Mission accomplished.

Erica Enders’ drive for a fifth NHRA Pro Stock world championship was complete when she won the Nevada Nationals on Sunday, the second to last race in the 2022 season.

Enders, who won world titles in 2014-15 and 2019-20, came into this weekend with a 165-point lead over her Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield.
She then clinched the world championship when she beat Kyle Koretsky in the semifinals and then made the day even more memorable by beating Troy Coughlin Jr. in the final round.

In the finals, Enders clocked a 6.64-second time at 206.86 mph to defeat Coughlin’s 6.668-second lap at 206.48 mph at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. 

“It has been a dream come true,” Enders said. “We set out like we do every year and that is go win as many races as you can and win the world championships. In the fashion in which we lost the championship last year Greg (Anderson) had a dominant car, and it came down to the wire in Pomona. We have sported the No. 2 all year but coming in that lit that fire under our butt. The guys in the engine shop, my guys in the race car shop and then myself behind the wheel, we wanted to be the champs again. That’s the mentality we had, and it was a dogfight.

“We have one more left and I’m proud of them because it is easy to get lazy and go through the motions. You got to get up and you have to be hungry, and fight tooth-and-nail every single week.” 

With five world championships, Enders is tied for third on Pro Stock’s all-time list with Greg Anderson and Jeg Coughlin. The late Bob Glidden (10) and Warren Johnson (6) are No. 1 and No. 2 on the list.

“I was telling Brittany (Force) in the truck on the way here I just felt different (Sunday),” Enders said. “I’m not sure it was nerves, and we had a big lead and we supposed. To lock it up, that side of it so different. (Sunday) I felt different on the inside, I drove differently, it was really weird until we finally got that monkey off our back. Then the finals were kind of a more peaceful do your own thing deal. When Aaron (Stanfield) out-ran us both sessions on Friday we got one back on Saturday and he got the next one. With those baby points it went to a two-round spread that I would have to go past him to clinch here. I knew we had our work cut out for us and going to that No. 1 spot put me having the winner between Greg Anderson and Dallas Glenn in the second round. That’s a pretty stout match-up. I knew the ladder looked tough and we just needed to go to work. I’m super thankful my guys gave a really trick Hot Rod this weekend.”

This was Enders’ 43rd career national event and a personal-best 10th of the season in 18 races.

“As a kid with big dreams, it makes me want to pinch myself,” said Enders about having five world championships. “Not just I, we have worked really hard to get here. We have sacrificed a lot and a lot of stuff on the road, in our business, financially and most importantly personally. It is nice to see glimmers of hope that the sacrifices have paid off. To put our name next to the likes of Jeg Coughlin, Greg Anderson, up on the list with Warren Johnson, these guys are legends. People who I bought their T-shirt when I was a little kid. It is really neat to join those guys.” 

The 2022 NHRA season concludes at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., Nov. 10-13.

Enders improved her season elimination-round record to 52-8. She has been to 12 final rounds. This was Enders’ 10th career in Las Vegas and all coming since 2014.

On Sunday, Enders beat Kenny Delco, Dallas Glenn, Koretsky and Coughlin Jr.

“The Dallas Glenn race neither of us was good on the tree and I guarantee you he’s not proud of his reaction time just like I’m not,” Enders said. “We dug deep the next round, and I was back in the 20s in the semifinals and finals (with reaction time). It is hard to put everything out of your mind and make your stomach and your nerves calm and get your head right and think positive, going up there I was just able to go through the motions. When you hit the starter button somehow all that disappears. I thank God for that piece. 

“It was a tough day. It was really challenging mentally and physically. It was very abnormal for me. I’m glad we parked it in the winner’s circle.”
Enders is now the sixth winningest driver in Pro Stock history trailing Greg Anderson (100); Warren Johnson (97); Bob Glidden (85); Jeg Coughlin Jr. (65) and Jason Line (51). 

“On the way back to the pit (after the semifinals), I service the engine on my car, so I got back, and I saw (team owner) Richard (Freeman) already had the valve covers off and he was changing valve springs. I was like ‘Where are we at?’ I picked up the notebook and tried to jump right in order and get back in the groove of things. You go from celebrating and being so very excited to secure our fifth world championship and then you have to go back to work and get your mind right. 

“I went up and talked to my crew chiefs before that final round and they said they were going after it and you need to go after it as well. Let’s continue to stomp their throats. Every single time I race TJ he rises to the occasion. I think the last time we ran each other he was 11 on the tree. I knew he was going to go for it, and I needed to as well. We had a great drag race. We were both 20 (reaction times) and ran a couple hundredths apart at the finish line. For all the people who make it possible for me, they are here this weekend because SEMA is this week. All the guys who write us checks or give us parts are here and it is super meaningful to be able to celebrate not just our fifth world championship but this victory in the winner’s circle with them. With 40-something odd wins, I think we moved up on the list passing Kurt Johnson who was frickin awesome and my buddy AJ. It is just unbelievable honestly. I’m really thankful and I’m a blessed girl.”

Enders’ momentum started rolling on Saturday when she qualified No. 1 with a 6.579-second time at 208.75 mph.

“I know I got really pissed off in Gainesville when we set the world record and then I lost first round on a holeshot,” Enders said. “It was embarrassing. I let my entire team down. I’m not sure I have ever been 70 something and I was there. I knew I had to go to work. From there out, I’m pretty proud of the performance we have had. I’m not double 00 all the time like I used to be, but I don’t have to be. I’m not going to change the way I race. Through the summer, we really felt like we had something special that we had discovered something in the engine department that we were proud of, and we were going to keep moving forward. The scoreboard shows we have a couple hundredths on these guys right now you never count them out because Greg Anderson and that entire KB team are fierce competitors. They are always right there with us.

“In the Countdown, being able to win the first couple of races, starting off Reading, Pa., we had never really done that. In the summer I thought we were doing better, and, in the Countdown, we really stomped on it. I’m proud of the performance for sure.”