Elite Motorsports Looks to Add to U.S. Nationals History
Elite Motorsports, NHRA’s largest professional team, certainly has history on their side as they head into this weekend’s Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP), NHRA’s most prestigious drag race and the final event of the regular season.
Six-time world champions Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr., have plenty of experience heading to the winners circle at the historical event. Enders has three professional wins in 2015, 2020, 2021 and reached the finals in 2019 and in 2012 when she was also No.1 qualifier. Coughlin has three professional event wins at the U.S. Nationals four at Indianapolis Raceway Park but the Coughlin family as a whole has secured eight total victories at IRP.
For Enders, her history at IRP goes back to her Jr. Dragster days. She was part of the Jr. Dragster League’s inaugural Jr. Dragster Nationals held at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 1994. Enders raced her way to the finals before finishing runner-up. Fast forward to her rookie season of the Lucas Oil Sportsman Series, Enders, driving in Super Comp, got down to the final three cars in a field of 164. Then, in 2015, Enders landed her first professional U.S. Nationals victory. It was her 18th national event win and at the time, tied Shirley Muldowney for most female wins.
Enders is now on the hunt for her 50th national event win, 49th in Pro Stock, after picking up the first Gatornationals victory of her career to open the 2024 season.
“I have quite a few good memories at Indy, but I have a handful that really stand out. The inaugural Jr. Dragster Nationals in 1994, unfortunately I red-lit in the finals to finish runner-up. But then fast forward to being 16 and racing Super Comp and Super Gas. In Super Comp there were 174 entries and we got down to three cars,” said Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment hot rod. “Then to think back to that first professional win in 2015, which doesn’t seem all that long ago, tying Shirley at 18 wins, that one was important. Now we’re trying to break through that 50 barrier.
“It’s been frustrating, we can’t seem to get that monkey off our back. But I will say I have a renewed sense of confidence in myself and our equipment. We did some work ahead of the national event in Brainerd, Minnesota and I feel better in the car,” Enders continued. “I feel like we’ve had the car to beat all year, but, unfortunately, I’ve let a handful of races slip through my fingers with driver error. I’m ready to go back to battle and prove myself again. I feel like, what better race to do it than Indy. Win Indy for the fourth time and finally get that 50th. That would be really significant.”
For Jeg Coughlin Jr., Indianapolis Raceway Park almost feels like a second home.
“Indy has always been a special track for our family,” said Jeg Jr. who handles driving duties for the SCAG / Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer machine. “Growing up there in the 70s watching my dad win events, then later my brothers in the 80s, then myself in the 90s. At one point in time, I knew damn near every inch of IRP on foot, bike, motorcycle, golf cart, you get the idea.”
Jeg Jr. earned his first U.S. Nationals victory racing Super Gas in 1992. In Pro Stock, the driver dubbed “The Natural” has three U.S. Nationals wins, 2000, 2002, 2009. In 2020, with a schedule that looked vastly different due to the COVID 19 pandemic, he raced to victory at IRP at was called the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals at Indianapolis.
“Our first IRP / U.S. Nationals win came in 1991 with my brother Troy Sr. winning in Super Gas, I followed in the same category in 1992. All-in-all, the Coughlin family has visited the U.S. Nationals winners circle a total of eight times,” Jeg Jr. said. “Aside from my first win in 1992, though, my most memorable was the 2000 victory, for sure. We struggled in qualifying and barely held on for the No. 16 spot. Somehow, we clawed our way through the field all the way to victory.”
Jeg Jr.’s 2000 U.S. Nationals win was the first time in Pro Stock that a No. 16 qualifier went on to win an event. With that victory, Jeg Jr. is the only professional racer in history to win a national event title from all 16 starting spots.
“Adding the 2024 U.S. Nationals championship to our long Indy history would be extremely special and I can assure it could rival any of our previous victories,” Jeg Jr. said.
Looking to make his own history at the “Big Go” is Fernando Cuadra Jr. Coming off a No. 4 qualifying position and semifinal finish at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, Fernando Jr. has, perhaps quietly, progressed his way through eliminations over the last two years.
“It’s the right time for our car to be on trend of getting better and better,” Fernando Jr. said. “Two years ago, at Indy, I went to the semifinals, last year I made it to the finals. Now, with the fast car that I have, maybe I can seal the deal. To have the U.S. Nationals be my first Pro Stock win, it would be a dream come true.”
Representing Corral Boots, Cuadra and Columbia Impex, Fernando Jr. will be joined by his brothers Cristian and David as all three compete to get the first Cuadra Boys Racing Pro Stock victory.
Also looking for a first Pro Stock win is Jerry Tucker in the Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer / SCAG machine. Tucker is coming off the second No. 1 qualifying position of his career in Brainerd, Minnesota. His first came at the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals in April where he also finished runner-up to Jeg. Jr.
Already with three Pro Stock victories under his belt in 2024, Aaron Stanfield driving the JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers Racing entry, is looking for his first U.S. Nationals victory and his first double-up weekend. He’ll be competing in the Factory X category over the long holiday weekend as well. Stanfield has been on a hot streak picking up his three wins in the last five events. His wins came at the Virginia Nationals, Summit Nationals in Ohio and the Sonoma Nationals.
Another Elite driver looking to add to their 2024-win count is Troy Coughlin Jr. in the JEGS.com / White Castle Camaro. Troy raced to the winners circle at the New England nationals in Epping, N.H. and picked up a Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win at the Sonoma Nationals. Troy Jr. is also like to add his name to the Coughlin family history books at the historic facility.
Also, competing or Elite Motorsports for the third time this season is Sienna Wildgust, in the Team Wildgust Real Estate / Applied Racing Technology entry. The 18-year-old third generation racer is hoping to add a U.S. Nationals victory to her rookie resume, a win that could surely earn her NHRA’s 2024 Rookie of the Year Award.
The Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park will begin with five rounds of qualifying Friday at 6:45 p.m., Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at noon and 3:00 p.m. Eliminations are scheduled to begin Sunday at 10:00 a.m. with Pro Stock first round at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) at 1:00 p.m. ET on Friday and 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday with eliminations beginning Monday at noon on FS1 and shifting to FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX) at 2:00 p.m. ET.
This story was originally published on August 30, 2024.
The post Elite Motorsports Looks to Add to U.S. Nationals History first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
