From Kelly Wade | NHRA
MADISON, Ill. (Oct. 01, 2023) – Greg Anderson’s late-season surge in Pro Stock continued at St. Louis in a major way, as the veteran won for the second straight weekend thanks to a run of 6.55 at 209 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro in the finals against Aaron Stanfield. After struggling for much of the season, Anderson is now second in points – just 25 points behind Erica Enders – picking up his second win of the season and the 103rd in his career. He’s gone from eighth to second in just two races, and on Sunday in St. Louis he took down Jerry Tucker, Deric Kramer, and Enders to reach the final round.
It was the second consecutive semifinal win against Enders, and Anderson was .002 on the starting line against the defending world champ to snap her string of four straight wins in St. Louis. He was great on the starting in the final round, too, clocking a .021 to lead wire-to-wire against Stanfield, who recorded a 6.56 at 209.
“I'm back in the game. I've legitimately got a shot at this championship with three races to go, and that's all you can ask,” said Anderson. “I went to the first race at Reading and lost in the first round, and I've said it a million times – you can't win the championship at the first race of the playoffs, but you can lose it. I was knocking on the door of knocking myself out of it. if I didn't have a big recovery at the next race, I was out of it. I'm back in the fight, and I have a great hot rod, but there are so many great cars, so many great drivers in this class right now. It's incredible. These next three races are going to be a bare-knuckled brawl.
“From first round on, it's like racing the final, every week. Right now, if you don't do a perfect job round one you go home. There’s no telling what's going to happen from here on out. I feel fantastic about the way things have gone these past two weeks. With the job my guys have done on my racecar and even the job I've been able to do behind the wheel, it feels great.”
Stanfield advanced to his first final round of 2023 and 14th in his Pro Stock career by defeating Camrie Caruso, Chris McGaha, and Bo Butner. Incoming points leader Matt Hartford, who was upset in the first round, is 38 points behind Enders, and Dallas Glenn, who also lost in the opening round, trails the top spot by 64 points.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship continues with race four of six at the Stampede of Speed at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas for the NHRA FallNationals Oct. 13-15.
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