CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION DENSO U.S. NATIONALS LUCAS OIL RACEWAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2020
Erica Enders Grabs Second U.S. Nationals Title Greg Anderson posts 105th career pole
INDIANAPOLIS – Three-time NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders did not come Indianapolis to run the Denso U.S.Nationals and lose. She came to win. The driver of the bright red Elite Motorsports Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS, made one of the most impressive runs in her Pro Stock career to capture her second U.S. Nationals Wally.
Lining up against Matt Hartford in the final, Enders did what she does best; leave the starting line with a nearly-perfect .009 reaction time and her Chevy Camaro SS did the rest with a 6.606 through the traps. Enders remains one of just 25 drivers that have won the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Pro Stock.
“This is really sweet,” said an elated Enders.”This means the world to me. You never know when you are at your last Indy. A lot of people have made this possible. First and foremost my Dad. The Good Lord above. Elite Motorsports and Richard Freeman as well as Melling Performance with Mark and the Melling Brothers. They want to renew with us and I am so excited. But this Chevy Camaro is mean. Rick Jones, Mark Engersol and Ricky Jones – I have the three badest crew chiefs on the property. And the best team in the world. This is amazing.”
Enders trip to U.S. Nationals winner’s circle came through defeating Kenny Delco, Deric Kramer and rookie Mason McGaha to reach her 53rd final round. She is now third in the standings.
Jeg Coughlin, Jr., current points leader in Pro Stock, had a very uncharacteristic red light in round one. Coughlin maintained his points lead.
Pole Sitter and multi-time Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson made it to quarter finals before he went down to his teammate Jason Line. Line was bested by Hartford in the Semi-Final round. Line is second in points while Anderson sits in fourth.
Last year’s winner Alex McLaughlin got taken down by Bo Butner in Round One. Butner got put in the trailer in the quarter finals by Hartford.
Aaron Stanfield brought home the Wally in the Factory Stock Showdown piloting his COPO Camaro.
Next on the NHRA schedule will be the famed Gatornationals, September 25-27 in Gainesville, Florida
DRIVER QUOTES:JASON LINE, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CAMARO SS : “My Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro is fantastic. We had a little glitch here, and that hurt us for sure. We did finally figure it out, but not until second round. The good news is the silver Summit Racing chevy is back to healthy again.” GREG ANDERSON, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CAMARO SS: “We just didn’t execute well today and that meant we didn’t win the race. We had the horses with our Summit Racing Chevy Camaros, but we just didn’t keep them under us. I lost by a thousandth in the second round, but it might as well have been a mile. We’ve made a lot of strides lately with our engine program and our cars, and they’re fast – but you have to be perfect.” BO BUTNER, STRUTMASTERS/JIM BUTNER AUTO GROUP CAMARO SS: “I’m excited – we have a good car with my Strutmasters/Jim Butner Auto Group Chevy Camaro, and that means a lot. I would have liked to have done better today and this weekend overall, especially here. But you can’t really go back, you can only move forward. So we’ll do that. I see better days for us in the future.”