Enders, Stanfield add new chapter to their NHRA careers with Top Fuel testing

Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield were full of nerves earlier this week.

It came ahead of the duo from Elite Motorsports experiencing something for the first time on Monday and Tuesday: testing a Top Fuel car in Indianapolis. Both are experienced NHRA Pro Stock drivers who have also driven other vehicles throughout their careers, but nothing like a nitro machine.

Enders didn’t sleep much the night before. Stanfield couldn’t help but acknowledge how intimidating and nerve-wracking a dragster is.

“It was definitely a super cool experience,” Enders told RACER. “I’m glad that I took the opportunity because at first I was kind of like, ‘Oh, I don’t really care to.’ But the more I’ve watched Tony [Stewart] and our operation and how that’s unfolded, I was like, ‘You know what, I probably should experience it and see if I even like it and get my license. If I like it, then we can pursue something, or there might be an opportunity to get in the car in the future.’”

Stewart, who drives the Top Fuel dragster for Elite Motorsports and teammate Leah Pruett of Tony Stewart Racing, were mentors for Enders and Stanfield. It was comforting to have them on the starting line and walk through things. But as much as one can prepare for the process, there is no preparation for what it will be like behind the wheel.

“I’m still super excited and really can’t believe that I got the opportunity to do it,” Stanfield told RACER.

Enders had been told she would be fine, and that the procedure is simpler than being in a Pro Stock car. The flip side, however, is that going much faster means many things can go wrong in a short amount of time.

And she is well aware of those who think because a driver is successful in one car, they should be able to drive anything. Enders believes that becomes a standard. Then there is the competitive side Enders already has: the pressure she puts on herself not to be bad at something or to let people think she can’t drive.

Ahead of the test, Stewart made Enders a procedure list, and she also studied video for weeks. When she couldn’t sleep the night before, she went back to watching video.

“I was trying to imprint that program in my brain because when you have to think, that’s when you screw up,” Enders said. “So, if I can just know what step comes next when I get in the car the next day and perform it, it made so much more sense.

“But I will see they totally undersold how freaking fast it is.”

The intensity of the speed is always eye-opening, no matter whether you're a rookie or a seasoned veteran.

Stanfield thought that hitting the throttle would be the shock, having never gone that fast before. But it wasn’t until he was further down the track that the sensation kicked in.

“And it was definitely understated,” he said. “It’s pretty intense for someone who has never experienced it. I’ve driven a lot of different race cars, and I’ve always stayed pretty versatile throughout my career to this point, so being unfamiliar with a car or getting comfortable being uncomfortable, I’m fairly used to that part. But I’ve definitely never gotten in a race car that I felt that kind of shock, if you will.”

It is almost full circle for Stanfield to embrace this opportunity, and like his teammate, at least see if it’s something he would enjoy. Stanfield had the nickname "Top Fuel" when growing up running around his dad’s engine shop. A third-generation racer, Stanfield is a speed freak, and having a dragster in the Elite Motorsports camp was easy to take advantage of.

The experience left Enders and Stanfield fulfilled and aware of how much work it will take to adapt to racing something new. There were movements behind the wheel that Enders went to make on autopilot that don’t carry over from how it stages to the finesse it takes to drive the car.

Stanfield joked that he always thought he had strapped himself tightly into a race car, but it’s to another level in the dragster. There is no movement at all.

Both drivers made four runs each during the test and plan to do more in the future. Neither is rushing to get their license or compete in the class yet. It will take many more runs to truly understand the dragster, or at least for the human brain to catch up to what is happening. Of course, it will also come down to funding.

For now, the two appreciate driving for someone like Richard Freeman, who isn't afraid to expand his program or branch into something new. Stanfield takes pride in adding something new to his resume, and doing so with a group he considers family. He has no doubt that with Freeman’s all-in aggression and leadership, the program will grow.

“I hope to see my name in a Top Fuel car one day at a national event,” he said.

Enders, meanwhile, is kept on her toes by Freeman and what might come next. When she started with Freeman in 2014, it was her and six others. Now it’s a multi-car championship program, and while not one for change, she knows it’s good to broaden her horizons by jumping into things with no idea what is going to happen.

“It’s a hope, a bunch of faith and trust, and that’s really hard for me, but I think it’s good, and I’m glad I have something that pushes me to do those things,” Enders said. “You can get stuck sometimes. I’ve been driving Pro Stock for 22 years, but through this program I’ve had the chance to drive so many different things and about 14 licenses in NHRA. It’s pretty cool.”