Six-time and reigning NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders ’ weekend at the PRO Superstar Shootout started with a 30-second , 22- MPH trip down the Bradenton Motorsports Park quarter-mile strip in the first qualifying session . That put her No . 17 of 17 cars on the qualifying order . If there was anyone concerned , they were not found in the Elite Motorsports compound , which included nine Pro Stock entries .

Enders , who has shared the credit for her success with her team at every step , had full confidence that her Mark Ingersoll-led team would deliver the kind of performance that has netted the group six championships in the last 10 years .

Enders in her Johnson ’ s Horsepowered Garage / SCAG Power Equipment / Melling Performance Camaro put a representative run on the sheet in the second session , but the 6.627 at 211.36 run only put her No . 15 on the order , which expanded to 18 cars with Mason McGaha adding his name to the list after an issue in the first session .

She moved up three more spots to No . 12 with a 6.563 in the third session . Finally , a 6.505 at 210.21 shot her to the No . 1 spot in the final session to claim the $ 10,000 bonus from Lucas Oil .

“ To have our qualifying position match the number that ’ s on our car , now we have to put our heads down , go to work , and prove to them why it ’ s there ,” Enders said Saturday night . “ I had my phone out at the top end , watching the time slips pop up to see if we stayed in the No . 1 spot because I wanted that ten grand .”

The past 30-plus times Enders has qualified No . 1 in Pro Stock , she ’ s ended the day knowing she ’ ll take on the No . 16 qualifier to start race day . That wasn ’ t the case at the PRO Superstar Shootout , where drivers drew poker chips out of a Crown Royal bag to determine pairings . She drew teammate and lucky No . 13 qualifier David Cuadra , who is fairly new to Pro Stock but won the 2023 NHRA Carolina Nationals in Top Sportsman to become the first citizen of Mexico to win an NHRA national event .

“ To not know after the field is set who you

have the next day , there ’ s a lot of anticipation there , and the chip draw was definitely exciting ,” Enders said .

In the fourth pair of Pro Stock eliminations on Saturday , Enders left the line first and won with a 6.562 at 209.59 over Cuadra ’ s 6.592 at 209.56 . Another teammate , three-time and reigning NHRA Factory Stock Showdown champion Aaron Stanfield , was next in line . The two were separated by just three thousandths on the starting line , but Enders charged to a low-ofthe-round 6.57 at 210.24 to win while Stanfield coasted to a 10.932 .

The semifinals brought a battle between two of the most accomplished Pro Stock drivers of all time . Jeg Coughlin Jr ., who won five of his six NHRA world championships in Pro Stock , had to go through Enders if he wanted to reach the final round in the first race of his first full season back in Pro Stock competition since 2020 . He was denied , as Enders left first and posted a 6.552 at 210.08 to finish ahead of Coughlin ’ s 6.579 at 209.65 .

Enders ’ opponent in the final round ? Her former crew chief and teammate , Dave Connolly ,

March / April 2024 DragIllustrated . com | Drag Illustrated | 115

Drag Illustrated Issue 187, March / April 2024 | Page 115