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BROWNSBURG, Ind. --
Alan Johnson Racing announced Jan. 5 that it lost its sponsorship approximately a week before leaving for pre-season testing and a month before the start of the 2015 season. With sponsorship from Toyota Motor Sales, Langdon and team raced the entire 2015 regular season but did not have sufficient funds to compete in the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs and complete the season. Langdon, the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel World Champion, finished the regular season in sixth place and was the sixth seed for the Countdown. Yesterday, the team announced that it would temporarily withdraw from NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competition; it plans to return to NHRA Drag Racing in 2016. Don Schumacher Racing made a driver change prior to the recently-completed Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals. Former Alan Johnson Racing driver Khalid alBalooshi drove the Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher/Sandvik Coromant Top Fuel dragster at Indianapolis; the team finished the regular season in 11th place and did not qualify for the Countdown. Following yesterday's announcement, team owners Alan Johnson and Don Schumacher negotiated a deal allowing Langdon to compete in the Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs in the Red Fuel Powered by Schumacher/Sandvik Coromant Top Fuel dragster as the sixth seed. Although he remains under contract with Alan Johnson Racing, Langdon will compete as if he were the regular driver of the DSR dragster for the six-races that comprise the Countdown. When the 2015 season is complete, the Langdon will resume his duties with Alan Johnson Racing. Terms of the agreement will not be disclosed. "It's unfortunate that Alan Johnson Racing cannot compete for the Mello Yello championship this year," team owner Alan Johnson said. "Our arrangement with DSR is the best for NHRA drag racing, the best for the fans, the best for Shawn, and it helps out a fellow competitor - it really should work out well for everyone involved. Sometimes, it's good to put 'what's best for the sport' ahead of everything else. I think this circumstance is one of those times." "To start the season with Alan Johnson Racing and finish it at Don Schumacher Racing is definitely a unique situation," Langdon said. "Everyone at AJR gave it 110 percent all season to try to contend for the championship. Thanks to Toyota for stepping up for our team in a time of need and giving us that opportunity. We can't thank them enough, and we can't thank the AJR crew guys enough for sticking with us. It was just unfortunate that we couldn't find enough funding; it's disappointing not to be able to finish the season. "After everything happened, there was an opportunity to race with Don Schumacher Racing to finish the season. It's a unique opportunity, but I think it's a good fit for everyone at DSR as well as for Alan and me. I am still under contract with Alan Johnson Racing, and we are still working towards getting our team back together in 2016. But for the next six races, I'll be driving for Don Schumacher Racing and competing for a championship. It's great for the fans to be able to have 10 cars competing for the Mello Yello championship, it's good for NHRA, and at this point, I think it's good for everybody." Alan Johnson Racing is located in Brownsburg, Ind. Alan Johnson has won 11 NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel World Championships with five different drivers: Gary Scelzi, Tony Schumacher, Larry Dixon, Del Worsham and Shawn Langdon; he is a 15-time NHRA national champion. For additional information on Alan Johnson Racing and driver Shawn Langdon, please visit www.alanjohnsonracing.com; get Alan Johnson Racing news through its Facebook page or on Twitter: @AJRTopFuel.
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