Sean Langdon Sets New NHRA Speed Record

In a thrilling display of speed, Sean Langdon, a driver in Top Fuel, smashed the NHRA speed record on Friday, clocking in at an impressive 345.00 mph during qualifying at South Georgia Motorsports Park. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 343.51 mph set by Brittany Force last year in Indianapolis.

Langdon, who is 43, had managed multiple runs over 340 mph in preseason testing. However, there were doubts among his team about the authenticity of those early numbers, as he indicated.

“It was special for the team,” Langdon shared. “I felt happy for everyone, especially for crew chief Brian Heusen. We had the opportunity to test, but some folks were uncertain about the results. We agreed to put it to the test during the season to confirm its authenticity.”

He added, “Doing it here on this new track, in front of brand-new fans, felt really great. I had a sense that I was doing well, but honestly, I was a bit taken aback because, you know, it’s hard to really gauge miles per hour.”

Langdon blazed down the 1,000-foot track in 3.724 seconds, which is notably shy of Force’s 3.623 seconds for the same distance back in 2025. As the season unfolded, he entered the weekend ranked second in points, trailing Doug Kalitta.

This remarkable record-setting run happened during Langdon’s first competition at South Georgia Motorsports Park, one of the newest venues added to the NHRA’s 20-event lineup.

Interestingly, the NHRA has introduced two new locations to its 2026 schedule—the first expansion in over a decade. They’re set to return to Mechanicsville, Maryland, for the first time later this month following the races in Georgia.

Additionally, Tony Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champion, secured second place in qualifying with a time of 3.758 seconds at 334.40 mph, marking his third full season in NHRA’s top division.