In a move that has the drag racing world buzzing, six-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders has announced her return to the Pro Modified (Pro Mod) class as part of the Drag Illustrated Winter Series presented by J&A Service. The announcement came during the latest episode of Shake & Bake, in conjunction with Drag Illustrated’s social media, where Enders shared her excitement about the upcoming challenge.

“I’m going Pro Mod racing again. It should be fun,” shared Enders as she explained that the opportunity came together just a few days prior, and she was recently fitted in the car at Modern Racing.

Enders’ passion for drag racing remains as fierce as ever, even after facing the ups and downs of a storied career. Reflecting on her last stint in Pro Mod, Enders recounted the fiery incident at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, in 2019, where her Chevrolet Camaro caught fire at the end of a qualifying run.

“The last time I was in a Pro Mod was the nasty fire in Norwalk,” Enders said. “I had to call Sparco and get a new 20 fire suit because my other one got singed a little.”

The Texas native remains the fastest (although not the quickest) driver in NHRA Pro Mod history and has held the NHRA Pro Mod speed record for five years at 261.22 mph. She also holds both ends of the NHRA Pro Stock eliminator records, including the speed record she set a decade ago in the “carburetor days.” 

This time, she’ll be piloting a ProCharger-powered car in a partnership with Elite Motorsports and Scott Tidwell Racing – marking a new chapter in her Pro Mod journey. 

“I’ve never driven a ProCharger car, so I’m excited about that new experience,” she shared. “I love race cars, and it’s a door car.”

After closing out her NHRA Pro Stock season, Enders admitted that her passion for racing needed a spark. The opportunity to compete in the Drag Illustrated Winter Series provided just that.

“I didn’t really even want to go to Pomona or the banquet,” Enders said candidly. “I was like, ‘I’m over drag racing.’ Then this came about the other day, and I thought, you know what? We’ll set Pro Stock aside and revisit that come February or March. This will be a new challenge; it’ll be something fun and a more relaxed environment for sure.”

Enders also praised Drag Illustrated’s founder and Winter Series Promoter Wes Buck for the exciting atmosphere his events create, likening the series to past high-profile races like the PRO Superstar Shootout, the World Doorslammer Nationals and the original World Series of Pro Mod in Denver.

“Wes’s races are always a good time,” she said. “This reminds me of those events, and I’m excited about it.”

The Drag Illustrated Winter Series boasts an elite roster of competitors, and Enders is ready to test her championship experience against the best. 

“I’ve been reading all the news feeds with the announcements of who’s driving—it’s like a huge collection of badasses,” she said. “It’s going to be really tough, even to qualify, and I’m excited about it.”

The Drag Illustrated Winter Series is set to deliver thrilling action with three marquee events: the historic Snowbird Outlaw Nationals December 5-8, 2024, the intense U.S. Street Nationals January 23-26, 2025, and the highly anticipated World Series of Pro Mod February 27-March 1, 2025. 

Each race promises intense competition and the kind of electric atmosphere that has become synonymous with Drag Illustrated’s marquee events.

For fans of Erica Enders and Pro Mod racing, the Winter Series offers an unparalleled opportunity to see one of the sport’s greatest champions take on a new challenge.

For more info about the Drag Illustrated Winter Series and to purchase tickets, visit www.TheWinterSeries.com or www.RaceBMP.com. To livestream the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, check out https://flosports.link/3vLoR3a.

This story was originally published on November 29, 2024. Drag Illustrated