Elite is out



WYNNEWOOD, Okla. — Elite Motorsports and Mopar have parted ways and the team will go in another direction for next year’s NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock season.

The team fields cars for Pro Stock champions Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

“I want to thank everyone at Mopar and Dodge, from the top executives to the engineers on to the people helping us at the races for their hard work and dedication,” said Elite Motorsports team owner Richard Freeman. “My guys should be commended. They basically worked around the clock with pretty much zero days off for the entire season, busting their butts to try and give Erica and Jeggy competitive racecars. We look forward to a fresh start into 2017.”

“We thank the entire Elite Motorsports team, including owner Richard Freeman and drivers Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr. for serving as superb ambassadors of our brand,” said Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service (Mopar), FCA – Global. “The drivers and team handled themselves with professionalism and class, constantly working hard to break into the winner’s circle. We commend them for their dedication and never-quit attitude, and wish the team, Erica and Jeg nothing but success in their future endeavors.

“For 2017, we will continue our relationship with Don Schumacher Racing in both NHRA Funny Car, which has culminated in four championships in six years, and also in Top Fuel, and we will expand our presence in the NHRA Sportsman ranks.”

Elite Motorsports drivers and multi-time world champions Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders both competed with Mopar-backed Dodge Darts in 2016.

“We really wanted to light up the scoreboards this year with our Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar/JEGS.com Dodge Dart but we couldn’t quite get it running where it needed to be,” Coughlin said. “Like Richard, I salute everyone at Mopar and thank them for the effort. We wish them well in 2017 and beyond.”

Enders shared her teammate’s sentiments.

“Mopar has been wonderful to work with,” she said. “It seems we were chasing it all year and never really got the cars where we could challenge for wins. Hopefully, we can start writing a new chapter and everyone will move forward into a better situation, including Team Mopar. We wish them nothing but the best because they’ve been great partners.”

Enders won the 2014 and 2015 Pro Stock titles with Elite Motorsports, while Coughlin finished top of the class in 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2013, prior to his time with Elite Motorsports.

They still have Roy Johnson who they poop on every chance they get.

Outside of the questionable championship(s) of Wayne County, Roy Johnson is the only guy to get a Pro Stock championship.

This was Jegs third go around with Dodge. Only one was good. There is something about that guy I don't care for.

I've said many times, Jeggie want's to be on the winning horse. When his horse isn't winning he want's off.

Based on Mopars comments, I'm betting they're done with Pro Stock. Which means no teams, motor parts, support of any kind, etc.....

I know Marathon signed on with J&J for 2017. Unless they are going to a Chevy.

It doesn't help that a foreign company has owned Chrysler for a couple of decades.

Everybody keeps whining about the Johnson's...........Regardless of whether you like it, or that the Johnsons have run Mopars for years, makes zero difference. For some reason or another the two sides could not agree on what was needed for the Johnsons to keep the Mopar deal. Unless you were IN the meetings, you don't know anything about any particulars. Probably plenty of blame on both sides.........so just let it go.

Sounds Like Team Penske And Dodge All Over Again

We will never know the truth

I know some of what happened during the first divorce, and after it.

I will never defend Chrysler on stuff like this.

The thing that pissed me were, in no particular order, Jeg was involved and Roy at least won. Nick Ferrie tried once with a Dodge and his results were similar.

Hey, it's easier to slap a Hemi decal on a Fuel car - since they look like Hemis but there's no FCA R&D involved except maybe some wind-tunnel use for FC - than it is to have to develop a PS program.
FCA's just not going to spend the money on that class, they'll play with the Challenger door cars. More bang for their buck there is probably the reasoning.

Personally I see no logical reason why any auto manufacturer would sponsor any of the pro classes. If you go by the old addage of "what wins on Sunday sells on Monday", what is there about any pro car that would drive someone to the respective dealership - there isn't a single stock part on any one of them and they don't resemble anything rolling off the line. And then there's the cost to bankroll these teams. If I were the guy signing the checks, the big checks would be going to guys racing current body styles so there's actually some "brand recognition". And with the money I saved from sponsoring a few big teams I'd be marketing the hell out of the guys running my stuff. Get back to the days of performance clinics, etc..

I agree, I haven't understood what possible benefit sponsoring a Pro-Stock car these days gives any manufacturer. Just seems like an endless money pit to sell what? front wheel drive, 4cylinder Darts.........not likely

I agree as well.

Dodge doesn't even make the Dart anymore - another reason why they'll walk away from the class IMO. Could have been Mopars decision just as much as it was Elite's.

Perfect storm of new team/new combo, a class where the technology is 95% centered around the GM DRCE and then....the new FI system where the KB boyz were well out in front on the D&R from the Get-go...and then you throw in the lack of market share for the DART and the CEO trying to sell the company to anyone who would bid.

Sad but true the main Saleable asset for the Chrysler brand in the USA and really the world.....is JEEP. Fact of Business....everything else is an also ran....just like in Pro Stock 2016

There is still another Father/son MOPAR team.Alan is building his own engines and recently bought a haas chassis.I really hope he can find a few HP to compete withose #$%^&* Camaros!

http://www.dragzine.com/news/nhra-pro-stocks-alan-prusiensky-making-season-debut-with-dodge-dart/

They still help Allen some. To my knowledge, Allen is one of the few that doesn't run into part replacement issues the same way newer teams do whether that is due to their current inventory or something else I don't know. I'm curious if they are still having the same issues as before with the engine. From hearing from people that have had experience with both, they always mentioned that the margin for error with the hemi engine was small because the power band was much narrower than that of gm. It will be interesting to see what new designs may be released and how the development of that newer hemi head with the IEIEIEIE valve layout goes. I hope Allen and Wilson can find some things this winter.

They are done with Pro Stock!!!!

As much as I liked Pro Stock this would about finish off my interest in the class. When Dale Earnhardt died that made me lose interest in Nascar then the Dodges started doing good so it sucked me in again. When Dodge quit I quit again and haven't watched 20 laps since. The chase (NasCar) format really has me confused and I think many others too. Spectators have been walking away from Pro Stock for years and will continue to do so.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head. I grew up when you could buy a car something like the race car that won on Sunday. When Pro Stock started in 1970 it was loved by me and all I knew. But today to be honest I have lost all interest in Pro Stock and pretty much all the Pro classes. Dont get me wrong as I respect the work and money these hard workers put into it but I grew up when the factory wars were great and you could tell what each car racing actually was so I could vote for that Hemi Duster or Cuda to win or the 440 six pack Roadrunner would beat that 428 SCJ Mustang and I have never liked any class where all the vehicles look the same. And all the Pro classes look the same as I cant tell a Dodge from a Chevy or Toyota today. Actually even when Pro Stock started some cars like the Hemi Duster and 429 Mavericks did not come with that eng in them but at least they ran the manufacters eng as today they all have to run aftermarket engines if you want to even try to qualify. Myself I would rather watch the FAST and PURE Stock cars race or the Nostalgia Super Stock cars as they are the only ones I care for anymore. But thats because I am older and love what I grew up with. Maybe the younger crowd like Pro Stock of today but as for me I have not even watched a single NHRA race this year. I would rather watch "American Muscle Car" show repeats. Ron

even nostaligia pro stock only wants 7.90 door slammers,i built a car to run in nostalgia pro stock,when i was told it wouldnt fit in because it wasnt fast enough i traded for the daytona i have now