Erica Enders-Stevens celebrates with the trophy after clinching the 2014 Pro Stock championship and winning the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)
Erica Enders-Stevens often credits Shirley Muldowney and Angelle Sampey for paving the way for her success in professional drag racing.
On Sunday, she joined them as a champion.
Enders-Stevens became the first female driver to win a Pro Stock championship in the history of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and just the third female champion in NHRA history Sunday when she won her sixth event of the year in the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif.
Afterward, she thanked Muldowney and Sampey, the two champions who have encouraged and mentored Enders-Stevens en route to the championship. Muldowney won three Top Fuel championships, the first coming in 1977, and Sampey won three championships in Pro Stock Motorcycle, the first coming in 2000.
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“Shirley is a true champion and has been a hero of mine my whole life,” Enders-Stevens told USA TODAY Sports by phone Sunday night. “I can’t fathom what she went through back in the day when women weren’t accepted in a male-dominated sport, let alone to become a champion. To have her support has meant everything to me. She’s been a mentor, and for that I’m forever grateful.”
Sampey texted Enders-Stevens throughout the weekend, offering inspiration and advice.
“I don’t know anybody who could have been more encouraging,” Enders-Stevens said. “Beyond that, she’s a friend, and that means everything to me. This is incredible. It’s what every driver and team work toward. It’s been a dream of mine from the very beginning.”
Enders-Stevens, a 31-year-old native of Houston, has been involved in drag racing since she raced junior dragsters as an 8-year-old. She credited her Elite Motorsports team and their work on her Royal Purple Chevrolet Camaro for the championship.
“We started from the bottom and now we’re here,” she said. “It’s been a hell of a roller coaster, but it happened because of all because of the people involved. The people are the most important part of the puzzle. I’m just fortunate enough to be the driver. … They were tremendous. They worked so hard.”
Other champions crowned Sunday included Matt Hagan, who topped 65-year-old John Force for the Funny Car championship, and Tony Schumacher, who clinched his record eighth Top Fuel title when he qualified for the Pomona event.
“It was an awesome year,” Schumacher said. “It’s been an incredible Countdown. Outstanding, no doubt. We were in four of the six finals. … We just can’t wait for next year to get here.”
Hagan, who won his second championship, gave credit to Force, the 16-time champion.
“To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best,” Hagan said. “Everybody says he’s the best, so we beat him, and that’s what cool. … When it comes together, it’s just incredible.”
Andrew Hines won his fourth Pro Stock Motorcycle championship and first since 2006.
PHOTOS: ENDERS-STEVENS THROUGH THE YEARS
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Final finish order
Top Fuel
1. Morgan Lucas . 2. Tony Schumacher . 3. Antron Brown . 4. J.R. Todd . 5. Steve Torrence . 6. Richie Crampton . 7. Shawn Langdon . 8. Dom Lagana . 9. Larry Dixon . 10. Billy Torrence . 11. Troy Buff . 12. Doug Kalitta . 13. Khalid alBalooshi . 14. Bob Vandergriff . 15. Spencer Massey . 16. Clay Millican.
Funny Car
1. Matt Hagan . 2. John Force . 3. Tommy Johnson Jr. . 4. Alexis DeJoria . 5. Del Worsham . 6. Tim Wilkerson . 7. Robert Hight . 8. Ron Capps . 9. Jack Beckman . 10. Bob Tasca III . 11. Tony Pedregon . 12. Chad Head . 13. Gary Densham . 14. Courtney Force . 15. Cruz Pedregon . 16. Jeff Arend.
Pro Stock
1. Erica Enders-Stevens . 2. Jason Line . 3. Jeg Coughlin . 4. Jonathan Gray . 5. Shane Gray . 6. Rodger Brogdon . 7. Dave Connolly . 8. Matt Hartford . 9. Vincent Nobile . 10. V. Gaines . 11. Chris McGaha . 12. Larry Morgan . 13. Greg Stanfield . 14. Jeff Isbell . 15. Greg Anderson . 16. Allen Johnson.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Hector Arana Jr . 2. Eddie Krawiec . 3. Andrew Hines . 4. Chaz Kennedy . 5. Adam Arana . 6. Steve Johnson . 7. Scotty Pollacheck . 8. Hector Arana . 9. Jerry Savoie . 10. Matt Smith . 11. Jim Underdahl . 12. Shawn Gann . 13. Freddie Camarena . 14. Katie Sullivan . 15. Angie Smith . 16. Elvira Karlsson.
Final Results
Top Fuel — Morgan Lucas, 3.704 seconds, 325.14 mph def. Tony Schumacher, 3.742 seconds, 324.98 mph.
Funny Car — Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.076, 310.77 def. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.086, 276.58.
Pro Stock — Erica Enders-Stevens, Chevy Camaro, 6.480, 213.43 def. Jason Line, Camaro, foul.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.832, 195.08 def. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.977, 176.37.
Top Alcohol Dragster — Duane Shields, 5.412, 264.13 def. Cameron Ferre, 5.625, 265.74.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Steve Harker, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.489, 266.21 def. John Lombardo Jr., Ford Mustang, 5.519, 263.36.
Competition Eliminator — Aaron Strong, Chevy S-10, 8.116, 165.44 def. Clint Neff, Bantam Roadster, 10.668, 78.17.
Super Stock — Jeff Taylor, Chevy Cobalt, 9.634, 124.03 def. Marion Stephenson, Pontiac Sunbird, foul.
Stock Eliminator — Bobby DeArmond, Chevyt Camaro, 10.128, 128.18 def. Paula Cotten, Plymouth Duster, foul.
Super Comp — Gabriel Torres, Dragster, 8.907, 168.16 def. Alan Kenny, Dragster, 8.905, 170.08.
Super Gas — Trevor Larson, Chevy Corvette, 9.917, 158.04 def. Tommy Phillips, Chevy Camaro, 9.894, 160.63.
Summit Super Pro — Steve Sisko, Dragster, 9.648, 113.04 def. Cliff Carr, Dragster, foul.
Summit Pro — Gerald Halle, Chevelle, 9.506, 140.85 def. Dustin Moore, Chevy Nova, foul.
Summit Bike — Roy Hagadorn, Suzuki, 8.862, 142.60 def. Brenda Kay, Suzuki, 8.606, 150.56.
Summit Sportsman — Bill Crutcher, Chevy Nova, 12.490, 107.35 def. Scott Smith, Chevy Malibu, foul.
Round-by-round
Top Fuel
Round One — Shawn Langdon, 3.758, 326.00 def. Spencer Massey, 5.184, 138.43 . Morgan Lucas, 3.745, 326.40 def. Billy Torrence, 3.766, 326.00 . Steve Torrence, 3.787, 325.53 def. Doug Kalitta, 3.833, 314.02 . Richie Crampton, 3.720, 320.89 def. Troy Buff, 3.812, 318.84 . Antron Brown, 3.746, 321.81 def. Clay Millican, 5.927, 97.74 . J.R. Todd, 3.765, 325.77 def. Bob Vandergriff, 4.924, 141.16 . Dom Lagana, 3.832, 312.93 def. Khalid alBalooshi, 4.719, 171.71 . Tony Schumacher, 3.749, 327.11 def. Larry Dixon, 3.765, 324.67 .
Quarterfinals — Todd, 3.765, 323.04 def. S. Torrence, 3.763, 327.35 . Brown, 3.749, 323.43 def. Lagana, broke . Lucas, 3.903, 299.53 def. Langdon, 4.986, 166.19 . Schumacher, 3.752, 327.35 def. Crampton, 3.763, 327.82 .
Semifinals — Schumacher, 3.770, 328.30 def. Todd, 3.824, 262.23 . Lucas, 3.707, 325.45 def. Brown, 3.742, 320.74 .
Final — Lucas, 3.704, 325.14 def. Schumacher, 3.742, 324.98.
Funny Car
Round One — Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.035, 310.48 def. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.051, 317.27 . Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.200, 295.85 def. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 10.017, 83.08 . Ron Capps, Charger, 4.028, 316.38 def. Jeff Arend, Charger, 11.137, 72.48 . Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.060, 316.23 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.774, 176.07 . Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.025, 314.61 def. Gary Densham, Chevy Impala, 5.381, 135.95 . John Force, Mustang, 4.083, 319.29 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.337, 245.45 . Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.015, 320.05 def. Chad Head, Camry, 5.083, 167.63 . Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.049, 313.29 def. Courtney Force, Mustang, 6.611, 98.40 .
Quarterfinals — J. Force, 4.031, 318.62 def. Wilkerson, 4.101, 313.00 . Johnson Jr., 4.077, 311.27 def. Worsham, 4.027, 314.83 . Hagan, 4.081, 314.83 def. R. Capps, 6.801, 100.94 . DeJoria, 4.012, 313.80 def. Hight, 5.317, 149.93 .
Semifinals — Hagan, 4.065, 315.86 def. Johnson Jr., 6.184, 107.28 . J. Force, 4.044, 320.58 def. DeJoria, 6.953, 94.32 .
Final — Hagan, 4.076, 310.77 def. J. Force, 4.086, 276.58.
Pro Stock
Round One — Dave Connolly, Chevy Camaro, 6.528, 212.33 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.913, 163.77 . Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.545, 211.66 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.536, 211.59 . Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.528, 212.19 def. Allen Johnson, Dodge Dart, 8.475, 114.04 . Matt Hartford, Pontiac GXP, 6.520, 211.39 def. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.507, 213.30 . Jeg Coughlin, Dart, 6.522, 212.36 def. V. Gaines, Dodge Avenger, 6.524, 212.69 . Jason Line, Camaro, 6.496, 213.06 def. Jeff Isbell, Camaro, foul . Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.516, 212.13 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.578, 210.54 . Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.494, 213.47 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.551, 210.93 .
Quarterfinals — Coughlin, 6.527, 212.73 def. Hartford, 6.548, 211.53 . J. Gray, 6.529, 212.13 def. S. Gray, 6.502, 212.73 . Line, 6.519, 212.46 def. Connolly, 6.518, 212.43 . Enders-Stevens, 6.494, 213.67 def. Brogdon, 6.511, 212.46 .
Semifinals — Line, 6.511, 212.93 def. Coughlin, foul . Enders-Stevens, 6.494, 213.67 def. J. Gray, 6.524, 212.29 .
Final — Enders-Stevens, 6.480, 213.43 def. Line, foul.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Round One — Adam Arana, Buell, 6.889, 195.51 def. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.853, 194.80 . Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.874, 193.32 def. Angie Smith, Buell, 7.059, 190.65 . Hector Arana, Buell, 6.886, 195.90 def. Elvira Karlsson, Suzuki, foul . Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.848, 194.24 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.942, 192.80 . Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.839, 194.77 def. Katie Sullivan, Suzuki, 7.054, 193.38 . Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.835, 198.17 def. Freddie Camarena, Suzuki, 6.971, 195.99 . Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 6.904, 191.35 def. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.888, 194.66 . Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.893, 192.11 def. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.880, 195.65 .
Quarterfinals — Kennedy, 6.924, 189.31 def. Pollacheck, 6.941, 190.78 . Krawiec, 6.835, 194.13 def. A. Arana, 6.881, 195.42 . Hines, 6.864, 194.02 def. H. Arana, 6.959, 191.05 . Arana Jr, 6.888, 195.22 def. Johnson, 6.937, 193.96 .
Semifinals — Arana Jr, 6.808, 197.16 def. Kennedy, 6.981, 187.55 . Krawiec, 6.850, 194.83 def. Hines, 6.890, 194.80 .
Final — Arana Jr, 6.832, 195.08 def. Krawiec, 6.977, 176.37.
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