Elite Motorsports returns to Chevrolet

Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Erica Enders

Elite Motorsports team owner Richard Freeman has announced that multi-time world champion drag racers Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders will fight for the 2017 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock crown in a pair of RJ Racecars-built Chevrolet Camaros.

The move back to Chevrolet was widely anticipated as Freeman and Enders used the bowtie brand to capture the 2014 and 2015 titles for Elite Motorsports. Coughlin drove a Chevrolet to four of his five Pro Stock championships and also piloted a Chevy when he won the 1992 Super Gas world title.

"It comes down to what works best for us," Freeman said. "My brothers and I have just about always been GM guys. Our engines builders, Nick Ferri and Jake Hairston, have had their best success with GM motors. Our crew chiefs Rick Jones, Mark Ingersoll and Brian Self are very comfortable with Chevrolets. It's a natural fit for us.

"We want to get back to winning races and contending for championships and we feel Chevrolet gives us the best chance to do that at this point in time. We all know Pro Stock races come down to thousandths of seconds and as tough as the competition is out there you can't give an inch."

Under Freeman's guidance, Jones and his son Rickie Jones, who left the team this offseason to start a family, tuned Enders to six victories in 2014 and nine more in 2015, all with Chevy power propelling them down the track. Coughlin, a winner of a massive 76 national events, won 72 of his trophies with GM power.

"The Camaro is a great car and one I'm very comfortable with as a driver," Coughlin said. "Rick and Rickie build awesome racecars and getting the latest and greatest one out of their shop makes me feel like a kid at Christmas. I can't wait to see this yellow and black JEGS.com/Elite Camaro on the racetrack.

"I know we're all anxious to get back out there and prove ourselves. Drag racers are most certainly graded by their last event and we want to get back to the top of the class once again where we feel like we belong. There's a mountain of experience at Elite Motorsports and I know we're in for a big year ahead."

It's very possible Coughlin's biggest rivals on the racetrack will be Elite Motorsports teammates Enders and Vincent Nobile, who returns to the team with his Mountain View Chevrolet.

"The dream scenario is one of us is in the winner's circle at every race," said Enders, the most prolific female in Pro Stock and one of only three women in the 65-year history of the NHRA to win a pro title. "The KB Racing team dominated the field with their three cars this last season and we did a pretty good job ourselves in '14 and '15 so we know it can be done.

"As Jeg said, our guys are really hungry to win again. I believe the move back to Chevrolet is by far the best one we could have made and we plan to show everyone that beginning in February in Pomona."