Simply mentioning Richard Freeman’s name triggers a wide array of responses from those who know him best – rough around the edges, a teddy bear, aggressive, loud, fearless leader.
No description is inherently wrong. The Oklahoma native embodies all of these qualities — and more — in his daily life as a Pro Stock team owner and well-established businessman.
Erica Enders, who has driven for Freeman and his Elite Motorsports team since 2014, chuckled while deliberating how to describe her relationship with Freeman.
“Bonnie and Clyde?” she quipped.
The dynasty she’s built hand-in-hand with Freeman over the last decade speaks for itself. Since joining the Elite Motorsports camp, the pairing has collected six Pro Stock titles and more than 40 national event wins.
While it’s difficult to imagine Enders without the credentials that are now synonymous with her name, the vast majority of her success didn’t come until Freeman hired her.
Prior to the swap in 2014, Enders had run for four teams — Victor Cagnazzi Racing, Don Schumacher Racing, her family-owned operation and Cunningham Motorsports.
There were some good times scattered throughout those early days, but frankly, nothing could compare to the environment she found with Elite.
What made the difference?
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