Twenty years ago, The Disney Channel released a Disney Channel Original Movie, Right On Track, based on the life of drag racing sisters Erica and Courtney Enders. Right On Track premiered on March 21, 2003, and starred two young actresses who’ve gone on to have phenomenal careers in show business. Beverly Mitchell (7th Heaven, Candy Cane Christmas) played Erica Enders and Academy Award winner Brie Larson (Room, Captain Marvel) played Courtney Enders.
It all started when Erica Enders, now a five-time Pro Stock world champion, began competing in the newly formed NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League when she was just 8 years old. Soon after, her younger sister Courtney followed suit and the two became an unstoppable force, picking up wins across the country. They caught the attention of a People Magazine journalist who wrote a feature on the dynamic duo.
That article led to interest from the Disney Channel. At the time, the network was focused on creating original content with a focus on unique true stories in the world of sports. Right On Track was an instant favorite, reaching new fans outside the drag racing world.
Erica and Courtney not only made cameo appearances in the film, but they also did most of the stunt driving required to make the feature-length film. There are a few Hollywood embellishments like a crash and some pretty intense rivalries. But the film certainly hit the nail on the head when it came to depicting the personality differences between Erica and Courtney. That’s likely why they still make a good pair to this day. Through their experiences in Jr. Drag Racing, Erica learned to embrace the competitive pressure and Courtney learned to embrace the spotlight so Erica can remain focused on driving while Courtney handles all of the public relations aspects.
“At the time, Right On Track felt like the peak of our careers,” said Courtney. “To have a movie made about your life when you’re still just a teenager is unheard of but we had already accomplished so much. I wish I could have absorbed every moment more as it happened. Fast forward 20 years and it’s still unbelievable to see the impact this movie had and still has on our sport. We get parents at the ropes introducing their kids to us saying they made their kids watch their favorite movie from 20 years ago and now their kids want to race. It’s wild. To know we had anything to do with the youth and female participation in the sport we love so much really wows me. I’m so proud of not only the movie and the story it told but where Erica and I have both taken our careers since then.”
“It’s crazy to think that Right On Track was released 20 years ago,” said Erica. “To be a high school kid and have a movie made about your life is pretty surreal. It was fun to be a part of making a movie from start to finish – especially since we got to do all of the stunt driving. At the time, it was hard to comprehend the gravity of it. Looking back, it is so cool to see the impact the movie had on us, our sport and the Jr. Drag Racing League. To this day, I still hear kids talk about how they started racing because of this movie. To hear little girls (and grown women) tell us how our story impacted them and changed the course of their lives is unbelievable. When the movie was made, about 25% of Jr. Dragster drivers were girls. Now it’s around 50%. Courtney and I are perfect examples of normal kids who had big dreams. We were able to accomplish great things through hard work, determination and surrounding ourselves with the right people. It goes to show you that the sky is the limit when you never give up.”
Right On Track received a resurgence of interest in late 2019 when Disney launched its streaming service, Disney+, which featured all of the Disney Channel Original Movies. Brie Larson has been known to mention the movie on talk shows when promoting other projects.
Twenty years later, Right On Track is still inspiring young drivers in the Jr. Drag Racing League:
“I love that movie! My favorite part is when the sisters compete against each other and it gets really intense.” – Cora H., 9 years old
“I really like Right On Track because it’s about drag racing and there isn’t much out there for kids that’s about drag racing. I think it’s really cool that Erica started out racing Jr. Dragsters and now she’s racing in Pro Stock.” – Cam M., 9 years old
The Enders sisters still work together in drag racing. Erica Enders is a professional Pro Stock racer with multiple records, national event wins and world championships to her credit. In addition to being Erica’s brand manager, Courtney Enders is the head of Drag Racing Content and on-air talent for FloRacing. She works with Elite Motorsports and a number of other drag racing entities doing team management, PR and content creation.
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