Elite Motorsports is riding high into the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, bringing a surge of momentum, recent victories, and a deep-rooted history to the team’s defining hometown race.
Coming off a strong stretch in the Countdown to the Championship, the team arrives in Ennis having swept the opening three-race. Troy Coughlin Jr. kicked the Countdown off with a victory at Martin, Michigan where he broke a 41-race winless streak for the midnight JEGS team. Greg Stanfield and then Janac Brothers Racing team got the job done in Rockingham, N.C. while taking the points lead for Elite Motorsports, the first time the powerhouse team has led the Pro Stock field since 2024 at Las Vegas. Greg’s son, Aaron and his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers team, finished off the swing with a statement victory at the most recent event in St. Louis.
Just under three hours from both the Elite headquarters in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and Stanfield’s hometown of Bossier City, Louisiana, the Texas Motorplex holds special significance.
“Dallas is our home turf. That’s where I test, and it’s probably where I’ve made the most runs ever,” Aaron said. “Dallas is where I got my very first NHRA win in Super Stock, in the same car my wife is driving. I’m super, super pumped.”
Aaron’s victory was his third of the season, he first broke out for victory at the Route 66 Nationals just outside of Chicago before following it up with a win in Norwalk, Ohio. The JHG/Melling team hit a rough patch through the mid-season, but now sit seventh in points, a jump from 10th, with three races left in the Countdown.
“Drag racing is all about highs and lows,” Aaron shared. “We’ve had a few high moments this year, and we went through a long period of losing first round. But we haven’t been afraid to change things. It’s taken some adjustment on my end and some adjustment on the crew chiefs’ end. We haven’t been afraid to change things, and it worked out this weekend.
“You keep your head down, you keep working, you keep trying to get better, and you don’t lose faith,” Aaron continued. “As a whole, the entire Elite team has been running really well. We just need to keep that trajectory.”
Six-time NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders returns home to Texas aiming to add another chapter to her storied history at Texas Motorplex. The Houston native has claimed victory three times at the facility and considers the Stampede of Speed one of the most vital stops on the tour.
“Coming home is always a highlight of my season,” Enders said. “We’ve had a ton of core memories here from racing Jr. Dragsters and Sportsman to clinching Championships and collecting cowboy hats. Regardless of where we stand for the season, it’s always something I look forward to. The Meyer family puts on a second-to-none show for 10 days and I’m proud to be one of their hometown racers. A win would surely turn things around for us and coming off of a three-in-a-row for Elite, it’s right there for the taking.”
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