POMONA, Calif. (November 8, 2023) – The 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock season will not soon be forgotten by drag racing fans. The competition has been ferocious all year long. We’ve seen seven different winners over the course of the season with no single driver earning more than four event victories. Elite Motorsports, the largest team in professional drag racing, has experienced a dramatic season full of highs and lows. But through it all, the Elite Fleet has remained steadfast in its pursuit of excellence. As the season wraps up this weekend at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at famed In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Elite Motorsports standout Erica Enders is once again at the top of the points standings. After experiencing a rocky start to the season, the five-time Pro Stock world champion has worked her way back from No. 15 in the standings to her current position demonstrating that she has not only the skill but also the persistence required to go the distance in NHRA drag racing. In fact, persistence has been the key to the success of the Elite Motorsports team this season among all of its talented drivers.
Enders, who recently became the Winningest Woman In Motorsports, earned her fourth win of the season two weeks ago in Las Vegas. While she currently holds the lead, all points this weekend count for points-and-a-half, meaning Enders will have a target on her back as she enters the final race of the season. Fortunately, the driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment Camaro thrives best when the pressure is on. While Enders has the full support of her Elite Motorsports teammates, she knows that they want to win the final event of the season just as badly as she does. It’s going to be an exciting weekend full of crazy drag racing action where anything could happen.
Under the watchful eyes of Mark Ingersoll, Tim Freeman, Chase Freeman and the rest of the group, the Elite Motorsports Pro Stock teams will work together to engineer and launch nine finely tuned automobiles in Pomona.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. ties Enders in Pro Stock world championships but has one more in the sportsman ranks. Jeg Jr. came out of retirement to race with the Elite Fleet during the final two events of the season in order to break in a new RJ Race Cars-built Camaro under the SCAG Power Equipment banner. The skilled Pro Stock veteran hasn’t missed a beat since returning to the field. He landed a semifinal finish in Las Vegas and he’s eager to add to that success this weekend.
Troy Coughlin Jr. has one thing on his mind going into this event – turning on as many win lights as possible behind the wheel of his JEGS.com Camaro. The talented driver has two wins to his season but has yet to win a Pro Stock victory at the iconic Pomona Dragstrip. His teammate Aaron Stanfield recently won his third FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown world championship and he has his sights set on landing his Janac Brothers / Melling Engine Parts Pro Stock Camaro in the winners circle.
2017 Pro Stock world champion Bo Butner would like nothing more than to earn an NHRA Finals victory in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Camaro. JHG has been a phenomenal supporter of the drag racing community as a whole.
Elite Motorsports newcomer Jerry Tucker is looking back on his rookie season behind the wheel of his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer Camaro and enjoying every minute of his professional journey. He’s been improving consistently and wants to put on a great show for the fans this weekend.
The Cuadra Boys, featuring patriarch Fernando Cuadra Sr. and his sons, Fernando Jr. and Cristian, are ready to apply all of the skills they’ve developed throughout the season to earn their first Pro Stock victory. David Cuadra will be competing in Top Sportsman where he already has one national event win this year.
In its first foray into the Top Fuel ranks, Elite Motorsports is sponsoring Spencer Hyde in his Top Fuel debut behind the wheel of the Elite Motorsports dragster operated by the Paton Racing Team.
All of the racing action for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals kicks off with sportsman competition tomorrow, November 9. Professional competition will commence on Friday, November 10 with two qualifying rounds at 12 and 3 p.m. PT, followed by two more qualifying passes on Saturday at 12 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday.
Erica Enders
“It’s hard to believe that we are back in Pomona again. I would have never guessed, after our challenging start, that we would be contending for our 6th World Title. It goes to show you what is possible when you never give up. I am fortunate to work with some of the most brilliant men in motorsports and they continue to show me why they are champions. We will attempt to make this another dream weekend. Eight possible runs, one more race, to show the world that we are Elite for a reason.”
Aaron Stanfield
“While consistency is good and it’s helped us maintain a solid position in the points, this team is bound and determined to get a win this weekend! My guys have worked tirelessly and I know we’ve got a car that can get the job done. It would be awesome to shake up the standings in a big way in a city that does everything big. Can’t wait to hit the track!”
Troy Coughlin Jr.
“Pomona is a majestic place for drag racing! Myself and the men on Team Yellow would be honored to leave with a gold man! My goal is to stay focused on the process of making nice smooth laps and try and turn four win lights on!”
Bo Butner
“Heading into this last race of the year, we’re excited. We see it as one last opportunity to put the JHG Chevy in the winners circle in 2023. To end this season like that would really mean a lot to us, and it would give us a little momentum going into the off-season.”
Jerry Tucker
“This will be my first time back at Pomona since February of 2020 and I couldn’t be more excited. Our performance with this new car in Vegas was spectacular and we look forward to fine-tuning at “sea level” conditions in Pomona. It felt great to work with the entire team and represent SCAG Power Equipment, JHG and our Elite partners.”
Jeg Coughlin Jr.
“I can’t believe my rookie year in Pro Stock is coming to a close. I’m ready to give it my all this weekend in Pomona. The positive progress we’ve seen over the past few races is great motivation to finish the season strong and put on a great performance for the fans. Keep a close eye on the Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer Camaro this weekend. I think it’s time we give everyone a classic long smokey burnout!”
Fernando Cuadra Sr.
“We are going to finish out the season putting our best foot forward. I’m so proud of my family and all that they’ve accomplished this year. We are having fun and always learning.”
Fernando Cuadra Jr.
“I’m excited to return to Pomona, but it’s hard to believe the season is already coming to an end. It’s been a crazy year full of ups and downs. This crew is incredible and I’ve gained a lot of confidence as a driver. Hopefully, we can put it all together and finish the season with a great performance.”
Cristian Cuadra
“I’m thrilled to be in the Top Ten coming into the Finals. Because we are competing for points and a half, anything can happen this weekend. We’ve got to be on our game in order to keep our position. The pressure is going to be intense but we are just going to focus on what we can control.”
Cristian Cuadra
“I’m super excited to make my NHRA Top Fuel debut in Pomona this weekend. Especially to do it with help from Elite Motorsports, the largest professional team in drag racing. I’m a bit nervous, but I also have all the confidence in the world in the Paton Racing team. I know they will give me a car that will go from A to B and I hope we can surprise a few people this weekend by making some solid runs in the 3.70’s.”
Pre-Race Notes
IN-N-OUT Burger NHRA Finals
In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip
Pomona, Calif. (November 9-12)
The Elite Motorsports team, the largest team in professional drag racing, has expanded again and will field a total of nine Pro Stock entries for this weekend’s In-N-Out NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
At this event, the Elite Pro Stock team will feature the following Pro Stock drivers: reigning and five-time world champion Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield, Troy Coughlin Jr., Jeg Coughlin Jr., Bo Butner, Jerry Tucker, Fernando Cuadra Sr. and his sons, Fernando Jr. and Cristian. Elite Motorsports is also sponsoring Top Fuel driver Spencer Hyde in his Top Fuel debut.
In the 19 Pro Stock events contested last season, Team Elite won 15 times and appeared in 26 out of 38 possible rounds. In addition to Enders’ 10 wins, Stanfield collected three victories while Troy Jr. earned his first two professional victories.
In 2022, Enders had the most dominant season of her career with ten wins in 13 final round appearances and an astounding 55-9 record in elimination rounds. This season, Enders’ impressive roster of supporters includes Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, Melling Performance, SCAG Power Equipment, Peoplease and Mark Stockseth.
At the most recent NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series event in Las Vegas, Enders won her fourth event of the season and the 48th of her career to extend her lead in the Pro Stock standings. Enders heads to Pomona with a 114-point lead over Greg Anderson which puts her on the verge of a sixth NHRA Pro Stock world championship.
Earlier this season, Enders made history with her 47th career victory, making her the winningest female driver in NHRA history. She had previously been tied with three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Angelle Sampey.
During her professional career, Enders has accumulated 47 wins in 78 final rounds and has a round-win record of 469-253 for a .649 win percentage. Enders also has a win in Super Gas (2004 Houston) bringing her career total to 48 national event victories.
Enders has won four events this season in Bristol, Topeka, Dallas and Las Vegas. She defeated Deric Kramer in the Bristol final, Dallas Glenn in Dallas, and topped Greg Anderson in Topeka and Las Vegas. She currently has a 30-13 record in elimination rounds this season.
Enders has won at least one Pro Stock event at 17 different NHRA venues including In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Enders won the final event in 2014 to clinch her first world title and also won the 2022 season opener held in Pomona.
Enders currently holds both the elapsed time and speed records for the NHRA Pro Stock class with bests of 6.450-seconds and 215.55 mph. The elapsed time record was set at the 2022 Gatornationals.
Recently, the Elite team announced the return of five-time Pro Stock (and six-time overall) world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. for the final two events of the 2023 season. Jeg Jr. is driving an RJ Race Cars-built Camaro branded with the colors of SCAG Power Equipment. During his return in Las Vegas, Coughlin went to the semifinal round.
Jeg Jr. is easily one of the sport’s all-time greats with 84 career wins including 65 in Pro Stock. He elected to take a break from the sport following the shortened 2020 season. He has competed in 458 Pro Stock events with 65 wins in 115 final rounds. He has also been the low qualifier 34 times and has a round-win record of 691-377 (.647 average).
Jeg Jr. has also been successful in Pomona with eight wins at the historic facility, the most recent of which came at the 2020 season-opener.
Following an impressive fourth-place finish in 2022, Troy Coughlin Jr. is enjoying similar success in his fourth full season behind the wheel of the familiar yellow and black JEGS.com Camaro. Troy Jr. enjoyed a breakout season last year with back-to-back victories in Seattle and Topeka. He also went to final rounds in Phoenix, Reading and Las Vegas.
The third-generation racer heads to Pomona as the No. 6 ranked driver in the championship points standings after posting wins at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and the Dodge Power Brokers Mile-High Nationals in Denver to go with a runner-up at the Four-Wide event in Las Vegas. Troy Jr., a quarterfinalist in Las Vegas, has a 21-15 record in elimination rounds this season.
Earlier this season at the NHRA Arizona Nationals near Phoenix, Troy Jr. became the first winner of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. He defeated Greg Anderson in the final with an elapsed time of 6.57, compared to Anderson’s 6.60, to capture the inaugural event victory.
In addition to his four career Pro Stock victories, the multi-faceted Troy Coughlin Jr. has additional wins in Top Alcohol Dragster, Super Comp and Super Gas.
Troy Jr.’s father, Troy Sr., is a 15-time national event winner in Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Super Gas. Including his uncles, John, Mike, and Jeg Jr., the Coughlin family has combined to win 133 national event titles.
Troy Jr.’s career bests in Pro Stock are 6.476-seconds and 212.56 mph, set at the recent event in Dallas.
Aaron Stanfield has also returned to the Elite team for another season behind the wheel of the Janac Bros / Melling Engine Parts Camaro. Stanfield, the son of five-time Super Stock world champ Greg Stanfield, is coming off a season where he was the third-ranked driver in Pro Stock.
Last season, Stanfield collected victories in Phoenix, Bristol, and the fall event in Charlotte to go with four runner-up finishes in Pomona, Epping, Norwalk and Denver. Stanfield finished the season with a 38-16 record in elimination rounds.
Stanfield went to the final round at the recent race in St. Louis and he has five semifinal finishes to his credit this year. He’s currently the No. 5 ranked driver in the class. Stanfield has also qualified a season-best of No. 2 at the race in Bristol.
Stanfield was recently named the overall season Pro Stock winner of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty challenge, a specialty event that featured a rematch between the semifinalists from the previous event.
Stanfield recently clinched his third championship in the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown class. In addition to back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021, he collected his third title this season.
All told Stanfield has 23 career wins in Pro Stock, Factory Stock, Super Stock, and Top Dragster.
Stanfield’s career bests in Pro Stock are 6.457-seconds and 213.47 mph, both set in Gainesville 2022.
Bo Butner is a two-time NHRA world champion in Pro Stock (2017) and Comp Eliminator (2006). He joined the Elite team last season as the driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Camaro.
Last season, Butner drove to a ninth-place finish in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series standings. He enters the Pomona race as the No. 11 ranked driver.
Earlier this season in Phoenix, Butner drove to a runner-up finish in Pro Stock, reaching the final for the first time since the 2019 Richmond event. Butner defeated Erica Enders, Fernando Cuadra Jr. and Kyle Koretsky to reach his 26th career Pro Stock final.
Butner won his 30th national event title earlier this season when he claimed the Super Gas victory at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals. Butner also won the Super Gas title at Indy in 2022.
Butner has 30 career national event victories including 11 in Pro Stock. He also has wins in Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, and Super Street. Additionally, Butner has enjoyed success as a big-money bracket racer with a victory at the K&N Spring Fling Million in Las Vegas in 2021.
Butner has won at least one national event title at 14 different venues including In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, where he has five wins. Butner won Pro Stock titles in Pomona in 2017, 2018 and 2019. He also has wins in Super Stock (1999) and Stock (2013).
Butner’s career bests in Pro Stock are 6.475-seconds and 214.28 mph, set in Dallas (2015) and Gainesville (2017), respectively.
The Cuadra family includes Fernando Sr., and his sons Fernando Jr. and Cristian. The Cuadra family is backed by Corral Handcrafted Boots and Cuadra brands.
Fernando Sr. and Cristian will continue to race Ford Mustangs under the Elite banner while Fernando Jr. recently made the switch to a Chevy Camaro. Fernando Jr. is driving an Elite entry previously raced by five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr.
Fernando Sr. is a two-time national event runner-up with final-round appearances at the 2019 races in Reading and Pomona.
Fernando Jr. raced to the final round of the prestigious U.S. Nationals earlier this season and is currently the sport’s No. 12 ranked Pro Stock driver.
Cristian Cuadra was also the runner-up to Enders in the final round of the 2022 four-wide event in Las Vegas and he was a semifinalist earlier this year at the Bristol race. He comes into this weekend as the No. 9 ranked driver in Pro Stock.
Earlier this season in Phoenix, Cristian Cuadra became the first Mexican-born NHRA racer to qualify No. 1 in a pro category when he drove his Elite-powered Corral Handcrafted Boots Mustang to a 6.552 pass. C. Cuadra is one of just 11 non-U.S.-born drivers to qualify No. 1 in a professional NHRA class and the only one to accomplish the feat in Pro Stock.
The third Cuadra brother, David, recently claimed the first win for the family when he won the Right Trailers Top Sportsman title at the betway NHRA Carolina Nationals in Charlotte. He will once again be competing in the Top Sportsman class this weekend.
The Cuadra family has career-best elapsed times of 6.500 (Fernando Jr.), 6.524 (Fernando Sr.), 6.500 (Cristian) and 6.578 (David). Their career-best speeds are 212.13 (Fernando Sr.), 211.43 (Cristian), 210.73 (Fernando Jr.) and 209.39 (David).
New to the Elite Pro Stock team this year is Jerry Tucker, who enjoyed a memorable debut in Gainesville. Tucker qualified his Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer / Elite Motorsports Camaro in the No. 15 spot with a 6.573 and won the first round after teammate Enders encountered a mechanical issue. Tucker has a semifinal finish from Chicago and is No. 13 in the standings. At a recent event in Dallas, Tucker qualified a season-high No. 4 and also set career bests with an elapsed time of 6.486 seconds and a speed of 213.09 mph.
Tucker, of Lindsay, Okla., has spent the last 30 years racing everything from Sprint cars to Midgets and has also enjoyed success in drag racing. Tucker previously raced in the Top Sportsman class. Tucker was recently named one of the five finalists for the 2023 NHRA Rookie of the Year award.
Collectively, the team Elite drivers racing in Las Vegas have combined to win 113 NHRA national event titles across all classes including 69 in the Pro Stock class. Adding the return of Jeg Jr., those numbers swell to 197 wins including 134 in Pro Stock.