Sienna Wildgust, a third-generation straight-line racer who’s entered six 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Pro Stock contests in her quest for Rookie of the Year honors, announced she’ll run under the Elite Motorsports banner, intending to utilize that team’s premier driver, six-time champion Erica Enders as her mentor in the door slammer class.
The two racers have led parallel lives in many respects, starting their careers in NHRA’s Jr Dragster class alongside their sisters, Erica’s Courtney and Sienna’s Avery. Both graduated from that class to bigger machines and have done well with their choices. For Wildgust, the opportunity to work alongside Enders and the balance of the championship-heavy Elite Motorsports mega-team is an opportunity she could not pass up.
Wildgust begins her Elite Motorsports career in Pro Stock at the start of the famed NHRA Western Swing that begins with the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways outside Seattle, scheduled July 19-21.
“I have always looked up to Erica as a driver and as a person,” Wildgust emphasized in making the announcement. “My family,” she added, “has known [Elite Motorsports team owner] Richard Freeman for a long time. Elite Motorsports is a family. Racing, for me has always been a family sport and I feel – and my family feels – like this is going to be a good fit. With the culture of the team and all the experiences, I believe I can learn a lot. I’ve always wanted a career in drag racing, in Pro Stock. Joining Elite is going to move my career path forward.
Wildgust, the daughter of Pro Mod racer Scott Wildgust and granddaughter of Sportsman racer Paul Martin, qualified for eliminations at the Winternationals this past March, both Four-Wide events in Las Vegas and Charlotte, and her most recent Pro Stock National event was the Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, just outside Chicago.
Enders, no stranger to mentoring the next generation in her sport, is a 20-year Pro Stock veteran and has played a big part in helping fellow teammates and even opponents in her chosen category. “I have had the privilege of teaching a lot of racers how to drive Pro Stock,” the six-time champ – and No. 1 qualifier at Virginia Motorsports Park said. “From Drew Skillman, Bruno Massel, Marty Robertson, Brandon Foster, to my teammate Jerry Don Tucker, and I’ve helped mentor and advance the skills of the Cuadra brothers, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield,” she reminded.
“When I really get to thinking about the legacy I want to leave behind when I am done with this sport, it boils down to embracing those next in line,” Enders emphasized. “It’s our job to help others. It’s my job to make their journey to the top shorter and much more enjoyable. I look forward to mentoring Sienna. For being so young – Wildgust turned 18 earlier in June – she is beyond her years in identifying what’s right and wrong. She has a clean slate and doesn’t have a lot of bad habits yet. Most importantly,” Enders stressed, “she hasn’t been negatively tainted by the sport yet.
“I have always said that people are the most important part of the puzzle,” Enders continued. “She nailed that by choosing Elite. We operate differently here. it is about family. It’s about being a team and operating as one. We don’t have dissension; it is not tolerated. We swim in the same direction; we don’t point fingers. We are a big, dysfunctional family… we work hard and play hard! I am so proud of what we have built,” Enders finished.
Wildgust, a native of Stratford, Ontario, Canada became the youngest female racer in NHRA’s Pro Stock class on her debut as a 17-year-old at the 52nd Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals season-starter this past March. Following her Jr Dragster career, one she began at the age of eight, she licensed at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in a dragster and doorcar a year ago and earned her license to race Pro Stock with KB Titan Racing ahead of the 2024 season.
Welcome aboard to the most competitive class of racing there is. Good luck, be humble and try to absorb the knowledge you will be surrounded by. ( Like a sponge)
Always abort if things get out of hand. Safety First , that way you have no regrets later. Stay humble, focused and most of all take a deep breath and enjoy the ride. This is for real !
How much technical info did she steal from KB racing? Hopefully the kept her out of the engine room!