By Crystal Clay
LAS VEGAS–The winningest female in motorsports and reigning NHRA Pro Stock Champion Erica Enders entered the NHRA Nevada Nationals weekend with an 85 point lead, 47 overall Pro Stock wins, a track record of 9 wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to her name while vying for a sixth world championship against a stacked Pro Stock Countdown to the Championship class of contenders.
Now, Enders is less than two weeks shy from the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, Ca with 48 overall Pro Stock career wins, a track record of 10 wins at LVMS, inching closer to another world championship title with a 114 point lead.
She took Mason McGaha, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Jeg Coughlin Jr. out of contention to reach the final round against Greg Anderson.
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been nothing short of generous to the “Speed Queen” who clinched her fifth championship here just a year ago and all she could have asked for this weekend was to keep her points lead into Championship Sunday in two weeks.
“Like, I kind of wish that Pomona was here too, so the final two races of the year,” she laughed. “But you know that's something that we've been really fortunate with – is that having Vegas so close to the end of the year and having so much success here."
“On one side of it, that doesn't mean that we're going to come out and have success this weekend. It does mean that we have a lot of great data here. We have a lot of really fun memories here and that kind of just breeds positivity Right? You just come in here and you just remember all the great times that we've had and we strive for that again. I'm obviously hopeful that we have a great weekend and extend our lead into Pomona.”
Enders defeated Greg Anderson Sunday evening in his 178th career final round with a run of 6.557 at 208.23 in her Elite Motorsports Johnson's Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. Enders continues her strong run for a championship, winning back-to-back and for the fourth time this season.
“I definitely don't feel like [the championship] is ours. We have to go out there and continue to earn it. Had you asked me this 12 races ago, I would have told you you were nuts if you told me that we were going to contend for a sixth championship this year because we were absolutely horrible” she said.
“We have a 114-point lead, but a lot can happen. A lot can change, and I just try to focus on what's right in front of me. I don't want to get the bigger picture in my mind too far ahead, but at the same time believe that we can do it and that we're capable."
With such a strong points lead going into Pomona, Enders approaches the final days of the season with another victory and the same diligence that flipped her season around from a rough start.
Rounding out the Winner's Circle from the Nevada Nationals are Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Robert Hight (Nitro Funny Car), and Mike Salinas (Nitro Top Fuel).