AROUND THE OVALS Motorsports news

Following her dream: Erica Enders is following her dream, racing full-size dragsters in the NHRA. The 20-year-old Houston native was the subject of a movie on the Disney Channel last year about her drag racing exploits as a teen. Now, she is competing in both a Super Comp dragster and a Super Gas Corvette at speeds of more than 150 mph on the quarter-mile. Enders, portrayed in the movie "Right On Track" by actress Beverly Mitchell, is also a full-time student at Texas A & amp;M University. "The season is going pretty well," Enders said. "The toughest part is trying to balance school and racing, but I am working hard at it." Since the movie, which Disney says was the second most-watched film in the history of the network, Enders said she is recognized more often. "The only difference after the movie is that I can see that my fan base is growing when I attend a National Event," Enders said. "Last year, at the race in Houston, I signed autographs for a huge crowd all weekend. It has really been a positive experience. It's really neat to have young girls come up to you and say, 'I want to be just like you when I grow up."' Enders will be among the favorites this week in the NHRA Cajun Sportsnationals in New Orleans. Last weekend in Houston, Enders earned her first career victory in the Lucas Oil Series in her Super Gas Corvette. She has also had some success at the divisional level this season, with a runner-up finish in Memphis in Super Comp. The next step would be moving up to the NHRA POWERade Series, following in the footsteps of Top Fuel star Shirley Muldowney and three-time NHRA Pro Bike champion Angelle Savoie.
New face: Eric McClure, the son of Jerry McClure, one of the team owners, will join veteran Jimmy Spencer today in attempting to qualify for the race. McClure, 25, a weekly Late Model driver, has two starts in the Busch Series and two in the ARCA series, including one on Talladega's 2.66-mile oval. He has also tested the team's No. 4 Cup car there several times during the past two years, but he hasn't competed in a Nextel Cup race. "Eric is a good racer and I am saying that from a team owner's perspective," said his dad, who will also act as his spotter. "He has logged a lot of laps at Talladega, and his uncles and I feel like he is capable of being competitive or he would not be starting a Cup car for the team this week." Larry McClure, another team owner and Eric's uncle, will serve as his team manager and assist Robert Larkins with the crew chief duties. If the youngster manages to make the 43-car field, the McClures have a game plan ready. "Once we get Eric qualified, the plans are to drop him to the back of the field for the beginning of the event," Larry McClure said.
No jinx: Well, the new American Thunder magazine may have just the opposite effect. Its first two issues featured NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rusty Wallace. Earnhardt won the season-opening Daytona 500 shortly after the first issue hit the newsstands in February. Then Wallace, who was on the cover of the March edition, ended a 105-race winless string last Sunday at Martinsville. Next up is the May issue, coming out Saturday, featuring a double cover with rookies Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers. Both are looking for their first Cup win.
-- Associated Press
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