Story By: SARA SLAUGHTER / ELITE MOTORSPORTS – INDIANAPOLIS, IN – With a total of 13 championship bonus points, Erica Enders and the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / SCAG Power Equipment tea have won the 2024 Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge championship.
In its second season, the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge is a rematch of semifinalists from the previous event. The specialty race is competed during Saturday qualifying and awards a cash prize as well as bonus championship points.
Enders and her JHG / Melling team picked up a total of three wins throughout the 2024 regular season specialty race. Her first victory came at the NHRA Arizona Nationals followed by a win at the Charlotte Four-Wide nationals and her last victory was at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tennessee.
“We’ve been part of a couple of those championships that were dependent on one or two points, so these points are all going to matter,” Enders said. “I really want to thank Mission Foods and their entire team for jumping in headfirst with NHRA Drag Racing. We’ve been wishing and hoping for great partner like them. I’m surprised this trophy is coming home with Elite, because it’s been so long since I’ve done really well, but, we’ll take it. And on the heels of Aaron Stanfield’s #2Fast2Tasty Championship last year, that’s pretty cool. So thank you to JHG, Melling, Gallagher, all the people who make it happen CHE, CTech. I’m just a proud girl.”
Enders is currently qualified No. 2 at the 70th running of the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals with her 6.592-second pass at 207.11 mph during Saturday’s first qualifying session.
Qualifying continues Sunday with two session at noon and 3:00 p.m. Eliminations are slated for Sunday at 10:00 a.m. with Pro Stock first round at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage continues with a second qualifying show Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations begin Monday at noon on FS1 and shift to FOX Broadcasting Network (FOX) at 2:00 p.m. ET.