NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

SHINING STAR: Although Erica Enders has the points lead, Greg Anderson has been nothing short of spectacular in the last two races, shaking off a first-round loss in the playoff opener in Reading to win in both Charlotte and St. Louis, his first two wins of the 2023 season. Talk about peaking at the right time. What’s more, he’s beaten her in the semifinals head-to-head at both of the last two events after going 0-2 against her in the regular season. He’s up an incredible five positions, from seventh to second, just 25 points behind her.

"I'm back in the game," said Anderson. "I legitimately have a shot at this championship with three races to go. I was knocking on the door of knocking myself out of it after Reading, and I knew if I didn't have a big recovery at the next race, I was out of it. Well, I'm back in the fight."

GAINING TRACTION: Three straight semifinals to open the Countdown to the Championship have boosted Enders into a place where she’s most comfortable: atop the points pack. After qualifying No. 1 at all three events, her losses in Reading and St. Louis came when her car didn’t make it down the track, and her final-four loss to Anderson came when the car slowed from its previous runs.

With his season-saving runner-up in St. Louis, Aaron Stanfield is up one spot to fifth after a pair of second-round losses to open the layoffs.

HOLDING STEADY: Kyle Koretsky’s runner-up in Reading boosted him to fifth, but first-round losses in Charlotte and St. Louis dropped him back to his No. 8 starting point. Camrie Caruso has also held onto ninth despite a 2-3 record. Bo Butner’s semifinal in Charlotte moved him from 11th to 10th, passing Cristian Cuadra.

LOSING TRACTION: Although he’s got an even 3-3 record, Dallas Glenn knows that’s not enough to follow through on the promise that his regular-season top playoff seed promised. He’s sunk three spots to fourth but still is just a hair over three rounds behind Enders.

There’s been a lot of firsts for Matt Hartford lately. After winning the NHRA U.S. Nationals for the first time, he then won the playoff opener in Reading to take his first career points lead, but it’s been all downhill from there, with a second-round loss in Charlotte and a stunning first-round holeshot loss in St. Louis. Despite a fine 5-2 win-loss record over the last three races, he’s trending the wrong way but is supremely confident in his car.

Troy Coughlin Jr. also has been on a slide, from fourth place to sixth after back-to-back first-round losses after a semifinal in Reading.

Despite a full house — a first-round loss in Reading, a semifinal in Charlotte, and a round-two exit in St. Louis — Deric Kramer also has lost two spots, from fifth to seventh.