| Fernando Cuadra Jr. And Erica Enders Power To Semifinal Finishes At The Big Go |
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| Elite Motorsports Race Recap |
| FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon INDIANAPOLIS (September 5, 2022) – After struggling in qualifying, Pro Mod driver Lyle Barnett landed in the winners circle today at the world’s biggest drag race, the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals. This is his first national event win of the 2022 FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon season. In what will forever be a milestone event in the skilled driver’s career, Barnett kept turning on win lights throughout the day, as everything came together in his favor after a string of recent challenges. “The weekend started out as a carbon copy of how the majority of our year has been going,” said Barnett. “We couldn’t get down the racetrack. The car was acting a fool. In the final round of qualifying, I was on the bump spot, outside looking in, essentially. The car acted a fool again. I pedaled it to the finish line. We got in the show in the 15 spot. That night we found out what was wrong and fixed it.” Indeed they did fix it. Barnett’s Elite Motorsports Camaro came off the line with a powerful run of 5.785 seconds at 253.71 mph to defeat the No. 2 qualifier, Mike Castellana, in the first round of eliminations. “We had what we thought would be a pretty good tuneup for the first round of eliminations,” Barnett continued. “I happened to let go on time to beat Castellana by two-thousandths (approximately 11 inches). Round One of eliminations is what won this race. I had JR in the quarterfinals. Something happened to their car, and we made a pretty good run. In the semis and the finals, both of them turned it red against me. I was pretty good on the tree today. I drove like I had some sense and we got it done. This is the Big Go; this is the biggest one there is. Next to winning a championship, everybody wants to win this one. Ron Capps won his first today and he’s been here for 30 years. This is my second year here and we’re taking home the cheese. It’s unbelievable. I’ve got a new son at home. He’s three months old. My wife’s been holding the fort down at home. My mom came in to give her a little assistance, and they got to watch me win it on TV today and that’s something pretty special.” This bump in points and confidence is coming at the right time for the Elite Motorsports Pro Mod team. There are only three races left in the season for the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon. Barnett will compete next at his home track, zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, N.C. for the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals, September 23-25. |
| NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series The Elite Motorsports Pro Stock team had two semifinal finishes today at the prestigious Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Fernando Cuadra Jr. and Erica Enders raced to the semifinals on opposite sides of the ladder thanks to solid performances round after round at the Big Go. In his third semifinal appearance of the season, Cuadra Jr. started race day from the No. 12 position on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock ladder, facing his Elite Motorsports teammate, Bo Butner, who was driving his new Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaro. Cuadra Jr. defeated Butner on a holeshot with a pass of 6.623 seconds at 206.54 mph. In the next round, he knocked off Matt Hartford in his Corral Boots Ford Mustang before being bested by Greg Anderson in the semifinal. Anderson went on to win the event. “The whole weekend was amazing,” said Cuadra Jr. “It was like a roller coaster. In qualifying, we were struggling because we knew that the car could perform better than it did in qualifying. Then in the first round, it was like, ‘OK. It’s getting better.’ In two it got better again. Here, in round 3, something failed on the car but it that’s racing. Parts fail. “To go this many rounds at the U.S. Nationals was amazing because it got me into the Countdown – in the Top Ten. I may be number ten or nine. I don’t know. But it was really good. It helped a lot in the emotional part, to go rounds. It gave me a lot of confidence.” Enders powered her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports to defeat Mason McGaha with a run of 6.609 at 208.30. She then faced Pro Stock rookie Camrie Caruso. Caruso left a bit too early giving Enders the quarterfinal win. In the semifinal round, Enders faced the 2021 NHRA Rookie Of The Year Dallas Glenn who cut an impressive light to snag a holeshot win. Troy Coughlin Jr. went two rounds in his JEGS.com/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro defeating Deric Kramer in Round One before losing to Anderson in the quarterfinal. Cristian Cuadra, Aaron Stanfield and Fernando Cuadra Sr. experienced first-round losses today but each of their Elite Motorsports Pro Stock machines performed consistently throughout the weekend. The team is ready for the Countdown To The Championship and plans to come out of the gate strong at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, N.C., September 23-25. *** |
| Photos |
Lyle Barnett lays down a smokey burnout at the Big Go. Photo credit: Auto Imagery  Erica Enders drives past cheering fans at the NHRA U.S. Nationals. Photo credit: Auto Imagery |
 Fernando Cuadra Jr. powers down the track at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Photo credit: Auto Imagery  Cristian Cuadra drives his Corral Boots Ford Mustang past the packed stands at the NHRA U.S. Nationals. Photo credit: Auto Imagery |
 Aaron Stanfield makes a picture-perfect launch in his Janac Brothers/JC3 Energy Chevrolet Camaro. Photo credit: Auto Imagery Bo Butner in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaro. Photo credit: Auto Imagery |
 Fernando Cuadra Sr. pops the parachutes on his Corral Boots Ford Mustang. Photo credit: Auto Imagery Troy Coughlin Jr. warms up the tires of his Pro Stock machine. Photo credit: Auto Imagery |