Chad Head concluded his tenure with the Al-Anabi Racing Team with the announcement that he will be leaving his position as the director of racing operations. Head will be departing the team to take on a partnership with his father Jim Head and his construction company Head, Inc., which is based in Columbus, Ohio and specializes in airport paving.  The younger Head assumed the position of director of racing operations with the Al-Anabi Racing Team in 2008 when the location of the team’s headquarters was announced by Alan Johnson to be established in Brownsburg, Indiana.

“I have enjoyed my time at Al-Anabi Racing, and I thank Sheikh Khalid and Alan Johnson for giving me this opportunity,” Head said. “When I was working with the IRL in 2008 and wanted to get back into NHRA, Alan is the one who gave me the chance, and I’ll always appreciate what he has done for me. I thank Sheikh Khalid for creating the Al-Anabi team so that Alan had a reason to bring me back. I have really enjoyed working with everyone on the Al-Anabi team including our crew chiefs and all of our drivers, Del Worsham, Khalid alBalooshi, Shawn Langdon and Larry Dixon. There has always been a special bond between the Head and Johnson families; I’ll always cherish that relationship, and I look forward to it continuing in the future.”

In addition to the partnership with his father in Head, Inc., the 39 year old will also take on partial driving responsibilities for his father, taking the wheel behind the Head Racing Funny Car in the early months of next year for testing. If all goes well, Chad will pilot the Nitro Funny Car in a limited schedule in the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

“I wouldn’t be leaving this team if it wasn’t for the incredible opportunity my Dad has given me, and I am really excited about working with him in his construction business on a daily basis and running the race team. Working with Alan these last four years has prepared me to run my dad’s race team, and I appreciate the valuable experience I have gained here. I am looking forward to testing in January and hopefully driving the Head Racing Funny Car next season,” Chad says.

“We are very happy for Chad and the wonderful opportunity that has been presented to him, but we are certainly sorry to see him leave our race team,” Al-Anabi Racing team manager Alan Johnson said. “Chad was the team’s first employee, and he created the foundation for our race team to win two NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel world championships in four years; he has filled a vital role since our team’s inception. We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, and we owe a lot of our success to Chad. I know I speak for Sheikh Khalid and everyone else on our team when I say that we wish him all the best in his new opportunity.”

Until Head’s position is filled, Shawn Langdon will temporarily take over duties on a intermittent basis for the Al-Anabi racing team. The Top Fuel Driver will continue to concentrate on his driving duties and will over see the day-to-day operations when he is not fulfilling his obligations in the Al-Anabi Top Fuel Dragster.