Langdon Pushes The Limit In Thunder Valley

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon led the way during a rain-shortened Friday at Bristol Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Alexis DeJoria (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Brayden Davis (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the eighth of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. The second session in Top Fuel was canceled due to rain, while Funny Car ran all but one pair (Austin Prock and Jack Beckman) during the second session.

Langdon went 3.800 seconds at 328.54 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Kalitta Air Careers dragster during Top Fuel’s lone qualifying session.

If it holds, it would give the former world champion his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and 22nd in his career, also snapping Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta’s streak of four straight No. 1 qualifiers. Though they made just one run, Langdon was pleased with the way the team rebounded after a rare first-round loss in Epping last weekend.

“I feel great about that,” Langdon said. “That’s what we were shooting for and that coincides with what the crew chief (Brian Husen) was shooting for. This car got away from us the last few races so we re-addressed a few areas. We found a couple little issues. We came here and set it up like a 3.80 run and it ran 3.80. I’d call that dead-on.

“Not everything goes to plan all the time. In a perfect situation that’s what it was going to do. That run was super safe. They also did a good job on the track here in Bristol. Afterwards it looked like a pretty effortless run.”

Josh Hart went 3.860 at 324.67 to sit in the second spot, while Justin Ashley is third after going 3.886 at 323.35.

Alexis DeJoria made a strong move in Funny Car before the rain came, recording a 3.948 at 328.14 in her 12,000-horsepower Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota GR Supra. At a track that’s always been good to the Funny Car veteran, DeJoria is in line for her first No. 1 qualifier since 2021, which would be another welcome sign for the veteran.

The team has come together quickly since joining JCM Racing this season and this was the latest example. DeJoria has enjoyed plenty of success in Bristol, including a win in 2021, and she would love for that to continue this weekend.

“After Q1 I was surprised that we were going to get another run. We ran a 3.94 and that was a great run. That was exactly what we planned on. We had one pair left and it started raining so here we are,” DeJoria said. “This is my favorite race track not just because of my past success. The acoustics here, nothing compares to it. The scenery and the fans. It’s all so great. Today, we dealt with a lot of humidity and heat. We didn’t want to put too much into it and lose a run. They did as much as they could while stating on the safer side.”

Ron Capps is currently second with a pass of 3.960 at 324.51 and Beckman’s 3.971 at 323.74 has him third.

In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn impressed in the second session, going to the No. 1 position for what he hopes is the second time this season with a run of 6.645 at 205.60 in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. It would also be the seventh career top qualifier for Glenn, who has already won three races this season.

Last weekend in Epping marked the first time he didn’t go to the final round this season, but Glenn has quickly bounced back in Bristol. He’s second in points behind KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson and is looking for another big weekend in Thunder Valley.

“In Epping on the Friday run, we hurt my main engine and got behind the rest of the weekend and that cost me a little bit,” Glenn said. “We went back to the shop and the engine guys hustled this week and fixed up the old bullet. We came here and didn’t put down a good run [in Q1] and on the second one we threw kitchen sink at it and it stuck.

“From week-to-week, there is not a lot of time to sulk from your wounds after losing early. You swallow really quick, put your head down and get back to work.”

Greg Anderson went to second with a run of 6.655 and Aaron Stanfield is right behind in third after going 6.666 at 204.32.

Making just his second career race start in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Brayden Davis made a strong impression riding the Powertrain/RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki for the first time, going to the top with a run of 6.870 at 197.22. Davis made his PSM debut in Gainesville, but this weekend marks his debut with the Vance & Hines team and he’s had an immediate impact.

Riding the motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera took to the winner’s circle in Chicago, Davis made two strong passes and is now in line to get his first career No. 1 qualifier and possibly become the fifth different winner at Bristol Dragway in five years.

“It was definitely unbelievable to be with a powerhouse team like Vance & Hines and get the No. 1 spot,” Davis said. “I ran 6.89 and 6.87 and that proves the bike is deadly consistent. Andrew [Hines, crew chief] is helping me as a rider.

“This isn’t a bad start but I’ve now got a target on my back but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’ve always been the kind of person where pressure doesn’t get to me and I’ve raced in some pretty bizarre situations.”

Teammate Richard Gadson is currently second with a 6.879 at 195.93 and Angie Smith is third thanks to a run of 6.907 at 196.53.