Entering the 2023 season with five Pro Stock world championships and having won 15 of the 19 Pro Stock events contested last year in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, the Elite Motorsports team knows precisely what it takes to create a winning season. The members of the largest professional team in drag racing have been preparing throughout the offseason to do just that.
Professional drag racing kicks off this weekend for what is anticipated to be one of the most competitive seasons in NHRA history at the 54th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla. The Elite Motorsports crew plans to continue its powerful legacy in the sport and the excitement has been palpable as the team tested in nearby Bradenton, Fla. earlier this week.
“Coming off of such a phenomenal season means we’ve got a target on our backs,” said team owner Richard Freeman. “The competition in all of our categories – Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Mountain Motor Pro Stock – is going to be fierce this year. But this team thrives under pressure. Tell us we can’t do something and this team will find a way to get it done. The talent we have at Elite Motorsports is second-to-none, across the board. Every member of that team has been working during the offseason to make us even better. But we know that our competition has been doing the same. It’s going to be an exciting year for everyone.”
The Elite Motorsports fleet is comprised of eight Pro Stock, one Pro Mod and two Mountain Motor Pro Stock machines. Five-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders is returning along with her teammates Aaron Stanfield, Troy Coughlin Jr., Bo Butner, Fernando Cuadra Sr., Fernando Cuadra Jr., and Cristian Cuadra. New to the Pro Stock ranks this season is rookie Jerry Tucker. Piloting the Pro Mod entry will be sportsman veteran Mason Wright. Enders will compete alongside Freeman in the two Mountain Motor Pro Stock cars, new to the Elite fleet this season. In the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, David Cuadra will be debuting a new Elite Motorsports Top Sportsman Mustang.
Qualifying for the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals begins on March 9 for sportsman and March 10 for the pro categories. Follow Elite Motorsports online for updates throughout the event.
This story was originally published on March 8, 2023. 
