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Erica Enders looking to rewrite Pro Stock history this weekend

For nearly 18 years, Sonoma Raceway has been Enders’ kryptonite. With a new engine program and top qualifying spot this weekend she’s looking to fundamentally change her relationship with this track.
23 Jul 2022
David Kennedy
Feature
Erica Enders looking to rewrite Pro Stock history this weekend


NHRA: What is your challenge coming into this track? What's the thing you need to overcome at Sonoma?

Erica Enders: Absolutely zero success here in the past.

NHRA: What is it about this place?

Enders: I don't know. It seems to have evaded us. Honest to God, of all the tracks we go to, Sonoma's one of my favorites on the tour. I love it here, I love Bristol, and then obviously, I have to love Vegas because we always win there [laughs]. I love coming here, but I don't think I've exited the second round successfully here in 18 years.

NHRA: Is it too good a time here?

Enders: Although we liked to partake in the wine tasting, that usually takes place on Monday or Tuesday afterward. So, no, it’s just one of the very few racetracks that we haven't capitalized on.

NHRA: Are you trying anything different this time, or is it stay the course and work the plan you have?

Enders: I think just stay the course. I'm not gonna change the way I race because somebody threw something at the wall last week and it stuck. You know, we win a lot, and we win world championships by doing what we do. We're gonna, like you said, stay the course and…

NHRA: Let the track come to you?

Enders: Yeah. Perfect. I think my crew is really good at their jobs and if I can make four good runs on Sunday, there's no reason why we can't win. But I will tell you this fun fact, every New Year's Day we sit down as a family, and we pick seven areas of our life: spiritual, our jobs, personal, and so on to improve. Every year Sonoma's on my list.  Sonoma, Indy, a world championship. I've done the others multiple times, but I've never done it here.

NHRA: What should fans watch for in qualifying?

Enders: I'm trying a different motor this weekend. It’s something that we've been working on, and it looks to be great on the dyno. So if it translates to the racetrack, the numbers that it showed us on the dyno, we should be lights out. But you know how some of that goes sometimes. So we're testing and just going to make the best of it. But I'm, uh, I'm excited to be here.