Erica Enders Takes Control
Pro Stock driver Erica Enders has taken control of her racing future by assuming the responsibilities of vice president of marketing of Master Formula Xtreme Polishes, Waxes, Cleaners, and Sealers. The agreement will allow the most successful female Pro Stock racer of all-time to resume her driving career in an Allen Johnson-powered Stratus R/T.
Unlike traditional motorsports marketing programs that promise sales results in exchange for up-front sponsorship dollars, Enders plans to use her unique familiarity with millions of race fans and the business community to bolster the Southern California-based company’s bottom line. As sales of Master Formula products increase, a percentage of gross revenue will be allocated to funding her on-track activities.
“We are delighted to associate ourselves with a proven professional like Erica,” said Clarence Larkins, CEO and Founder of Master Formula. “After meeting with Erica and her father Gregg, along with their team of business and marketing professionals, we’re confident Enders Racing can help us take our company to the next level very quickly.
“For 20 years we’ve sold our products directly to our consumers. We’ve had some small distributors but nothing to the scale of the Erica and her group have created. Their connections in motorsports, and in the business world in general, will put our great products into the top distribution channels nationwide. It’s very exciting.”
Although she’s just 24, Enders already owns every performance record for female Pro Stock racers. She’s raced to two final rounds, one low qualifier position, 23 elimination-round victories, and the quickest and fastest pass ever recorded by a woman with her best of 6.603 at 209.62 mph.
She’s proven to be equally adept in her promotional roles, taking several different products to markets, many of which are populated by the audiences she generated with the Disney Channel movie about her and her sister Courtney’s racing endeavors entitled Right On Track. Since its release, more than 85 million people have viewed Right On Track, placing it among the top-three movies in Disney Channel history.
With Master Formula, Enders plans to re-brand the company’s three primary products — Metal Gloss, Sealer Gloss, and Cleaner Gloss. Her will include additional car care products, point-of-purchase displays with both smaller and life-sized cutouts of Enders in her racing gear, direct sales kiosks at POWERade Drag Racing Series events, a dynamic e-commerce portal, unrivaled PR and media activation, and an aggressive live appearance schedule at participating stores, manufacturing plants, schools, and trade shows.
“It’s time to take control of things and prove that a racer can grow a sponsor’s business before they ever spend a dollar to put a car on the track,” Enders said. “The surest way to keep a sponsor is for them to have a vested interest in what you’re doing to help them for many years to come. Once we add ESPN2 telecasts and put the car in front of the loyal and supportive NHRA fans, these great products should do very well in the stores and catalogs.
“That’s especially true in these tougher economic times. A sponsorship has to make fiscal sense regardless of what you accomplish on the racetrack. In this case, our racing program will merely enhance what we will already be doing for Master Formula. I’m finally using all the marketing stuff I learned at Texas A&M. It’s empowering and a lot of fun to control your own destiny.”
In a recent question - answer interview I had the chance to ask Erica some questions, here is how that went.
TFP: What have you been doing this off season to keep yourself busy?
EE: What have I not been doing is the question. While I have not been driving I continue to work on sponsorship and I’m at the shop everyday. A big press release went out about a month ago talking about our partnership with Master Formula. I’m their VP of Marketing so I stay super busy with that as well as Enders Racing business and my Father’s Bio Diesel company. In the midst of all of the work, I try to get to the gym 4 days a week and work out with my trainer and then whatever time is left over is spent with my family, boyfriend, friends and new puppy Gucci.
TFP: Tell me a little bit about your role with Master Formula
EE: Master Formula hired me as their VP of Marketing which has been really cool for me. I get to apply all of the stuff I learned at Texas A&M mays Business School with the experience I gained from working with my old milk sponsor. We are going to do some pretty cool things together and I really get a kick out of seeing the numbers change first hand. On the sponsor side of things it is my job to get the product into retailers and then work on moving it off the shelves. I’m very excited to be teamed up with Master Formula’s founders, the Larkins, they are an amazing Christian family and very fun to work with.
TFP: Will this new role help you get back to racing and do you plan on being back next year?
EE: Yes. We have a deal worked out where everything we sell and get into retailers goes directly to the race team. With mine and my father’s contacts we hope to score some pretty big accounts. The more we sell, the faster we get back on the track. Everyone asks when we will be back and it is very hard to predict a date but my personal goal is to be back before Indy, time will tell.
TFP: How hard is it going to the races and not being able to race?
EE: It is extremely difficult !! I went to all 8 races that I didn’t drive last year and I have made it to 4 this year. I believe that it is important to be out there as much as possible but I can tell you I am a terrible spectator. There are some pretty amazing drivers who are out of a seat right now and two that I’m pretty close with , Richie Stevens and Phil Burkart try to make it to as many races as possible as well. I know for a fact they are bad spectators but feel that it is important to be out there too.
TPF: Tell us a little bit about Erica
EE: Well, my sister (Courtney) and I grew up around the race track with my father, Gregg who was a sportsman racer. I started driving Jr. Dragster in 1982 and drove those for 8 years. In 2000 I moved to super comp and super gas where I finished runner up at my first national event and went on to win Rookie of the Year. In Feburary of 2004, I went to Frank Hawley’s School to get my Top Alcohol Funny Car license so that I could work on going Nitro FC racing. Right after I won Super Gas in Houston, I was hired by Victor Cagnazzi to drive a Pro Stock Car so my plans changed. I spent the rest of 2004 learning to drive a Pro Stock Car and made my Pro debut in Pomona in 2006. Right now I’m in my 17th year of racing and I can’t believe how fast it has gone by !
TFP: Why do yo think it’s been so hard for you to find a sponsor?
EE: I wish I knew the answer to that question! I have never worked so hard or wanted anything more. I know it will come soon, I just wish it was yesterday. We are very surprised that we haven’t found one because of my marketability and fan following. We have a lot to offer and hope that someone capitalizes on it soon.
TFP: This ones for Richie, we heard rumors that he is going into the Nitro ranks, can you share some light on that?
EE: I can tell you he plans on getting his Funny Car license before the year is out and that he is pretty excited about it. While we were at a race earlier this year he ordered his firesuit, helmet and boots, so I’m sure that you can expect to hear more about it soon.
TFP: What made you get into Drag Racing?
EE: I fell in love with the sport at an early age and couldn’t imagine my life without racing.
TFP: How was your trip to Iraq?
EE: I had the opportunity to go to Iraq with 3 other drivers, Clay Millican, Phil Burkart and Jeremy Mayfield through a company called Pro Sports MVP. We had the most amazing time. It was definitely an eye opening experience. We were in Iraq and Kuwait for a total of 12 days and I learned so much. The American public has no idea what is going on over there because of the media chooses what to tell us. The 4 of us hope that we can tell the story out of respect for the men and women who are over there risking their lives and who belive in the cause with all of their heart. Despite anyone’s political views; what we (The USA) are doing over there is pretty freaking amazing.
TFP: What is your most memorable moment in Drag Racing?
EE: After 17 years this list gets kind of long. My favorite times were when I won the Div 4 Championship in 1993, Driver of the year in 1995, Rookie of the year in 2000, the release of our Disney Movie entitled Right on Track in 2003, Becoming the first woman to go to the finals in Pro Stock in 2005 and 2006, 1st woman # 1 qualifier in Pro Stock in Topeka in 2006. I have met some of the most amazing people and have enjoyed the ride so much !!!
Thanks Erica for taking the time to speak with us and we here at Top Fuel Photos wish you nothing but the best. We look forward to seeing you on the track real soon.
Story courtesy of Top Fuel Photos
