Photos: Courtesy Al-Anabi Racing
According to a press release issued today, the Qatar Racing Club has ended funding for all North American motorsports activities in North America, which includes the two-car Al-Anabi Racing Team operated by Alan Johnson Racing. The team members, including Khalid Albalooshi and Shawn Langdon, were notified this morning.
Team owner Alan Johnson has expressed surprise and disappointment at Qatar Racing Club’s choice. “Our plans for the 2015 NHRA season were nearing completion starting with pre-season testing next week in (West Palm Beach) Florida and the first race of the 2015 NHRA season a month from today in (Pomona) California. Many things are uncertain, and our situation is obviously still evolving. We are currently exploring our options, and we hope to have more news in the near future,” said Johnson.
The Al-Anabi team has won 42 races over the past six seasons, and and won the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel championships in 2010, ’11, and ’12. As of this morning, drivers were unable to grant interview requests.
Al-Anabi Racing Team and Alan Johnson Racing are looking at other options and potential sponsorships and will be providing updates as it happens. We hope that they are able to figure something out prior to the start of the Winternationals in Pomona, starting on February 5, 2015.
The team is done due to falling oil prices. They meaning OPEC have gouged the US for so long heir budgets have become so hi that instantly been cut in half. BYE BYE to anyone tied to OPEC. sorry their has to be innocent victims.
It’s a bummer for the fans and worse for the employees, but… someone will likely pick up the team and change the name or whatever. They’re good enough, to say the least. I think they’ll be fine overall.
Back to Shumacher.
Can’t say I’m sorry to see them go. There are some ties that Qatar and Sheik Khalid have that seem to link them to Al Qaeda, although perhaps indirectly. Don’t take my word for it. Look it up. The fewer ties, and less involvement the NHRA has to the Middle East, the better. I never did like Al-Anabi’s involvement in the NHRA and it irritated me to see all the kowtowing; like Langdon praising Sheik Khalid and the “wonderful” country of Qatar. How about some praises for the U.S. and its allies, and not so much for the countries who think we are “infidels”? I say good riddance to bad rubbish. Don’t let the door hit you in the rump on the way out, Sheik Khalid.
Go to say I totally agree with you mate. I’m in Australia and it always made my cringe hearing Langdon speak such dribble and I always wondered what was the ulterior motives surrounding there entry. Good riddance I say. We love the NHRA down here and everything about drag racing in general. Cheers.
Thanks, Andrew. We are enjoying ANDRA programming during the NHRA off season. You’re right on the money. I’d love to visit Australia some day; I think you Aussies rock. I even have an Australian Shepherd. (I know, I know, the breed was developed in the U.S., but anyway….) By the way- just wondering….is this announcement by Al-Anabi merely coincidental, in light of the terrorist attack in France? Makes me wonder, how about you? G’day!
Hi Henry, yes it seems very fortuitous for them. Oh well good riddance to bad rubbish. I’m just hoping that there’s nothing under lying in their decision. Anytime mate you want to come down here your more than welcome. I’ll show you around personally. Cheers.
from the pen house to the out house
Good ridence!! Tired of them flaunting their unlimited supply of money and arrogance to win races. God Bless America
Now if John Force would get dumped, all would be right with the world !!!!!!!!
Hi Moses, just curious- why do you not like John Force?
we love force down here, his acceptance speech last year when he won was truly inspirational. Plus both my daughters want to drive nitro funny acrs because of Courtney, got to love that girl, she never fails to give her best. An important role model for both boys and girls today.
I’ve always had mixed emotions on this one. My absolute disdain for those factions that are intolerant to our way of life (and would kill us because of it), certainly affects my view as an American. Clearly, any time an Al-Anabi car came to the line, I route for the American backed car (especially Schumacher, sponsored by my country and tax dollars ARMY). On the other-hand, I have often thought, wouldn’t it be great if all the world could share the same camaraderie that drag racers, hot rodders and the custom car culture has. Could things we have in common help to stop the hate? Clearly, in light of the current events in France, nothing has changed. What’s the answer? But could drag racing be a tiny step in the right direction? Something’s gotta change.
Dave, the love of hot rods and cars is not enough to overcome that hatred. This has been going on for thousands of years. As long as there are factions who hate you, and believe your death and destruction is their holy calling, it doesn’t matter if there is a common interest in football, drag racing or chili cook-offs. Those people don’t place the same value on human life as you or me. Most of us believe that your political or religious beliefs are yours; those guys don’t. They truly believe you should be killed for dissenting. How can you overcome that kind of deep seated hatred with cars? Can’t be done.
“Dave, the love of hot rods and cars is not enough to overcome that hatred. ”
You’re clueless as to the (real and justified) reasons for this “hatred.”
How pathetic…
Oh. Why don’t you enlighten me?
“My absolute disdain for those factions that are intolerant to our way of life (and would kill us because of it),”
What?? Do you really believe this bullshit??? They don’t “hate us” because of “our freedom” (diminishing day by day) they “hate us” because our politicians are enslaved to the Israeli lobby! The MOSSAD (Israel’s notorius intelligence agency famous for their false flag terror attacks) planned, orchestrated and carried out the FALSE FLAG TERROR ATTACKS ON 9-11 and promptly framed the Muslims for it!
They “hate us” because the U.S. subsidizes and arms the Zionist state and is silent about the ongoing land theft, displacement and genocide of the indigenous Palestinians in occupied Palestine (renamed Israel).
They “hate us” because we put economic sanctions on their countries on behalf of Israel (“Middle East policy is made in Tel Aviv.–Patrick Buchanan political writer, former U.S. presidential candidate, etc.) that resulted in over 500,000 Iraqi children dead after the first Gulf War in the mid-1990s. They “hate us” because we unjustly attacked (a second time) and destroyed Iraq and topple its government (over a bogus “weapons of mass destruction” LIE) as well as in Afghanistan and other countries in the Middle East. Put the troops on the U.S./Mexico border and stop the Mexican invasion, damn it!
That and more IS THE REAL REASON WE ARE HATED and not some hokey and blatantly false ‘intolerance’ for our decadent way of life! Wake-up, dumb-ass Americans! The mass media (Jewish-owned and diehard supporters of Israel) constantly lies and misinforms YOU.
“What we need to stand up and say is that not only did they (Zionists) attack the USS Liberty –they did 9/11. They did it. I have had long conversations over the past two weeks with contacts at the Army War College, at the Headquarters Marine Corps, and I have made it absolutely clear in both cases that it is 100 percent certain that 9/11 was a Mossad operation. Period … And the Zionists are playing this as truly an all-or-nothing exercise, because if they lose this one, if the American people ever realize what happened, they’re done.”– Alan Sabrosky, Ph.D., former Director of Studies, Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, March 2010
Henry, I totally agree with your post. I’m just spouting as an optimist, not a fool. LOL. Being the father of two Middle East vets, I just hope that someday there may be an end to the madness. It will probably take an earth shattering event such as WWII. Something that will spur a total change in the way of life and deep rooted Theological teachings of that twisted part of our world. Certainly the love of cars is not the answer, but a it could be one small thing that some have in common. Every journey starts with the first step.
Humanity, civil rights, democracy, uncensored communication and education, mixed with fair trade and commerce are the ingredients necessary for real change. A common good needs to prevail over the power of evil. The question is how do you start the change? What will trigger a change of thinking in the youth of those despot countries?
All I can speak to is my own experience, and the love of cars provided a path to a good an honest life, over whatever else may have come.
Dave