CHEVROLET AT LAS VEGAS
What: NHRA Nevada Nationals
When: Friday, Oct. 28-Sunday, Oct. 30
Where: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
TV: FS1 will telecast eliminations at 5 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 30
Chevrolet drivers roll into Vegas aiming for big points
Enders placing her bet on red Camaro SS to lock up fifth Pro Stock championship
DETROIT (Oct. 27, 2022) – Erica Enders is betting on red — her red Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS — in the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Enders takes a whopping 165-point advantage over Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield into the weekend – the penultimate NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series event of the season — and has the opportunity to wrap up her fifth NHRA Pro Stock world championship.
With three wins in four NHRA Countdown to the Championship races and a history of success at the racetrack, the odds are in her favor.
“We have had a ton of success at The Strip and we are looking forward to what could potentially be an amazing weekend,” said Enders, who won the four-wide race in April to extend her streak with a victory at the track to four years. “This has been a tremendous season for us and we are going to do our best to finish strong.
“With just two races remaining, we have no plans on letting up on our competition. We will keep our eyes on the prize and let the others worry about the rest.”
A personal-best 10th victory of the season and sweeping the spring and fall races at The Strip for the third time are additional motivation. Enders earned her first victory with Elite Motorsports in 2014 at Las Vegas.
“A personal goal coming into the year was the most wins we’ve ever had in one season. There’s still room to accomplish that goal,” said Enders, whose 42 career victories is second to Angelle Sampey on the all-time list among females in all categories.
Enders’ drive for five
Erica Enders will move into a tie for third with five NHRA Pro Stock championships. She has won in 2014, ’15, 2019 and ’20:
10: Bob Glidden (1974-75, ’78-80, ’85-89)
6: Warren Johnson (1992-93, ’95, ’98-99, ’01)
5: Greg Anderson (2003-05, ’10, ’21)
5: Jeg Coughlin Jr. (2000, ’02, ’07-08, ’13)
She enters the race with the momentum of back-to-back Countdown victories, most recently defeating reigning and five-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson in the final at Dallas. Enders was runner-up to Dallas Glenn’s Camaro SS in the 2021 fall race at Las Vegas.
Brittany Force, who won the four-wide Top Fuel race at The Strip in spring, is also in a title hunt. The driver of the Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, who owns both ends of the track Top Fuel records, is second in the standings. She was the No. 1 qualifier for the 2021 fall race at the track.
“We need four solid passes during qualifying and need to land back in the winner’s circle. We won this event in the spring and are confident we can do it again,” the 2017 Top Fuel champion said.
John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight, who has won a class-high eight races this season, sits atop the Funny Car standings. The driver of the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS is a five-time winner at The Strip. John Force remains in contention for his record-extending 17th NHRA Funny Car championship. The driver of the PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Camaro SS is fourth in points.
FOX Sports 1 will telecast eliminations at 5 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 30.
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT
TOP FUEL
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, FLAV-R-PAC/MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (four-time winner this season; second in points): “Two races left in the season and our Flav-R-Pac/Monster Energy team heads to Sin City this weekend. We are currently sitting in second position and still have a shot at getting back the points lead. We need four solid passes during qualifying and need to land back in the winner’s circle. We won this event in the spring and are confident we can do it again.”
AUSTIN PROCK, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONTANA BRAND/ROCKY MOUNTAIN TWIST CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (won at Reading, runner-up at Dallas): “This car has been running really well and we have been moving up in the points. I just hope we can keep it going these last two and try to sneak into the two three or top five in the points. I’ve put my heart and soul into this and I know how hard everybody else works.”
FUNNY CAR
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (eight-time winner this season; points leader): “We knew this championship hunt was going to come down to the end. We still have the lead but this Auto Club team needs to keep up their hard work, keep their focus and go and get every point we can. We don’t need to change anything, we just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing, it’s what got us here, now is not the time to switch things up. I have all the confidence in this Auto Club Chevy team. Jimmy Prock, Chris Cunningham and every crew member, they are truly the best group of guys I could have in my corner. We’re looking forward to getting to Vegas and putting on a good show. This competition really is exciting.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE AND COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Charlotte four-wide winner in spring; fourth in points): “I’m going to head into Vegas to win. I never give up. This PEAK Chevy team doesn’t give up. We just don’t have a mindset like that. We never give up and it’s not over until we say it’s over.”
PRO STOCK
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, MELLING PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (nine-time winner this season; points leader): “I want to go to Vegas and I want to lock it up there. I don’t think there’s a (point) cushion. I don’t want to have that mentality because I don’t want to let off the pedal. I want to go to battle like we’re coming from behind. I enjoyed being a driver that needed to come from the back. I’m not really sure what it about Las Vegas. The guys have a really great tune-up. Everything changes out here. It is a little bit of altitude, and it is definitely dry and crazy air, so you have to have your tune-up right. You don’t want to be too lean, or you will burn your motor up. I have to give a lot of the credit to my crew chiefs because they have a ton of data her and they do a great job.”
AARON STANFIELD, ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JANAC BROTHERS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (three-time winner and seven-time finalist this season; second in points): “I love racing in Vegas, it’s a great racetrack and we would love to get a win. I’m feeling confident about my hot rod. The guys have been working hard to make sure we finish the season strong, I just need to focus and do the job. As the season is coming to a close I think as a whole, the Elite team has been very strong and I am thankful to be part of it.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, HENDRICKCARS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (reigning Pro Stock champion; third in standings): “No. 1 is probably out of reach. That’s what we were competing for, and it looks like we didn’t get it done this year. But we go to the next two races to win. I put just as much weight on race wins as I do a championship – that’s what I go for, to win races, and there are still two great days to be had this year. By the time we get to Vegas, hopefully we have a chance to win.”
TROY COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (two-time winner this season; fourth in standings): “The fall Vegas race is always one of the coolest races for me. I won my first national event in Super Comp at this race when I was 19 in 2009. The boys have been hard at it on the dyno pretty much seven days a week, so I have all the confidence in the world. I’m as proud as ever to wear the Elite Motorsports and JEGS colors and we’re ready to finish strong.”
KYLE KORETSKY, KB RACING, LUCAS OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (fifth in standings): “The last few races haven’t played out in our favor, but the KB Racing group keeps giving me a fast hot rod. I’m looking forward to returning to Vegas for the second time this season and get in the winner’s circle.”
DALLAS GLENN, KB RACING, RAD TORQUE SYSTEMS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (Gainesville winner; runner-up at Indianapolis and St. Louis; 2021 fall race winner at track): “We’re coming into Vegas as the defending event champion and that’s just the boost we need right now. We’re not in contention for the championship this year but we’ve still got a great car that can win these last two races.”
CAMRIE CARUSO, CARUSO FAMILY RACING, POWERBUILT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (first season in Pro Stock; No. 1 qualifier and runner-up at Houston; rookie of the year award candidate): “I love Las Vegas and I am glad we are coming back to a track like this for the Countdown. The four-wide nationals was a new experience so I am looking forward to traditional side-by-side racing this weekend. My crew chief Jim Yates has been working his tail off on our tune-up and I think we have a car that can go rounds. I have been trying to be super aggressive on the starting line. We just need a few things to go our way and we could have a long day on Sunday. This is Las Vegas so anything can happen.”
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