Erica Enders overcomes slow start to earn sixth NHRA Pro Stock world title By Josh Hachat , NHRA Communications her Johnson ’ s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro with her sixth Pro Stock world championship , tying her with Warren Johnson for second alltime in class history .

“ I think the word that describes this season is tenacity ,” said Enders , who also won her fourth title in the past five years . “ Every championship has its story and this season is just another reminder that you don ’ t give up . You doubt yourself and it ’ s just digging yourself out of that ditch , and coming back and knowing you can get it done and execute . That ’ s what this season is about – tenacity and not giving up . These moments make all of that hard work worth it . I get to live my dream and I ’ m grateful .”

A year after winning 10 races , advancing to 13 finals , and clinching the title in Las Vegas in dominant fashion , nothing came easy to open the 2023 campaign . Enders lost in the opening round four times in the first six races , with a holeshot loss to Aaron Stanfield in Chicago dropping her to 14th in points .

Enders reflected about the slow start in Bristol , but also felt confident a turnaround was coming . The team turned the corner in Chicago and she rolled to an impressive win in Thunder Valley , qualifying No . 1 and picking up her first victory of the season . She jumped five places in the standings in one weekend and climbed the rest of the season , moving up at least one place in the points at six of the next eight races , taking over the points lead in St . Louis . It was never easy , but Enders and her team never stopped working .

“ Our season started really poorly and it took until Chicago to figure our problem out ,” Enders said . “ We just kept plugging away at it . We knew we didn ’ t have a horsepower problem and we rallied and figured it out . It ’ s all about teamwork . That ’ s where our season turned , but it was still a dogfight , obviously . I ’ m really thankful for the position we were in and I talk about it all the time , but when our backs are against the wall , my guys perform and execute , and it makes me so proud to be their driver . It was a crazy year and we took the long way here , but we ended up on top .”

Following the win in Bristol , Enders qualified No . 1 in Denver and then won in Topeka , advancing to the semifinals in Indianapolis to open the playoffs in third .

She qualified No . 1 at the first three races in the Countdown to the Championship , advancing to three straight semifinals . After taking the lead in St . Louis , she all but slammed the door shut with clutch performances in Dallas and Las Vegas , earning her NHRA-record 10th victory at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway .

The race prior in Dallas , Enders won her 47th career national event , sending her to the all-time lead for wins by a female . It was a thrilling moment for Enders , whose late-season run only strengthened her remarkable Pro Stock legacy . A first-round win at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals clinched a sixth world championship , breaking a tie with Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin Jr . It may have not been the spectacular wire-to-wire run to the title from a year ago , but this one was just as important , especially considering the road Enders and her team traveled to reach the ultimate prize .

“ I questioned myself , too . It ’ s easy to get down on yourself and doubt yourself ,” Enders said . “ It ’ s easy to be positive when you ’ re winning . It ’ s when you ’ re going through all the troublesome times when you have to fight with all you ’ ve got . It ’ s definitely a gut check and something that ’ s not easy to go through . Going through those moments , we still had our core people and nobody pointed fingers . We just went to work and it just shows you what happens when you don ’ t give up . We do still have it , it turns out .” DI

That was especially true during Enders ’ 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season , which was a far cry from 2022 ’ s incredible run . This season was steeped in adversity and plenty of perseverance , as a slow start had the veteran 14th in points after six races .

But what started with trying times ended once again in pure joy , as Enders and her Elite Motorsports team turned things around at the perfect time . She took over the points lead at the halfway mark of the Countdown to the Championship , became the winningest female in all of motorsports , and finished off a brilliant closing stretch in

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NHRA

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