Erica Enders Looking for Lady Luck at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Erica Enders, driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment, is the winningest driver in NHRA history at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. She’s hoping lady luck will again be on her side this weekend for the Ford Performance NHRA Nationals.
Between the spring Four-Wide Nationals run in April and the fall NHRA Nationals that is always contested on Halloween weekend, Enders has won at The Strip 10 times, more than any other professional NHRA driver in any category.
Enders is sitting fourth in points, only 111 behind the lead. With one win this season and three runner-up finishes, the six-time world champion is looking for her 50th career national event victory, 49th in Pro Stock while she chases her seventh world title.
“This is a really important race, we are definitely looking for a win to make sure we keep the door open for a seventh world title,” Enders said. “We’ve been working hard to get acquainted with our new car and unfortunately it takes time. But we’re excited to be coming back to a track we have a lot of success at.”
Jeg Coughlin Jr., driver of the SCAG / Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer machine, comes to The Strip off a victory at the Texas NHRA FallNationals that has him fifth in points, 85 behind Enders and 196 from the lead. Jeg Jr. has already won at The Strip this season, picking up the victory in the spring at the Four-Wide Nationals which tallied his sixth win at the facility.
“As the season starts to come to a close, there’s a lot going on with wins and championships. Our getting a championship is a bit of a reach but it’s good to be in the mix and hopefully we’re able to lend a hand to one of our Elite Motorsports’ teammates,” Jeg Jr. said. “I feel great coming to our second Las Vegas event of the year. Coming off a win in Dallas and having won here in the spring, we’ve got momentum on our side. The weather also looks to be in our favor. Pro Stock cars will thrive in the cooler temperatures so I can’t wait to drop the hammer.”
Aaron Stanfield and the JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers team are one of those Elite Motorsports teammates Jeg Jr. is hoping he could lend a hand to. Stanfield has made nine final round appearances in 2024 and has turned five of those finals into victories, most recently at Maple Grove Raceway, the site of the first of six races in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. Stanfield is currently second in points, just 53 back from the leader. His first win at The Strip Las Vegas Motor Speedway would go a long way in his battle for his first world title.
Cristian Cuadra continues to lead the trio of Cuadra Boys Racing sitting seventh in points after a first round loss to Enders in Texas. Despite not competing in the Countdown in the Championship, Cristian will be joined by brothers Fernando Jr. and David in representing the Corral Boots, Cuadra and Columbia Impex brands at the FallNationals. Cristian finished runner-up to Enders to open the season at the Gatornationals and has since raced his way to two semifinals and seven quarterfinal exits. Fernando Jr. has visited the semifinals once this season is coming off his second quarterfinal finish while David has seven quarterfinal appearances most recently at the FallNationals.
Jerry Tucker has solidified himself as a formidable opponent. With a runner-up finish in the Spring at the Vegas Four-Wide event, three semifinal appearances and his first two career No. 1 qualifying positions, Tucker and his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer / SCAG team enter the weekend eighth in points.
As October comes to a close, Troy Coughlin Jr. and the JEGS.com / White Castle team will continue to run the pink JEGS logo in observance of October as Breast Cancer Awareness month. Troy Jr. will hope to show off the pink in the winners circle for the second time this season. His victory at the New England Nationals as well as a semifinal finish and seven quarterfinal exits has Troy Jr. sitting ninth in points as he looks for his first win at the Motorplex.
The Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway kicks off with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m. Eliminations are slated to begin Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with a qualifying show Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET followed by an eliminations show at 5:00 p.m. ET.
This story was originally published on November 1, 2024.
The post Erica Enders Looking for Lady Luck at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
