Shawn Langdon Leads Team Kalitta Charge Into NHRA New England Nationals

Few teams in NHRA history have enjoyed the kind of early-season success Team Kalitta is producing in 2026.

As the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series heads to New England Dragway for the NHRA New England Nationals, Team Kalitta occupies the top two positions in the Top Fuel championship standings and has won five of the season’s first seven races. At the center of that dominance is Shawn Langdon, who enters the weekend riding a three-race winning streak and holding the NHRA Top Fuel points lead.

The Epping event could become another historic chapter for Langdon, who is chasing a fourth consecutive victory. If he succeeds, he will become the first Top Fuel driver since Steve Torrence in 2019 to win four straight national events.

Shawn Langdon’s Historic Run Continues

Langdon has been nearly unstoppable through the first third of the 2026 season.

The 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion has collected four victories, one runner-up finish, one semifinal appearance, and three No. 1 qualifying positions through seven races. Along with teammate Doug Kalitta, Team Kalitta dragsters have appeared in 27 of 28 possible elimination rounds this season.

Even more impressive, Langdon currently owns the two fastest runs in NHRA history after recording speeds of 345.00 mph and 344.91 mph at the NHRA Southern Nationals earlier this month.

Despite his success, Langdon remains focused on the team effort behind the results.

“It (the success the team is having) means a lot – all the hard work that’s gone into this team over the last couple of years. When Brian (Crew Chief Brian Husen) came over to our team, it just changed everything. The guys all do such a fantastic job week in and week out. For me, it makes my job a lot easier. I just hit the gas and hold the car straight. When you have confidence in your team and confidence in your car; it’s a lot of fun,” said Langdon.

“Brian and the Kalitta Air guys are making this happen. The reality is I did the same things inside the race car three years ago but didn’t finish in the top 10. Now we have one of the best cars the sport’s seen in a long time.”

Langdon knows maintaining a winning streak requires perfection from everyone involved.

“To win races, you have everything in place, and to win multiple races, you have to have everything perfect. The car has to be put together perfectly every time, and the crew chief has to make perfect calls. We’re doing that right now. We have a really good group from top to bottom; there’s no weak links.”

While Langdon has reached two finals at New England Dragway, a victory at the New Hampshire facility remains one item missing from his résumé.

“The races in Epping are epic because those New England fans love NHRA Drag Racing,” Langdon said. “When we go somewhere and the fans love what we do almost as much as we do, it makes us really want to put on a great show for them.”

Doug Kalitta Looking To Add Another New England Victory

While Langdon leads the standings, Doug Kalitta continues to keep the pressure on.

The defending two-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion sits second in points, 76 markers behind his teammate and 140 points ahead of third-place Leah Pruett. Kalitta has already recorded one victory, three runner-up finishes, two semifinal appearances, and two No. 1 qualifiers in 2026.

Kalitta’s consistency has helped Team Kalitta establish itself as the team to beat in Top Fuel.

“Going to these races each weekend, it’s definitely nice knowing you have a good-running car and a shot at the win,” Kalitta said. “It’s all a guy could hope for; it’s real exciting that our Mac Tools car is running like it is, and everybody’s doing their job really well.”

The Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame member has enjoyed success at New England Dragway, earning a victory in 2024 along with three No. 1 qualifiers. This weekend he will also defend the unique “No. 1 Clawifier Award,” one of the event’s most popular traditions.

“We’re hoping to get to the final this weekend to have a shot at another New England win,” Kalitta said. “The Mac Tools car has been really good this season; we have a win, but it would be good to turn more of these final rounds into race wins.”

J.R. Todd Returns As Defending Funny Car Champion

The Funny Car championship battle is equally intense entering Epping.

J.R. Todd arrives at New England Dragway sitting second in points, only 16 points behind leader Ron Capps. The DHL Toyota GR Supra driver is also the defending event winner after earning his first New England Nationals victory last season.

That victory represented a major turning point for Todd and crew chief Dickie Venables, who now returns to a track where he has earned five career victories.

“Anytime you win, it’s good,” Todd said. “The 2025 season was definitely a struggle for us with all the changes that we made, but it was nice too to win there in Epping. Dickie has a good track record there, so it obviously shows he has a good read on the conditions.”

Todd has yet to score a victory in 2026 but has remained a championship threat thanks to a runner-up finish, three semifinal appearances, and two No. 1 qualifiers.

“Nothing’s guaranteed by any means but knowing that you have a car that can win against anybody out there gives you more confidence as a driver,” Todd explained. “We haven’t had that in a while so it’s just a different feeling, a different mentality in the whole DHL pit area.”

With Funny Car competition tighter than ever, Todd knows every round matters.

“The competition in Funny Car is so tight this year – seems like every first-round race is tough, and then the day doesn’t get any easier as you get to the later rounds,” Todd said. “When you win at the end of the day, you feel like you beat the best in the world.”

Eddie’s Lobsterfest Continues Team Kalitta Tradition

The New England Nationals weekend is also special for Team Kalitta because of Eddie’s Lobsterfest, one of NHRA’s most meaningful traditions.

Originally started in 2009 in memory of Scott Kalitta following his passing in 2008, the annual gathering has become a cherished event for racers, teams, and industry members.

“We’ve been doing Eddie’s Lobsterfest for a long time now,” Todd said. “It started in Englishtown and it’s all to honor Scott Kalitta. It’s a good time. A lot of the teams are invited to come out, toast Scott and have some lobster and cocktails in his memory.”

Kalitta also looks forward to the event every season.

“Eddie’s Lobsterfest is a nice tradition,” Kalitta said. “It’s good food, it’s good company and it’s something we all definitely look forward to each year.”

Championship Stakes Continue To Rise

With seven races completed and the summer stretch beginning, the NHRA New England Nationals could prove pivotal in both nitro championship battles.

Langdon has an opportunity to make history with a fourth consecutive Top Fuel victory. Kalitta continues his pursuit of another championship. Todd looks to defend his Epping title and close the gap on Funny Car points leader Ron Capps.

If the first seven races are any indication, New England Dragway is poised to host another memorable weekend as the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series continues its march toward the Countdown to the Championship.