BRISTOL, TN – The 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series has been a “dream season” for Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders-Stevens, and she intends to keep the dream going during this weekend’s Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.

Enders-Stevens leads the points standings by 123 points in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock class with two national event victories and a win in the K&N Horsepower Challenge.

At the most recent race in Englishtown, N.J., Enders-Stevens set the national record in elapsed time (6.464 seconds) and speed (215.55 mph).

“Hopefully, we can hold it for a while,” Enders-Stevens said. “Now that it’s the summer months, I don’t think there will be mine-shaft conditions, at least not until Reading. That’s usually the next race where records are broken.

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ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – One day after resetting the national speed record to a blazing-fast 215.55 mph, Pro Stock championship points leader Erica Enders-Stevens added the more valuable elapsed time record to her résumé with a stunning pass of 6.464 seconds Sunday morning at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

While both marks are coveted, the e.t. record helps in the Mello Yello standings because it is worth an additional 20 points, helping the young racer from Houston easily remain on top of the factory hot rod class despite a quarterfinal exit from the 45th annual Toyota NHRA Summernationals.

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ENGLISHTOWN, NJ Championship points leader Erica Enders-Stevens continues to display her dominance of the Pro Stock field, this time posting a national record top speed of 215.55 mph during a 6.473-second qualifying run at the 45th annual Toyota NHRA Summernationals. Enders-Stevens’ speed mark raised her own national record by nearly 1 mph, and her elapsed time was the third-quickest in history.

The effort places her Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro second on the Pro Stock ladder, just .001-second behind good friend Allen Johnson. She will now begin preparations for a first-round elimination matchup with Val Smeland, who qualified 15th with a partially shutoff 8.017 at 127.94 mph.

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ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – Old Bridge Township Raceway Park hasn’t exactly been kind to Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders-Stevens, but she hopes to make some new history during this weekend’s Toyota NHRA Summernationals.

The venerable racetrack has been one of the highlights of the NHRA schedule for many years, and Englishtown fans are known for their love of drag racing.

Enders-Stevens has yet to score a victory in Englishtown, but husband Richie Stevens Jr. has visited victory lane during his driving career, so she’d love to follow in his footsteps.

“Englishtown has a lot of history with our sport,” Enders-Stevens said. “It’s always fun to go back there. It’s been a great track to my husband; he’s won a few times there.”

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TOPEKA, KS – Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders-Stevens has the big picture in mind after reaching the semifinals of the NHRA Kansas Nationals on Sunday at Heartland Park Topeka.

The semifinal appearance was her fifth in eight races this season to go along with two victories, and she maintained the points lead she’s held for five races in a row.

“If we average semifinals for the rest of the year, we’ll be able to hold the big trophy at the end,” Enders-Stevens said. “It’s all about momentum and consistency.”

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TOPEKA, KS – Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders-Stevens missed her second consecutive No. 1 qualifier by a mere .006-second at this weekend’s NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

Though Enders-Stevens would have joined fellow female drivers Brittany and Courtney Force as pole-winners in Topeka, ending up No. 2 is just fine for her.

“I love it,” Enders-Stevens said. “Before last weekend in Atlanta, we had qualified No. 2 four times and we’ve done well each time. Being a racer, you’re naturally slightly superstitious. To get back to the No. 2 spot, it’s good for us. You can win from anywhere.”

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TOPEKA, KS – Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders-Stevens carries more than the Pro Stock points lead into the NHRA Kansas Nationals this weekend at Heartland Park Topeka.

She’s bringing confidence and momentum, as Enders-Stevens’ Chevrolet Camaro was the quickest car in all six rounds she ran last weekend at Atlanta Dragway.

“I’ve got all kinds of confidence in my team,” Enders-Stevens said. “They’re awesome, they’ve got my back, and they’re good people. Our group of guys is a true definition of what a team is. They pick me up when I’m down and vice versa. They work their tails off for me, and every time I get in that car I have 100 percent faith that we’re going to get down, it’s going to be safe, and we’re going to do well.

“To have a group like that is a true blessing. I love them. We’re going to continue to have a great year, and we’ve got to take these races one at a time and do our best. That’s what we’ve done all year.”

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ATLANTA, GA – The determination of Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders-Stevens has gotten her to the top level of Pro Stock and doesn’t allow her to believe clichés, so when her team members told her after she lost in the second round of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals on Sunday at Atlanta Dragway that “you can’t win them all,” she shook her head.

“Why not?” she asked.

Enders-Stevens has won two of seven Pro Stock races in 2014, adding the K&N Horsepower Challenge to that haul. She’s the points leader in the ultra-competitive class, too, and is determined to stay there.

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ATLANTA, GA – Erica Enders-Stevens helped Elite Motorsports snare its first No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock by taking the pole for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals on Saturday at Atlanta Dragway.

Enders-Stevens capped a stellar qualifying performance by posting the quickest elapsed times in each of the four sessions, topped by a run of 6.493 seconds at 212.69 mph in Q4.

That earned the Pro Stock points leader her seventh career No. 1 and first of 2014.

“It’s a true testament to how hard my guys work and what perfectionists they are,” Enders-Stevens said. “We go back after every run and analyze the data and do our best to make the most perfect run at that point in time. Hats off to Rick and Rickie Jones, my crew chiefs, and my entire team. They worked their butts off for me, and I’m really proud of them.

“They’ve not had a No. 1 qualifying position before, and I’ve not had very many, so it means a great deal to us.”

Enders-Stevens earned the provisional pole on Friday with a 6.506-second pass at 202.91 mph, but Dave Connolly jumped to the top of the board with a 6.496-second pass in Q3.

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ATLANTA, GA – Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders-Stevens took the first step to scoring the 100th NHRA national event victory by a woman by speeding to the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot in Pro Stock on Friday during the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Enders-Stevens earned the top spot in the ultra-competitive class with a pass of 6.506 seconds at 202.91 mph that was an astounding .024-second ahead of the field.

“I’m really excited,” Enders-Stevens said. “The guys have been working really hard back at the engine shop, and we’ve certainly got some stout horsepower right now. We’re showing that on the scoreboard. That’s very exciting.

“It’s a very fun, positive environment to work and I’m having a blast.”

Enders-Stevens, who leads the Pro Stock points standings and has two victories and one runner-up finish in six races, set the track record for elapsed time with her pass in the second qualifying session, but her car could have gone even faster.

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