Langdon Rules
Shawn Langdon won Sunday in Funny Car at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. (Shawn Crose photo)

Langdon Rules All-Kalitta Final At Gateway

Erica Enders (left) and Karen Stoffer (right) both won on Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway. (Brad Plant photo)

Enders snapped a winless drought that stretched back to early last year by going 6.598 at 208.36 in her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Camaro and slipping past Matt Hartford’s 6.621 at 207.30 in the final round.

It gives Enders, who was also the No. 1 qualifier this weekend, her 24th career win and first since the four-wide race at Charlotte last spring.

She reached the final round with victories against Alan Prusiensky, Aaron Stanfield and Chris McGaha, jumping to second in points.

Hartford, who moved to fourth in points, beat Kenny Delco, points leader Jason Line and Bo Butner to reach his sixth career final round. Both drivers had great reaction times in the final round, but Enders was able to chase down Hartford for her first victory of 2019.

Stoffer and Enders’ wins also marked the first time in NHRA history that females won in both Pro Stock classes at the same race.

They were the 148th and 149th win for females in NHRA history.

“We just had to pick ourselves up and we redeemed ourselves after our poor performance in Reading,” Enders said. “I’m ready for the remaining four races. I put my money on us. It’s all come together at the right time. It feels like it’s been eternity since we last won in 2018. We just continue to keep our heads down and working hard, and this definitely means a lot to our entire program.

“I knew every time we fired that bad boy up, we were going to go out and make a really great pass.”

Stoffer picked up her first win in four years in Pro Stock Motorcycle after going 6.869 at 197.74 on her Stoffer Enterprises/Big St. Charles Suzuki to beat points leader Andrew Hines’ 6.871 at 196.59 in the finals.

It was Stoffer’s ninth career win, jumping her to second in points behind Hines.

Stoffer reached the final round with wins against Ryan Oehler, defending world champ and No. 1 qualifier Matt Smith and Eddie Krawiec.

Hines beat Michael Ray, Angie Smith and Steve Johnson to advance to his 95th final round, as Stoffer and Hines matched up in the finals for the first time in nine years.

Stoffer was quicker off the line and rode her way to her first win since 2015.

“I really don’t feel the pressure out there because every team is phenomenal,” Stoffer said. “I listened to the team and did what I had been doing. We had Matt, and then Eddie and then we had Andrew. Out of all the heavy hitters, those are it. We just went out and did our job. The Suzuki platform definitely went through some challenges and we’re not one of those high-budget teams, but we have fun.

“It’s been a long time (since her last win), and I wasn’t even scheduled to race this year, and here we are in the top 10 and winning a race in the Countdown.”