LENEXA, KS – With an eye on outside-the-box and innovative thinking, Steve Matusek and Elite Motorsports’ Pro Mod operation announced a key partnership with Turbosmart, a leading worldwide manufacturer of performance accessories for forced induction vehicles, that will stretch across the entire Elite Motorsports Pro Mod group.

On the heels of the recent announcement utilizing Garrett Advancing Motion turbochargers, this represents another major move for Matusek, Elite Motorsports, crew chief Shane Tecklenburg and Modern Racing’s Justin Elkes as they prepare for the 2019 NHRA Pro Mod season. Tecklenburg’s previous relationship with Turbosmart was instrumental in putting together the deal between the company and Elite Motorsports, and Turbosmart’s creative and forward-thinking designs and applications will be apparent on Matusek’s turbocharged Mustang. It adds up to another exciting incentive for the veteran standout heading into the upcoming year.

“We want to create a package that is the best package available and it’s exciting to team up with a company like Turbosmart,” said Matusek, who is also the president of Aeromotive, Inc. “We’re finding manufacturers that want to be involved with us, looking at the talent involved with this team, and they’re not going to get involved if they don’t have something to offer that moves the needle. This is the best of the best with what Turbosmart does. They have innovative ways to do things, they want to learn and they want to evolve their product line, and those are the things that excite me.”

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LENEXA, KS – With championship aspirations heading into the 2019 NHRA Pro Mod season, veteran driver Steve Matusek today revealed a major partnership with Garrett Advancing Motion and its technology-driven line of turbochargers.

Matusek will team up with the turbocharger powerhouse, adding a proven and innovative name to an already impressive list heading into the NHRA Pro Mod campaign. Matusek, who also joined Elite Motorsports’ burgeoning Pro Mod camp in the off-season, will run Garrett Advancing Motion turbochargers on his Pro Mod Mustang as he enters the season with big expectations.

“We want to work with companies that want to work with us and learn with us, and we have a great opportunity to work with a real high-tech company like Garrett Advancing Motion that will give us good feedback to advance our program quickly,” Matusek said. “It’s a very good, very safe product that will help us reach our goals and I’m very excited to work with Garrett in 2019.”

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MOORESVILLE, NC — The quickly expanding conglomerate formed by Elite Motorsports and Modern Racing has taken another step forward. The team is proud to announce the addition of record-setting tuner and engine management expert Shane Tecklenburg to the braintrust led by Modern Racing’s Justin Elkes.

The arrangement calls for Tecklenburg to supply the team’s three turbocharged NHRA Pro Modified entries piloted by Erica Enders, Alex Laughlin and Steve Matusek with complete vehicle management systems.

“I look forward to combining the resources of my firm, ST Consulting, with those of Elite Motorsports and Modern Racing. I think each business compliments the other and each brings a high level of expertise in their respective fields,” Tecklenburg stated. “I look forward to working with Justin Elkes to help ensure the team is on the leading edge of technology and performance each time we pull to the starting line.”

Although he has never competed directly in E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod presented by J&A Service, Tecklenburg has worked behind the scenes to supply teams in the series with his custom software for the MoTeC engine management system.

Outside of NHRA Pro Mod, Tecklenburg’s experience in writing custom software and tuning record-setting drag racing vehicles spans from the sport’s quickest and fastest doorslammer, the EKanoo Racing Lexus RCF, which covered the quarter mile in 5.379 seconds at 278 MPH earlier this year, to the Team Tekno Toys Modified Pro Compact Nissan Silvia S15, which just last month claimed the title of the world’s fastest 4-cylinder doorslammer with a 6.228-second pass at 229.55 MPH.

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WYNNEWOOD, OK – Signaling a further progression in their growing Pro Mod operation, Pro Stock and sportsman racing powerhouse Elite Motorsports announced today it has formed a strategic alliance with Modern Racing and its founder, noted tuner guru Justin Elkes.

Elite Motorsports will campaign three Pro Mod cars driven by Erica Enders, Alex Laughlin and Steve Matusek for the full 2019 E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service season and Modern Racing will help oversee that transition. Elkes’ Modern Racing, whose expertise and track record is well knowing within the industry, will help facilitate the operation, aid in tuning and handle the construction and assembly of the three turbocharged entries, which include two Camaros and one Mustang, which will be driven by Matusek.

“Justin fits really well with our group and it’s kind of a magic deal for us,” said Richard Freeman, Founder, Elite Motorsports. “I’ve known Justin for a long time, and he’s just methodical in what he does and thinks outside the box. We have some really good people on our team and when you add Justin to that mix and you have magic. It’s going to be a really great addition to our program.”

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POMONA, CA – Two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders found herself getting emotional as the race day ladder for the 53rd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals came together and she realized she’d be facing retiring pro and fellow champion Allen Johnson in the opening round of Sunday’s eliminations.

“Me and Allen, his wife Pam and (my husband) Richie took a photo right before that last qualifying session and it was definitely emotional,” Enders said. “He’s my best friend out here and after his final qualifying run I watched him do an interview at the top end and he was crying. It was very hard to watch because I love him and Pam so much.

“It will definitely be emotional to race him but, like we say every time we race each other, may the best man or woman win.

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POMONA, CA – Returning to the site of her biggest single triumph — the 2014 title-clinching, final-round victory against Jason Line — Erica Enders is prepped to finish the year at this weekend’s 53rd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals with firm designs on a brighter future.

“For the second year in a row we didn’t quite have the season we wanted or expected,” said Enders, driver of the Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. “But this season we made so many strides in the right direction that we have huge expectations for our future.”

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LAS VEGAS – Following a successful multi-race major sponsorship deal with two-time Pro Stock champion Erica Enders in the second half of 2017, Mark Melling of Melling Performance has announced a new partnership with Elite Motorsports team owner Richard Freeman for 2018. Melling Performance will take up primary sponsorship of the racecar at 16 of 24 races next season, and serve as a major associate sponsor at the remaining eight national events.

“We’re thrilled to be expanding our relationship with such quality people as Erica and Richard,” Melling said. “Our involvement with this first-class team and our company being back in racing this past six months has really resonated with our customer base. It made it an easy decision to step up our program for next year.”

“Mell-Gear, our aftermarket replacement timing brand, also will come along for the ride throughout the year in addition to our Melling Performance engine parts brand. We’re all very excited.”

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LAS VEGAS – It doesn’t happen often for Erica Enders and her Elite Performance race team but an expiring engine ended the six-time Vegas champion’s day in the opening round of competition.

“As hard as we push these motors it’s actually surprising it doesn’t happen more often but we got bit today and that ended our race,” Enders said. “We’ll be fine. It’s an easy fix and we have lots of spares so we’ll be prepared for Pomona, no problem.”

Had the motor survived through the finish line, the outcome could have been very different as opponent Allen Johnson was running close but was on the chase after Enders fashioned a .019-second starting line advantage after a great .010 reaction time.

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LAS VEGAS – In a city that lives on numbers, Erica Enders is looking to roll “7” on Sunday when the 17th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals turn to elimination racing at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Enders won six consecutive races here in her championship years of 2014 and 2015, including both the spring and fall national events and back-to-back K&N Horsepower Challenges.

“We know the way to the winner’s circle here, that’s for sure,” Enders said. “It’s pretty crazy because this car feels just about as strong as the ones I had those two years. We made some big changes to the car after St. Louis and it has been working way better since then, both in Dallas and here this weekend. We’re kind of getting excited.”

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LAS VEGAS – In her championship years of 2014 and 2015, Erica Enders was untouchable at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, winning six straight events, including both the spring and fall national events and consecutive K&N Filters Horsepower Challenges.

The spunky Texan is hoping to recapture some of that magic this weekend when she returns to her favorite racetrack for the 17th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals, the penultimate race of the 2017 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

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