There’s a certain mentality that an NHRA driver needs to have to become a champion.
And it becomes absolutely critical during the Countdown to the Championship, when the points reset and it becomes an all-out, six-race battle to the Nov. 10-13 finale at California’s Auto Club Raceway.
Funny Car point leader Robert Hight looks to John Force as an example of the winning mentality. At 73 years old, the 16-time champion can say that he has never settled. As Hight said, Force is even getting tired of signing “16x” besides his name — he wants to make it 17.
“You have to have that kind of drive,” Hight said.
Unfortunately for Hight, three of his closest championship rivals — Ron Capps, Matt Hagan and Force — have already proven they have what it takes to claim a Funny Car title.
And due to the points reset for the Countdown, none of them are far behind Hight as the series heads to the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Pennsylvania’s Maple Grove Raceway this weekend. The gap between Hight and Capps has been reduced to 20 points, and the remaining championship contenders are separated in 10-point increments.
With every win amounting to 20 points, the possibility for change is unnerving.
“You get a funny feeling, seeing those points drop to 20. It makes it real,” Hight said.
The opening round of the Countdown is one of the most nerve wracking for a points leader, according to Hight. It’s entirely possible to enter qualifying in the lead and exit the weekend fifth or sixth in points.
Losing bonus points in qualifying, battling unfavorable weather conditions or running into standard car performance issues during any of the eliminations could end up being incredibly costly.
Backed by the six event wins he’s collected so far this year, Hight maintains his faith in his Chevrolet Camaro SS and John Force Racing team. And like his team owner, Hight isn’t ready to settle — he’s looking for championship No. 4.
Meanwhile, in Pro Stock, Erica Enders has enjoyed a similarly successful run through the regular season. In what has been her career-best performance, the Elite Motorsports driver holds a 34-7 elimination record this season with six event wins under her belt.
The four-time Pro Stock champion knows a thing or two about what it takes to win. She has entered the Countdown from the lead, she’s come in as an underdog and she’s taken the title from both positions.
While her strategy doesn’t change much, regardless of how she starts the Countdown, the element of risk becomes a mental factor.
“It’s definitely different when you’re chasing, because you feel like you have nothing to lose,” Enders said. But when she’s in the lead, “it’s your championship to lose.”
If she could take her pick, Enders would have her year play out exactly the way it has. Before the points reset, she had essentially dominated the Pro Stock class during the regular season, accumulating a point lead of more than 200 points.
Her win-record speaks for itself, but it also establishes a certain reputation to the drivers who are chasing her for the championship.
“I feel like they know what we’re capable of and it’s our job to show the world that we can do it,” Enders said. “We’ve had a tremendous regular season here at Elite Motorsports and we’re hopeful that the swing continues through these final races.”
Both Enders and Hight will have the opportunity to continue their season momentum and protect their points lead at the opening round of the Countdown to the Championship at Maple Grove Raceway.