ERICA ENDERS AIMS FOR MORE HISTORY AT HOMETOWN HOUSTON TRACK

HOUSTON (April 24) – GK Motorsports driver Erica Enders carries some confidence and momentum into this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway.Enders is coming off a runner-up finish in the 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, a result that prompted a phone call from Pro Stock legend Bob Glidden, a 10-time world champion.


“Bob Glidden actually called me on Monday after the race,” Enders said. “We talked a couple weeks ago, too, when I called him after Grumpy (Bill Jenkins) died. He called me on Monday, and the conversation starts out as, ‘Gosh darn it, I thought you were going to win.’”


Enders worked with Glidden on another team a few years ago, and Glidden continues to be a mentor to the 28-year-old driver.


“He told me that he was proud of me and that I’m doing a really good job,” Enders said. “He said he’s been doing this a long time and that the luck will turn. I believe him. Who better to believe than Bob Glidden?”


Glidden won 85 races in his Hall of Fame career, while Enders continues to gun for her elusive first victory in Pro Stock. She’s raced to four final rounds in the last 19 races dating back to last year and has been driving like a champion recently.


Reaction time is crucial to success in Pro Stock, and no one has been better than Enders. She’s had an average launch time of .029 seconds over the last two races, including lights of .017 and .016 in the semifinals and finals, respectively, in Charlotte.


Enders advanced to the semifinals in Las Vegas, and then qualified fourth and reached the finals in Charlotte.


“I am a believer in momentum,” Enders said. “We’ve just got to keep plugging away at it. I’m blessed to have guys who want it as bad as I do. They work their butts off at the shop all week long and they give me a great race car. We know what happened in the finals in Charlotte, and we stayed after and tested to figure some more things out. If I can keep driving the way I’m driving and we keep having a good car, we will keep momentum going.”


Enders will feel at home in Houston as she’s raced at Seth Angel’s facility for more than 20 years. Plus, as a Houston native, Enders will be surrounded by family and friends all weekend.
“I’ve been going there for a really long time, so it’s always fun and exciting to come home and reconnect with family and friends,” Enders said. “I get to see people I haven’t seen forever, and that’s always nice. We’re gone most of the year, so it’s good to have some familiarity.”


Enders scored her first NHRA national event title there in 2004, winning in Super Gas.


“That was really cool because I grew up at that race track,” Enders said. “I won my first Junior Dragster race there when I was 8. That track’s got a lot of memories, and I’m really close to Seth.”


Enders beat her college roommate, Jonathan Johnson, in the finals that day. “He and I had grown up racing Jr. Dragsters, so it was one of those Cinderella stories,” Enders said. “It’s something I’ll never forget."


“I’ve had all my first wins there, from Jr. Dragsters to Super Comp to Super Gas to Top Dragster. It’d be cool to have my first Pro Stock win there, too, but we have to go out and earn it.”

Click here to follow Erica's career!

Courtney Force and Alexis DeJoria - NHRA NITRO Generation 2012!

CONCORD, N.C. – NHRA introduced two of the most intriguing rookie drivers in the history of the sport to the national motorsports media today during a press conference conducted as part of the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway. The legendary multi-purpose motorsports facility annually hosts two NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events  at its spectacular zMAX Dragway.

Rookie Funny Car drivers Alexis DeJoria and Courtney Force, both an important part of NHRA’s Nitro Generation theme for 2012, joined NHRA President Tom Compton during the season-preview press event, which was held in front of more than 100 of the nation’s top motorsports journalists.

DeJoria, daughter of famed entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria, will drive the Tequila Patron Toyota Camry and Force, youngest daughter of 15-time NHRA world champ John Force, will pilot the Traxxas Ford Mustang. The two drivers will be among the top contenders for the prestigious Auto Club Road to the Future Award, which annually recognizes NHRA’s top performing rookie driver.


“It was a little overwhelming to meet with all the media. I was glad I was with Alexis. We were able to talk about our dreams and how we came up through the ranks as well as what it is like to be a female racing at over 300 mph. I am looking forward to getting on the track at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in a couple of weeks.,” said Courtney Force. “We just wrapped up testing yesterday in West Palm Beach. I am learning a lot about driving Funny Cars from my dad and I have also learned a lot about the media from watching all his interviews. I don’t think I can be as entertaining but I do enjoy talking about NHRA and getting behind the wheel of my Traxxas Ford Mustang Funny Car.”

The two drivers fielded questions from reporters about the challenges and expectations for their upcoming seasons and posed for photographs alongside a specially-wrapped Funny Car that featured the NHRA Nitro Generation design. NHRA also showed a high-energy video to the media that focused on the thrilling 300-mph performances, powerful side-by-side racing and close finishes that make NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing one of the most intense motorsports attractions on the planet.

Later in the afternoon many of the journalists attending the week-long media tour will participate in an NHRA Full Throttle Media Challenge Drag Race at zMAX Dragway. Media members will race in identically-prepared street-ready Ford Mustangs and DeJoria and Force will serve as driving coaches. DeJoria and Force also will race in the stock Mustangs in an exhibition prior to the media challenge race.

The highly-anticipated rookie battle begins Feb. 9-12 at the 52nd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. The tradition-rich race is the first of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series for 2012. Tickets are available at www.NHRATIX.com or by calling (800) 884-NHRA (6472).