ENDERS HAS THE COMPLETE PACKAGE AS NO. 1 IN READING

by Bobby bennett; Photo by Roger Richards    Sun, 2021-09-12 09:31

 

In Indianapolis, a week ago, despite the fact she had won the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals more time than any other professional female drag racer, defending Pro Stock series champion Erica Enders lamented her driving that day wasn't as good as it should have been. 

Enders credited her team with giving her a race car more than capable of winning. 

Saturday, with her team providing an equally good car, Enders delivered the championship driving talent she has showcased many times, posting the best run of the weekend, a 6.524 elapsed time at 209.56 miles per hour. She gained five bonus points, just two shy of Greg Anderson. Anderson qualified No. 2 with a 6.530.
 
"We'll need all the points that we can get and those baby points will definitely matter," Enders said. "They have in our past championship runs. So we'll take all that we can get. But having a really great race car going into Sunday definitely gives you a little bit more confidence."

Enders felt like her team had the car to beat at the onset of qualifying yet didn't swing fully for the fence on Friday. It wasn't a half-effort by any means; they just underestimated the full scope of their home-run swing.

"After the Friday night session, we felt like we left some on the table," Enders said. "Having said that, we were only .006 off the pole in the number six position. So we felt like there was more to get after. Going out this morning, the air was definitely better. It was conducive for a better run. We left some on the table during that run as well. So all of those are really good things.

"You always wish for the fastest race car, right? But that's not something that I've had all the time, and that's okay. So I've had to learn to drive from both standpoints. I think this year, with the competition the way it is, especially after the Friday session, like I mentioned, was being separated by less than a hundredth in the top half of the field. It's gonna come down to the driver. I better have my act together on Sunday.

Make no mistake, Enders' Melling/Elite Performance team is firing on all eight cylinders from driver to crew to race car, and she knows it. 

"I definitely feel like we're all clicking," Enders said. "Coming off the win at the US Nationals last weekend, this being the first race of the Countdown to the Championship, it's very crucial, and then we have two more immediately following in Charlotte and St. Louis. Once we complete here, we're just halfway through this four-race swing. So we definitely have our work cut out for us. 

"The competition is obviously stout. A lot of these younger drivers are really killing the tree, but we have to get down to business and earn this fifth championship." 

 

 

 

 
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