Courtesy NHRA Communications
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 8, 2024) – Of all Erica Enders’ incredible accomplishments throughout a sterling Pro Stock career, there has only been one thing that has eluded the six-time NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and that’s a win at legendary Gainesville Raceway.
She’ll have an opportunity to grab that victory at this weekend’s 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and Enders is determined to knock that off her bucket list. It’s the only track on the current NHRA tour where motorsports’ winningest female has not won and Enders would love to change that to kick off the year.
Last year, Enders’ car wouldn’t start before the first round of eliminations, the latest in a string of unfortunate and downright unlucky occurrences in Gainesville. But the back-to-back world champ remains determined to pick up a Gatornationals win in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment car and add another notch to her impressive legacy.
“This is the one that has evaded us for 20 years,” Enders said. “We had a car good enough to win last year and then it wouldn’t fire for the first round. We’ve not had the greatest luck here, but we’re looking to change that. What happens in the past doesn’t dictate the future.
“We know we have a fast car and we’re ready to change things here. That (Golden Gator) trophy looks pretty cool and this is the last (track) we need to get a Wally. I promise this one is high on our to-do list.”
Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Gainesville last year. The Gatornationals will be broadcast on FS1 in 2024, including qualifying action, the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, live coverage on Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., and continuing finals coverage at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Last year’s struggles in Gainesville represented an uncharacteristic slow start for Enders and her Elite Motorsports team last year, but it simply made for a memorable turnaround to close the year.
That led Enders to her sixth world championship – tying her with Warren Johnson for the second-most in NHRA Pro Stock history – while a late-season win in Dallas made her the winningest female in all of motorsports.
She added another victory in Las Vegas and heads into 2024 with 47 Pro Stock wins and 48 overall national event victories. That adds another milestone on the horizon for Enders, but it won’t be easy in a loaded category that includes Greg Anderson, Matt Hartford, Aaron Stanfield, defending event winner Coughlin and Dallas Glenn.
Enders would love a quick start this year, but the veteran also learned valuable lessons while overcoming the early-season struggles to end the season with a championship.
“When I first started Pro Stock, I never got that many wins and here we are. A 50th victory would be really cool and it’s a milestone within reach if we continue to do our jobs,” Enders said. “What we were able to accomplish last year was really cool to me. The biggest personal lesson for me is to not get too wrapped up in it. I can only control what I can, and I want to go out there have fun and make every round count.”
Reigning Top Fuel world champ Doug Kalitta looks to keep rolling after winning his first world title to close out 2023, taking on Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Antron Brown, Justin Ashley and class newcomer Stewart. The Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout is back to open 2024 as well, pitting eight standouts (Torrence, Kalitta, Salinas, Force, Brown, Ashley, Shawn Langdon and Josh Hart) against each other in a big-money specialty race on Saturday. Hart is the defending Callout winner.
Funny Car’s Hagan, who ended last season with a world title, can win for a third straight year in Gainesville, taking on Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd and class newcomer Austin Prock. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera is after a repeat win by knocking off the likes of Matt Smith, Steve Johnson, Hector Arana Jr. and Angie Smith.
Action will also take place in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown.
Race fans in Gainesville can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville, as well as a ring ceremony for the 2023 world champs (Kalitta, Hagan, Enders and Herrera) and a flyover from the United States Air Force. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.
The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction all weekend and is the main entertainment hub in the pits when the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, NHRA Insider Podcast, Shirley Muldowney Q&A, meet and greets and much more. Marching bands will also entertain the crowd each day, including the University of Florida on Sunday.
As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food, and fun.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 9 at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 10.
The first round of the Pep Boys Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET and the semifinals at 2:45 p.m. The finals are slated for 4:25 p.m.
To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.
