Erica Enders and the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment Pro Stock team rallied to victory Monday at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for Enders’ 50th national event win, 49th in Pro Stock.

Enders, already the winningest female in all of motorsports, defeated Matt Hartford in the final round with a clean 6.564-second pass at 209.95 mph taking down his 6.609 at 209.04. It is Enders’ fourth U.S. Nationals victory making her the winningest female in NHRA history at the prestigious event. The victory was her first of the year and ended a 30-race winless streak for the six-time world champion.

“That monkey's been on our back since Gainesville season opener in 2024, and it's been grueling. The only thing I can relate it to is our 2016 season when we changed manufacturers. The reason why this year’s more painful is because it was unexpected. We didn't have anything crazy going on. We left last year, doing well, collectively as a team, and we came out this year and the scoreboard did not tell us what the dyno was telling us. It has been super challenging,” Enders said. “It kind of reminds me of the beginning of my career, when I was just gunning for that first win, and it took seven years and seven final rounds. Granted, it wasn't that long, but it sure felt like it.

“It's mentally tough, you lose confidence in yourself and your equipment, but my guys didn't lose confidence in their abilities or in me, and without them, I wouldn't be here. I kind of wondered if I still had it,” Enders continued. “And my team owner, Richard Freeman, he likes to yell and cuss at me and tell me how stupid I am for thinking that, but I really did think it, and it took a lot of overcoming, and a lot of help from my inner circle. Without my dad, my sister, my family and the boys that stand behind me, I wouldn’t be here.”

Enders qualified No. 3, her best qualifying effort of the season, with a 6.516-second pass at 211.39 mph to faceoff with teammate Greg Stanfield and the Janac Brothers Racing / The Rod Shop team in the first round. Both would make their quickest passes of the weekend. G. Stanfield would leave the starting line first but his 6.542 at 203.06 wouldn’t be enough for her 6.513 at 211.10.

Enders would have to make her way through another teammate, G. Stanfield’s son, Aaron Stanfield in the second round. The JHG / Melling Performance cars would both take the tree but A. Stanfield wouldn’t leave the starting line with an engine malfunction. Enders laid down a 6.540-second pass at 211.00 mph for the win.

In the semifinals, Erica took on regular season champion Dallas Glenn. Enders would once again get the victory on the starting line with Glenn pulling through the beams to turn on the red-light. The red JHG / Melling machine would cross the finish line in 6.566 seconds at 211.00 mph setting her up for the 84th final round of her career.

“We finally got number 50,” Enders said. “As a little girl in 1994 rolling under that arch right there, for my first final round at the inaugural Junior Dragster Nationals, the feelings are very, very similar. And here we are, 30 something odd years later. To get my 50th here at Indy, at the US. Nationals, I don't know a better book that can be written, and I thank the good Lord for that.”

The Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series continues with the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six race playoffs. The Countdown begins in Reading, Pennsylvania at Maple Grove Raceway September 12-14 with the 40th annual NHRA Reading Nationals.