Elite Motorsports is extending its roots. Team owner Richard Freeman, who followed his family into the sport of straight-line racing, has long been a supporter of Sportsman racing. It’s where he came from and where the current stars of NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competition got started. From Sportsman water boxes to Mission Foods Winner’s Circles, the denizens of Elite Motorsports have the tradition of Lucas Oil Sportsman competition in their veins.
For that reason – and many more – Freeman chose to put his money were his mouth is and lend support to five different Lucas Oil Sportsman racers this year. Placing Elite Motorsports branding on the race machines of four-time Stock world champion Monty Bogan, former Pro Stock standout racer Vincent Nobile, Alcohol Dragster icon Jackie Fricke, together with sisters Taylor Nobile and Tori Iacono, Elite hopes to advance the careers of these competitors and help keep the sport healthy, with some of the best racers available.
“Each of these drivers,” Freeman said, “are more than qualified to represent Elite Motorsports. I’ve known all of them for years now, and watched their programs grow. Our team, myself, Erica [Enders a six-time Pro Stock titleholder], the Coughlins, the Stanfields, we all come from Sportsman racing. Supporting these drivers, it makes sense for us. We are looking to expand our footprint and increase awareness for Elite,” he said, touting Elite’s sourcing of high quality motorhomes, trailers, semi trucks, toterhomes, engines and parts. “As part of the Elite Motorsports family now, these racers will help showcase the brand throughout the eastern portion of the U.S.”
The recipients of Freeman’s contributions to their efforts were effusive about working with the Oklahoma-based company. “They call it Elite for a reason; they are the best,” Monty Bogan stated. Coming off a victory at the SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout held earlier in February, Bogan has been racing for 35 years and has more than 200 divisional and national event wins to his credit. Bogan’s first national event win came in 1995 and has made way for over 40 more. Racing in the Southeast Division (Division 2), “For them to get behind my team, it’s phenomenal. I really believe it will improve the program tremendously.”
Five-time, reigning East Regional Champion Jackie Fricke has nine national event victories to go with 18 regional event wins in Alcohol Dragster. She was runner-up in the national championship in 2021 after racing to 12 final rounds, only to come up one point short. Last year, Fricke came third in her class’ championship, just a single point out of second place. “I’m super excited to represent Elite Motorsports and hope that we can help grow their business. John Fink, my car owner, will be able to utilize Richard’s connections. I think i’t s a really good fit,” Fricke said.
Jackie Fricke earned her first national event in 2016 at Maple Grove Raceway outside Reading, PA. As we all know, racing runs in families and Fricke is Taylor and Tori’s aunt! “We’ve really invested the time and resources to try to make sure this is our most successful season,” she said of the planned 2025 campaign in Alcohol Dragster. “Coming so close last year, it stung, it was the second time. Hopefully third time is the charm?”
Vincent Nobile shouldn’t be a stranger to anyone that’s followed Pro Stock – and Elite Motosports – since Freeman started his Pro Stock team. A 13-time winner in the class, he secured several of those victories under the Elite Motorsports banner. “Richard has always helped me out in my racing career,” Nobile acknowledged. “When my Pro Stock days ended in 2018, he gave me a one-off chance to race a Pro Stock car, and we even made it to the finals in Atlanta, so to have him come on-board now, I really appreciate it.” Nobile is competing this year in the eight-race Mountain Motor Pro Stock class as well as in Super Comp, racing within the Northeast Division – Division 1.
Nobile’s wife Taylor is also representing Elite Motorsports in 2025. She was awarded the 2018 Image of Youth award in Division 1, an honor presented for exemplary achievements, support and dedication to NHRA Drag Racing. “I’m very excited to have Elite on board,” Taylor Nobile said. “Vincent has been part of the Elite family before, so I’ve known Richard for a while. Last season I got to know Erica (Enders) too.” The Super Street racer, with four Division 1 victories also counts one National event win in Super Comp. “Elite is a family and since we’re all racing as a family, that’s just as important to us as the support and experience they bring to our program.”
Taylor’s sister, Tori Iacono starts her third Super Comp season in 2025; she’s looking to grab her first Wally winner’s trophy this year after racing NHRA’s Jr. Dragster class, where she picked up four divisional victories and earned the Atco Dragway track championship eight years ago, in 2017. Like the rest of her family, Tori races in the Northeast Division (Division 1). “I’ve known Richard for a couple of years and my family has a good relationship with him,” she stated. “Even before this partnership, Richard always supported us, watching on the starting line.. Elite Motorsports is a super awesome organization. Being surrounded by good racers – I mean Erica Enders is a badass – and having Elite on our cars, that means something. They really are Elite for a reason, and it’s cool to be part of that!”
The 2025 NHRA Southeast Division (Division 2) season began this weekend, February 21-22 at Orlando Speed World Dragway in Florida, while the Northeast Division (Division 1) starts May 22-25 at Maple Grove Raceway. The East Region begins its competition at Gainesville Raceway next weekend, February 28 through March 1, while the 2025 NHRA National Event Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule kicks off March 7-9 on Gainesville Raceway’s dragstrip with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
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