Erica Enders has become the first woman to ever win the Pro Stock class at an NHRA national event. Yet another gender barrier has been broken in professional drag racing! According to the stat sheets, Enders becomes the 55th person to ever win in NHRA Pro Stock, which is a pretty amazing thing when one considers how many NHRA national events have seen the class contested since 1970 when Pro Stock became an official NHRA eliminator. Taking into account the years on end that the class was dominated by singular people like Glidden, Johnson, Anderson/Line, etc, it makes more sense.
Pro Stock was the last NHRA professional category that had not been won by a female driver. Shirley Muldowney was a champion Top Fuel racer, Ashley Force was the first woman to record a win in a Nitro Funny Car, women have won in Pro Stock Motorcycle for years, and now Pro Stock joins the group.
Congratulations to Enders who ranks as the most famous graduate of the junior dragster program that tens of thousands of kids participate in at drag strips across the country each weekend. When announcers say that these kids are tomorrow’s NHRA champions, they’re right and Enders is proof positive.
Congratulations to Erica Enders and her entire team on this historic win at the NHRA O’Reilly RT 66 Nationals in Joliet!
Alderman… don’t forget Alderman…
🙂
I hope their is some bruised egos in the Pro Stock ranks.
Why on earth would you hope that? Everyone in pro stock works hard, and any touring pro team is capable of winning on any given day. This gender gap thing is nothing but media hype to sell tickets to consumers. Racers have know for decades that women drivers can be their equal. Professional racers rarely have bruised egos…
I’m certain Pro drivers have thick skins. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t have the teams that have raced for years and seldom qualify or win a round. I’m sure they are all very happy that Erica won. And if they have a bruised ego, it’s only because they didn’t win, not because the lost to a woman.
Did you also hear that Richie Stevens proposed to her after her win? That, and Bob Glidden called her to congratulate her (among other people, I am sure). A great day for her, no doubt.
I met her when she was just entering Pro Stock – her family was deeply involved in the whole operation. The whole family worked their asses off and kept a great attitude. They were the kind of people you were glad to help if you could. I’m really happy she’s finding success.
Good for her. Okay let’s get back to racing.
Hey, its good for the sport, great for the class. I remember watching the movie about her on the Disney channel with my daughter. She’s worked long and hard to get where she is. You go girl!
The movie is titled, “Right On Track”.