Shawn Langdon and Khalid Al Balooshi were expecting fast success in NHRA

Drivers Shawn Langdon and Khalid Al Balooshi were expecting to contend for titles this season with the Qatar-backed Al Anabi Top Fuel team this NHRA season.

Emirati driver Khalid Al Balooshi, who won his first race in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing in October 2012, is confident the Al-Anabi team will contend for more race titles Show more

PHOENIX, Arizona // The Qatar Al Anabi Racing Top Fuel team are this weekend looking to build on an excellent opening meeting of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Last week Shawn Langdon won the season-opening O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, California, and his Emirati teammate, Khalid Al Balooshi, reached the semi-final.

"It's great to lead the Top Fuel point standings," said Langdon, who beat Al Balooshi in the semi-finals last week on his way to the title. "I’ve never been in this position before, but it definitely feels good to be here.

"Sheikh Khalid [bin Hamad Al Thani, the team owner] and Alan [Johnson, the team manager] built this race team to win races and championships, and their record was pretty impressive before I started with the team last year.

"Now we have to keep improving our race team and hopefully, when the season winds down in November, we can be in position to challenge for the championship."

Dubai's Al Balooshi - who only began racing Top Fuel cars last year - was prepared for last week's performance.

"It was not a surprise," he said. "Our team is much better than it was last year, and I think we will have a very good year.

"I know that last week was only one race, but I am feeling good about our crew chief, every person who works on our team and our season."

Qualifying for this weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals is Friday and Saturday with eliminations set for Sunday.

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