Erica Enders will be back racing NHRA Pro Stock in the 2011 Season with a new Chevy Cobalt from Cagnazzi Racing. She began her Pro Stock career at Cagnazzi Racing in 2005 and quickly became the most prolific female driver in Pro Stock history. “I’m genuinely excited about this,” Cagnazzi said. “Erica will certainly be in a much better car than she had the first time around as our entire operation has evolved quite a bit. People are talking about her getting a win; I believe we’re going to get lots of wins.”

According to Cagnazzi, Enders will be the only Chevy driver in the class, something he hopes the manufacturer notices. Enders’ ZaZa Cobalt is the exact same car five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. drove in years past. It will be tuned by multi-time champion crew chief Roy Simmons and set up by teammate Dave Connolly. Enders was driving a Ford last season for Jim Cunningham. “If you look at what Victor and his team has accomplished over the past several years it’s really exciting to think about the possibilities,” Enders said. “Victor and Brita Cagnazzi have remained great friends of my family ever since I drove for them and I believe we’re going to pick up right where we left off and really have some fun this year.”

ZaZa Energy, a privately-held Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas-based oil and gas company, will serve as primary sponsor of Enders return to top contender status and will remain in that capacity as the team searches for a long-term financial partner. ZaZa co-founder Gaston Kearby has seen Enders in action and is impressed with the way she handles herself, both on and off the racetrack, and with the thousands of kids that follow her career. “I attended several races last year and we just love Erica here at ZaZa,” Kearby said. “We’re excited to have her representing ZaZa Energy to the world and can’t wait to see her win the championship she so richly deserves. She’s a real pro, in the car and in the boardroom, and our friends and colleagues are going to love her as much as we do.” Cagnazzi and Kearby are getting a bona fide star in Enders.

Prior to becoming a professional driver, Enders and her sister Courtney were the subjects of the Disney Channel movie “Right On Track,” the story of the girl’s battles in the NHRA’s Junior Dragster category, which is reserved for kids aged 8-17. “Right On Track” (www.NHRAmovie.com) remains the most watched Disney Channel movie in history.

Interesting Facts:

• Owns every NHRA record in the books for a Female Pro Stock Driver
• Had her life story made into the Disney Original Movie “Right on Track” in 2003
• Hundreds of Community Service Appearances (Children’s Hospitals, Elementary, Middle and High School Assemblies, Store Promotions, etc.)
• 18 Day Tour of Iraq visiting soldiers in Black Hawk Helicopters
• USAF Thunderbirds F-16 Flight (9g’s and Supersonic)
• Guinness Book of World Records record holder
• First Woman to compete in NHRA’s Pro Stock Category since 1993
• First Woman in NHRA history to qualify #1 in a Pro Stock field
• First Woman to reach the Final Round in Pro Stock (2)
• Became the 35th woman in NHRA history to earn a national event Championship (Super Gas 2004)
• Started drag racing at the age of 8 in 1992
• Original Jr. Dragster car is on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
• Has driven Pro Stock, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Dragsterand Jr. Dragsters
• Graduate of Frank Hawley Drag Racing School, Super Gas, Super Comp (1999) and Top Alcohol Funny Car (2003)
• Graduate of Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving (2004)

Career Highlights:

• 2010: qualified for 3 races…The 4 wide at Charlotte, St Louis and Denver
• Nominated for 2005 Professional NHRA Rookie of the Year (a.k.a. Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award)
• Reached her first ever Pro Stock Final in her rookie season (Chicago, Ill. 2005)
• Defeated Rickie Smith for first Professional Round-Win (Reading, Penn. 2005)
• Only female driver to qualify no. 1 in a Pro Stock field (Topeka, Kan. 2006)
• Earned 37 career Jr. Dragster wins in eight years of competition
• 2000 Sportsman Rookie of the Year
• 1995 Jr. Dragster Driver of the Year
• First ever Division 4 Jr. Dragster champion (8 to 9 year old class) in 1993
• First female JR Dragster National Championships Finalist and National Team Champion
• Advanced to first NHRA National Event Final at age 16 (Houston 2000)
• National Event Winner in Super Gas (Houston 2004)
• Cagnazzi Racing & Erica
• Cagnazzi Racing Driver 2005 – 2006
• 1st Female Pro Stock Qualifier: Phoenix ‘05
• 1st Female Pro Stock Finalist: Chicago 2005
• Pro Stock Semi-Finalist: Houston, Texas 2006
• #1 Qualifier & 1st Female #1 Qualifier: Topeka KS 2006