It isn’t unusual for Aaron Stanfield to compete in Pro Stock and a sportsman class at an NHRA national event. Nor is it out of the ordinary to see his father, Greg Stanfield, doing the same.
But this past weekend at the Texas Fall Nationals’ Stampede of Speed at Texas Motorplex, a third Stanfield was in the mix with a sentimentally special race car.
Joleigh Stanfield, Aaron’s wife and mother of their two children, raced in the Super Stock class, driving the ’87 Camaro – the very car, the one she affectionately calls “Ole Red” – that Aaron Standfield used to win his first NHRA national event 10 years ago (2015). It also is the car that, as Aaron put it, his dad “got reunited with” in 2020 and drove to one of his five Super Stock championships.
Joleigh Stanfield grew up at Ennis, Texas, in a racing family and has driven down the dragstrip many times since 2012. But this was a new class to her, and she showed she just might be as quick a learner as her husband is. She qualified fifth Wednesday but exited in the opening round
“She got beat first round,” Aaron said, “but it was her first race in Super Stock. Racing off the bottom bulb is different, so it’ll take her a few laps to get used to it. She grew up a couple miles away from this racetrack, so she just kind of grew up bracket racing around this stuff and then when her and I got together, she started doing a little more NHRA racing, some Super Street and Super Gas racing and I put an old dragster of mine together and we’ve been bracket racing with that a little bit these past couple years. So the Super Stocker was something different for her to do.”
He soon will be doing something different – learning to drive a Top Fuel dragster. Elite Motorsports boss Richard Freeman plans to have him and his Pro Stock teammate Erica Enders take turns behind the wheel of the dragster he bought in September from Josh Hart. The car primarily will be Tony Stewart’s to drive fulltime, if Stewart and Freeman – who forged a business alliance also about a month ago – can find sponsorship.
“So, the plan currently is to get Tony Stewart’s car funded, and Erica and I are both set to get licensed at least,” Aaron Stanfield said. “And that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be racing in Top Fuel right away. That just means if the opportunity comes or the time comes where one of us needs to get in one, we’re ready on our end to do it. So I’m excited about it. Of course, I don’t know who wouldn’t be.
“I think it’s going to be way different than things I’ve raced,” he said. “But something my dad’s always preached to me is to stay very versatile. I’ve driven a lot of different things and a lot of different types of racing. I think he started that with me very young and it’s kept me where I can adapt pretty quick to things. I’m sure it’s going to be a huge learning curve, and there’s going to be things I didn’t expect. But I’m confident in my ability to get in something new and figure it out and learn.”
Stanfield said, “I’m excited for sure. And I’m sure once it is staring me right in the face, I’m sure I’ll be a little nervous, naturally. I’m super-pumped up and just thankful that Richard has got us in the position where that’s even something we can talk about. So it’s a pretty cool situation.”
He isn’t pounding the pavement, looking for marketing partners. “Currently we are focused on the Pro Stock car. And if you know Richard Freeman, he’s got a lot of things in the fire. That’s something that he’s extremely good at, selling our program. That’s kind of alongside of Erica and I. We try to help in any way we can, but I’m sure eventually we’ll find some money to do it.”
The Elite Motorsports – Tony Stewart Racing partnership is one he considers a coup.
“It’s a great partnership, and I think Tony Stewart is very great for our sport. And he’s an incredible driver. I got to watch him hop in a Pro Stock car. His humble student approach was pretty unbelievable, just how quick he picks up on things. He’s a true wheelman He’s very fun to be around, and I’m very thankful that that alliance has been formed. It’s going to be a lot of fun. He’s been a whole heck of a lot of fun getting to know, and I look forward to for some more of it. I’ll be asking him questions and hoping that he’s there to give me some advice. It’s going to be pretty cool.”
Aaron Stanfield doubled in Pro Stock and Top Dragster this past weekend, and Greg Stanfield took on both Pro Stock and Factory X competition. Aaron defeated Al Kenny and Al Peavler before losing to Ross Laris in the third round of Top Dragster, but he reached the final round of Pro Stock and was runner-up to points leader Dallas Glenn. Greg bowed out in the second round of Factory X eliminations and the first round of Pro Stock.
