to prepare to take to the track to feed my boys, LOL".

Then Andrew describes what he does to relieve stress:

"Somebody told me that if racing were easy, everyone would be doing it. I have a heavyweight bag that gets quite a bit of use". Said the driver known as "Bam Bam" "This is a very stressful sport, and you need recharge yourself from time to time"


Before becoming a Pro Mod driver, Dina as she stated earlier was a professional skater in the Ice Capades. Part of that training served her well in preparing her for driving in the highly competitive Pro Mod class:

"Believe it or not, the worlds aren't that far apart. When I skated in the show, I did a few numbers where I flew over the audience, hung on by a rope by the wrist & spun around" The Adrenaline Junkie Stated "I've traded my skates for tires, but we travel from week to week. The fans greet us at our pit." Dina added "I'm still a showgirl at heart. I think that part will never leave me"







Throughout the interview, both Andrew & Dina have shared a love for the sport of Pro Mod drag racing, as well as love for their loyal fans. They have shared so much during the course of the interview and one subject they shared with me was their sense of humor. Dina shared with me their wedding that occurred one April Fools Day 

" Everything from the invitation on was a detailed goof. Even our guests had to come dressed in 50's clothing" Said the very jovial Dina "My brother was Andrew's best man. He gave us candy rings to exchange in the ceremony. To this day day, Andrew still debates that we are actually married! HA! SUCKER!" Dina added "I have no fear of being the goofy one, and usually that will make Andrew hide under a rock. I live for that kind of stuff! I will do something funny then hit em' with "Well, you married it" LOL

Andrew then jokingly describes Dinas' sense of humor:

"Well how can I say this correctly, my wife is just nuts; plain and simple. She was an ice skater and she hit her head a couple of times. That's the excuse we use a lot." Stated the Jovial Andrew

In drag racing, the fans are of the utmost importance, and vise versa with the drivers and teams. Fans are there to help encourage the drivers & teams thru the tough losses. Racers will also tell you that none of what they do is possible without the fans' support as Andrew & Dina told me:

"You take away the fans, what do you have left? When we go to a race track, you want to be the best you can be for your fans" The grateful Andrew stated "Yes we do have a sickness but we do this because of the people who support us." He added "Look, I am the first to grab a child out of the pit area and put them in my car (for a picture). I love seeing the faces of the parents because it gives you a feeling that nothing else can"

Dina then ended the interview by saying:

"We as (Drivers & Teams) keep the Pro Mod class exciting and our fans keep it going! So the more support the better. Anything the fans can do to continue to support Pro Mod, please do! And a big thank you to our Parise Racing fans who have been so supportive"


A gigantic thank you to Andrew & Dina Parise for the distinct privilege of interviewing them both. They are two of not only the finest racers in the land, but the finest human beings in the world. I greatly appreciate Andrew and Dina sharing their thoughts and dreams with me in this interview which would not have been possible without their support. God Bless them both and may they return to racing very soon

PARISE RACING ROCKS!

(All Photos Courtesy of Parise Racing Unless Otherwise Noted)