NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Two-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock champion Erica Enders was named 2015 Driver of the Year by Autoweek magazine as part of its inaugural Autoweek Awards.

Breaking with a longstanding tradition of naming the Best of the Best cars and trucks, Autoweek launched its program to recognize individuals or companies who, over the course of the last year, have made substantial contributions to the continued relevance and advancement of car culture. As America’s motorsports publication of record, Autoweek also will recognize the racers and teams who provided the most memorable moments in motorsports from the previous year.

Enders swept to her second consecutive Pro Stock championship with a dominant performance in the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. She won nine races, breaking Angelle Sampey's single-season record for victories by a female. Along the way, Enders passed legend Shirley Muldowney for second place in career wins by a woman, and her 21 career victories trails only Sampey's 41.
 
Enders also set an all-time NHRA record by winning three consecutive final rounds on holeshots (in Brainerd, Minn.; Indianapolis; and Charlotte).
 
Enders clinched the championship in Las Vegas with one race remaining on the schedule. She became the first driver in Pro Stock to win back-to-back titles since the great Jeg Coughlin Jr. accomplished that feat in 2007-08.
 
"It's a huge honor to be named as the winner of the Autoweek Driver Award, especially considering it covers all of motorsports," Enders said. "Sometimes drag racing is overlooked, so it's pretty neat for us. Thanks to (team owner) Richard Freeman, (crew chiefs) Rick and Rickie Jones and Mark Ingersoll, and all my Elite Motorsports guys. I've got the best, smartest, most loyal guys in the business, and they make this whole deal possible. I'm a blessed girl to be their driver, and we'll continue to live this dream."

Other winners of the inaugural Autoweek Awards are Ken Block (Car Culture), Mercedes F1 (Team), Erik Jones (Rising Star), and Chevrolet (Constructor). Juan Pablo Montoya’s victory at the Indy 500 was named Moment of the Year while Jeff Gordon was selected as the first winner of the Autoweek Achievement – The Denise McCluggage Award, named after Autoweek’s Denise McCluggage, one of America’s preeminent female auto racing drivers and journalists.

For more than 57 years, Autoweek has also been trackside covering every form of motorsports, documenting the people, events and machines that interest car people all over the world.

Read more about the winners at autoweek.com/awards.