Seattle: Erica Enders Saturday summary

ENDERS BUMPED FROM PRO STOCK FIELD IN FINAL DAY OF QUALIFICATIONS IN SEATTLE

KENT, Wash. (July 22, 2006) - In only her second race under the Don Schumacher Racing umbrella, Erica Enders narrowly missed qualifying for the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals this weekend at Pacific Raceways after being bumped today from the 16-car NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock field.

Enders, driving the Team Schumacher Dodge Stratus R/T, entered today's rounds as the No. 16 qualifier. "I was a little nervous because it's always an odd position, to be on the bump," she said.

"With the cloud cover this morning we thought we were going to have a chance to run a little faster, and we did, barely, but it was very humid and we didn't run well enough to stay in," she said of her 6.762-second pass at 203.80 mph set in the midday session when most teams were able to improve. She ended up No. 18.

Her other three qualifying rounds produced a 6.812/202.64, a 6.776/203.37, and a 6.798/203.77 in her final attempt to get back into the field.

The final bump was set at 6.740 by No. 16 qualifier Max Naylor.

Now, Enders prepares for next weekend's Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, Calif., July 28-30).

-dsr