NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Erica Enders is back in the winner's circle. She drove her Melling Performance by Matt Hartford to get her first win since 2018 at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals. 

Hartford left first, grabbing a .015-second advantage after cutting a .003-second light, but Enders certainly wasn't late. She dropped a .018 and her car performed when she needed it, capping a nearly perfect weekend. Enders left St. Louis with 128 out of a possible 131 points, firmly putting her back in the Pro Stock championship conversation. 

She reached her fourth final of the 2019 season by getting past Alan Prusiensky, Aaron Stanfield and Chris McGaha. Stanfield also uses Elite Motorsports power, and the two-time world champion used a holeshot to defeat Chris McGaha. She didn't need a holeshot to beat Hartford, who drives an Elite powered Chevy Camaro. 

Hartford was looking for his second win of the season after capturing the NHRA Northwest Nationals Wally in Seattle. He reached his fifth final by defeating Kenny Delco, Jason Line and Bo Butner. His closest shave came against 2017 world champion Butner in the semifinals, but he grabbed a two-hundredth of a second advantage at the starting line and managed to outpower the K.B. Racing Chevy Camaro on the track. 

Line, who entered as the most recent winner and the Pro Stock leader, spun the tires against Hartford and lost in the second round. He retained his hold on top of the points, while Enders leaves St. Louis in second. Hartford is in fourth. 

The NHRA Countdown to the Championship continues at the NTK NHRA Carolina Nationals from Oct. 11-13. You can grab tickets here.