Dallas Glenn hoists a Wally after winning the postponed Pro Stock Winternationals final over Erica Enders on Saturday. (Photo: NHRA Media)
CHANDLER, Ariz. — It took a couple weeks longer than expected, but Dallas Glenn picked up his first win of the season on Saturday when he edged Erica Enders, winning a Wally for the NHRA Winternationals.
In a battle of two of the best leavers in the class, Glenn used a holeshot to sneak past Enders, handing the defending champion her first round loss of the 2024 season.
The win for Glenn came after qualifying for this weekend’s Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park. The race was pushed to this weekend when wild weather in the form of sleet and hail passed through Pomona on Mar. 24 before the completion of the Winternationals’ final rounds.
Glenn and Enders were supposed to compete in the final round of qualifying, but after weather canceled Friday qualifying in Arizona, it was pushed back once again, because both drivers had to compete in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge during the two rounds of qualifying. For Glenn and his KB Titan team, it was worth the wait.
“These guys at KB Titan racing are absolutely the best,” said Glenn. “The last two times I ran here in Phoenix, I lost in the first round both times, and one of them, I dropped a car on my foot. So Phoenix hasn’t been the best place to me. To see that win light come on was definitely relieving.”
That all changed on Saturday, as he got down the track in 6.537 seconds, or at 209 miles per hour, beating Enders quicker, but losing time of 6.531. The difference came at the starting line, where Glenn launched with a 0.24 reaction time to Enders’ 0.45.
“I was just trying to do everything I can, and get everything I could [at the starting line],” Glenn said. “Erica’s been tough. I knew I was going to have to be tough. She’s really fast, but I guess… right place, right time.”
Glenn said he had been disappointed that the final round of the Winternationals had to be postponed due to a rain and hail storm that hit Pomona Dragstrip before the final pairings two weeks ago, but the delay didn’t end up costing him or his KB Titan team.
“We were feeling really good in Pomona. We really wanted to finish it there,” Glenn said. “But we were testing this week, and we tried a few things, and from the beginning of the day to the end, the car definitely picked up.”
Glenn said the win was about more than just him, citing his team’s efforts to get his car where it needs to be.
“So much stuff has been changed that I don’t even know what’s what anymore,” he said. “It seems like we’re gaining on it. I still think we’ve got a little bit more work to do. But everyone at KB Titan racing is really working their butts off. We’re putting in really long hours. We’re going testing two to three times a week when we’re home.”
Glenn’s road to the Winternationals win, which started in California and ended in Arizona, went through teammate Sienna Wildgust, David Cuadra and Mason McGaha before Saturday’s final round win over Enders.
Enders’ path to the final consisted of wins over Fernando Cuadra Jr., Brandon Foster and Glenn’s teammate, Greg Anderson. The loss to Glenn in the final round was her first round loss of the season.
Jeg Coughlin Jr. was fast qualifier for the NHRA Arizona Nationals. (Photo: NHRA Media)
In addition to serving as the final round of the Winternationals, Glenn and Enders matchup was the final round of qualifying, which saw Enders’ teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. earn the top qualified spot entering Sunday eliminations at the Arizona Nationals.
“It feels great,” Coughlin said. “It’s a big testament to the Elite Motorsports team. To be on the pole in just our third event back with the Scag Power Equipment car, feels fantastic.”
The Winternationals final round showdown between Enders and Glenn wasn’t the only competitive pass of qualifying for the two drivers, who competed in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in the first two rounds of qualifying.
It was Enders who came out on top in that contest as she defeated Mason McGaha.
“It’s excited to have a race within a race, despite the stress it adds,” Enders said. “Both my competitors (Greg Anderson and Mason McGaha) were double-0 (at the starting line). Taking me to school on the tree, but fortunately my horsepower saved me. I’ve saved my car before, and today they saved me.”
