Team Kalitta has announced an expansion to a third full-time Top Fuel dragster team beginning with the NHRA Mello Yello Series’ next event in Houston. The machine will be backed by Global Electronic Technology with 2013 Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon as the driver.

The addition of Langdon is made possible due to an agreement with Global Electronic Technology, the fastest name in credit card processing. Global Electronic Technology is scheduled to be the primary sponsor on Langdon’s machine for 19 of the remaining 20 events this season.

“It’s been a tough year so far with me sitting on the sideline. It has been the first time since my rookie year in 2009 that I haven’t been able to attend the NHRA races,” Langdon said. “I cannot thank Connie and Jim O enough for the opportunity. Kalitta has top quality cars that contend for wins and championships, so I feel that this partnership will work well.

“I also want to thank Don (Schumacher) and everybody at Don Schumacher Racing for bringing me in when I didn’t have a ride and making me feel like part of the family. We did everything we could to find adequate funding, and I want to thank Don for keeping me on the payroll throughout the process of trying to find sponsorship.”

With the addition of Langdon’s team, the Team Kalitta crew chiefs will make a few changes. All three Top Fuel teams will continue to share information and data with the focus on winning races and championships. Jim Oberhofer will now be the lead tuner on both the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster with driver Doug Kalitta and the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster with Troy Coughlin Jr. He will continue to team with Troy Fasching on the Mac Tools ride and will work with Glen Huszar and Nick Casertano on the SealMaster team. The Global Electronic Technology team will be led by NHRA’s only Lifetime Achievement honoree, Connie Kalitta, and Rob Flynn.

The new look five-team effort will make its official debut in qualifying for the NHRA SpringNationals in Houston April 21-23.  [04/06/17]

Rockingham Dragway owner Steve Earwood informs the Agent of the death of “Bullet Bob” Reed, a Super Stock contemporary of Ronnie Sox and a throwback to drag racing’s golden era. He passed away Tuesday night, April 4, at his home in Salisbury, NC, at the age of 77.

Reed’s classic 1968 Hemi-Barracudas were a favorite of Carolina race fans, especially those attending the annual Mopars at the Rock events at Rockingham Dragway. Until his health began to fail, Reed regularly drove one of the four-speed Plymouths and continued to maintain them both in his Salisbury shop.

Despite health issues, his drivers said Reed was at the shop every day last week getting the cars ready for Rockingham. Both cars raced last Saturday in the Hemi Challenge portion of the 26th annual Mopars at the Rock event and Dan Meile of Jamesville, N.Y. drove one of them to a runner-up finish. [04/06/17]