Erica Enders won her 47th NHRA Pro Stock race to become the winningest female in NHRA history Sunday at the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex. NHRA photo

By Michael Haag, Raceday San Antonio

ENNIS, Texas – Even qualifying third couldn’t keep Pro Stock’s Erica Enders out of the winner’s circle, as she cruised her way to becoming the winningest female in NHRA history Sunday evening at the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex.

Erica Enders. NHRA photo

Enders secured her 47th career national event victory, topping former Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Angelle Sampey’s mark of 46 wins. The reigning and five-time world champion went 6.469 seconds at 211.15 to notch her second straight win in the Lone Star State. Enders defeated arch-rival Greg Anderson on Oct. 16, 2022, at Texas on the way to her world championship. 

Winning in her home state always hits differently for the Houston native.

“We have a lot of wins that mean an awful lot to us, but as a little girl with big dreams to be a professional driver one day, this one will sit proudly alongside some other ones,” Enders said. “This has been quite the journey and it hasn’t been easy. (Team owner) Richard Freeman gave me this opportunity 10 years ago and I’ll always be grateful. My team has been awesome and we’ve never looked back. This was quite the weekend.

Erica Enders. NHRA photo

“We came in here on a mission. It’s such a tight field and you see how everyone qualified, and it’s absolutely crazy. It’s cutthroat competition, but I love racing at the (Texas) Motorplex. I’m so thankful for the Meyer family and we’re so blessed to race in Texas. It was a great day and my guys are amazing. I’m really grateful for this group.”

Enders, the driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro, edged Dallas Glenn’s 6.493 at 210.40 showing for her third win of the season. Sunday’s victory gave Enders an 85-point lead over Anderson with two races remaining, and it also marked her first playoff win of 2023. 

Surpassing Sampey’s record felt unreal to Enders.

“As a little kid growing up, Angelle was one of my idols … one of my heroes,” Enders said. “And I had her T-shirts and her autographs and whatnot. And then to come full circle … it took us a long time … here we are at 47 (wins). So it’s pretty crazy and to not just have it be for drag racing, to be motorsports worldwide is pretty substantial.

“I always thought, ‘I’m not going to race that long, get that many wins, yet here we are. We’re not done yet, so it’s been a long journey, but it’s been really fun and it goes to show you that if you don’t ever give up, like, great things can happen.” 

The 40-year-old was part of the fastest qualifying field in Pro Stock history on Friday and Saturday. Enders started off third on Sunday and had four straight runs in the 6.40s. Part of that speed came because Texas Motorplex presented favorable conditions all weekend, with temperatures hovering in the 60s. The other was the fact that she said she had a good car with a strong team working on it. Enders let that fuel her, as she eliminated Eric Latino, Cristian Cuadra and Troy Coughlin Jr. to reach the finals.

Enders had just enough to beat Glenn in the final despite the race being a neck-and-neck battle. Glenn bested Bo Butner, Camrie Caruso, and Aaron Stanfield on his path to the finals, the ninth time he’s accomplished that feat this season.

Enders and the rest of the NHRA Camping World Drag Series will get back on the track Oct. 26-29 with the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

On pace to win her sixth world title, Enders said the feeling of adding another championship to her belt never gets old. 

“I just want more,” Enders said. “And I don’t know what the cap will ever be, and I also don’t know when I’m finished. When I’m retired, what will replace the feeling of lighting the win light at 4:30 in the afternoon on Sunday? It’s just what I live for. It’s what we sacrifice everything for.”

Media Center Interview:

Pro Stock results from Sunday:

1. Erica Enders; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 4. Aaron Stanfield; 5. Greg Anderson; 6. Matt Hartford; 7. Cristian Cuadra; 8. Camrie Caruso; 9. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 10. Chris McGaha; 11. Eric Latino; 12. Mason McGaha; 13. Kyle Koretsky; 14. Bo Butner; 15. Jerry Tucker; 16. Deric Kramer.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.503, 210.72 def. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 7.191, 209.24; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.509, 212.11 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, 6.518, 211.56; Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.508, 211.34 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 16.153, 51.88; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.492, 210.84 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 8.331, 111.99; Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.526, 210.65 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.467, 212.23 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.530, 210.95; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.481, 211.83 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.522, 211.53; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.476, 212.56 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.530, 210.85; QUARTERFINALS — Glenn, 6.515, 209.29 def. Caruso, 6.536, 211.03; Stanfield, 6.498, 210.50 def. Anderson, 6.488, 210.69; Coughlin Jr., 6.501, 211.84 def. Hartford, 6.509, 210.74; Enders, 6.473, 211.74 def. C. Cuadra, 6.511, 211.33;

SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.500, 210.40 def. Stanfield, Broke; Enders, 6.476, 211.88 def. Coughlin Jr., 6.843, 164.08;

FINAL — Enders, 6.469, 211.55 def. Glenn, 6.493, 210.40.

Pro Stock Point Standings

1. Erica Enders, 2,454; 2. Greg Anderson, 2,369; 3. Dallas Glenn, 2,361; 4. Matt Hartford, 2,346; 5. Aaron Stanfield, 2,331; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,309; 7. Deric Kramer, 2,252; 8. Kyle Koretsky, 2,219; 9. Camrie Caruso, 2,205; 10. Cristian Cuadra, 2,188.