Erica Enders is doing everything possible to capture her fifth NHRA Pro Stock world championship. 

The Texas native arrived at the Texas NHRA FallNationals this weekend with a 120-point lead over her Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield.
Enders kept gradually adding to her points lead, culminating with her No. 1 qualifying spot with a 6.524-second elapsed time at 210.53 mph from Friday night.

Stanfield qualified No. 2 at 6.529 seconds at 209.52.

This was Enders’ 28th career No. 1 qualifier and fifth this season.

“Well, it's really exciting,” Enders said. “Today's weather (Saturday) is significantly different than yesterday. It's obviously hotter and a lot wetter. That's something that our cars don't necessarily appreciate, so that's why you saw so many slower elapsed times. So, to be able to go out there on a tricky racetrack and to go low this session. The first run was pretty cool, but the second run was kind of a pretty substantial, because it was awesome. I mean, super, super hot track was really slick. The car kind of washed out from underneath me a little bit, right before the one two gear change, but when they radioed 57 over my helmet radio, I was pretty stoked. All the guys that work really hard to give us the horsepower. Aaron (Stanfield) went 59 right next to me. I think we have Elite Motorsports cars in the top four positions on the qualifying sheet, so that's really exciting going into Sunday.”

Enders will take aim at ninth win this year when she takes on Fernando Cuadra Jr. in the first round

“Tomorrow's going to be a new day,” Enders said. “I think the high is 75 (degrees), with a lot of chances of the R word, but we're going to motor through it and see if we can finish it out. But tomorrow will be a long day. I'm excited about it. But to be in the No. 1 spot, to get those 12 bonus points, then going in the No. 1 spot with an additional eight, so that's a full round of racing in normal situations, so that's huge.

“I've said before, seeing my crew chief's confidence gives me even more confidence in the race car. And just knowing that no matter what the track throws at you, no matter what the weather throws at you, those guys get after it. They're not scared. We don't want to go up there and lay up, and miss out on points, so they get after it every single time. I think it speaks volumes for their talent and their ability. And I'm just really lucky to be the driver.”

Enders knows pressure comes with driving a hot rod like her Camaro, but she embraces it.

“Over the years, (I) kind of taught myself to love it, to thrive under it, because if you don't, it can be crushing and it can kill you,” she said. “So, it's one of those situations where I want to race the best dude every single round going in the No. 1 spot. Unfortunately, I have my teammate first round, Fernando (Cuadra Jr.), and he's a great driver, so I know he'll be throwing everything, the kitchen sink at me. But I just want to go out there, focus, do my job, not let any outside distractions inside the cockpit with me. These things are much easier said than done, but (I have to) just stay focused and keep my head down. We just have to keep our eye on the prize and stay focused and let everybody else worry about what they're doing.”

Courtney Enders, Erica’s sister who keep her motivated, is not at the race with her this weekend, but they are keeping in touch.

“I talk to her before every run,” Erica said. “Then she FaceTimes me when we got down there, and we were getting the yellow hat, so she's still very much a part of it. She's watching while she's handling her real job in Richmond, but I know in her heart she wants to be here, and for me it's a piece of the puzzle that's missing. But my guys promised to fill in. Then Chase, who's my lead guy on my race car, his girlfriend, who races Super Comp, she promised Courtney to fill in for her as well. But she (Courtney) is the ultimate hype girl. She makes me believe in myself when I don't, so she's been a big part of this whole program for me.”