Venice, CA (August 26, 2011) -- NHRA Driver Alexis DeJoria and her new team traveled to Indianapolis this week for their final round of Nitro testing in preparation of Alexis’ debut race in the Nitro Funny Car class in Dallas next month.
Prior, Alexis had thirty-six test sessions under her belt. This week, not only was she able to add six more sessions, but this was her first time racing with her new crew and in her own car, sans restrictor plate.
As opposed to previous test sessions which were mainly focused on getting Alexis comfortable in the car, the main goal behind this round was for the new crew to get acclimated and become familiarized with their role and responsibilities on the team. According to Vice President of Kalitta Motorsports, Jim Oberhofer, who was trackside during Wednesday and Thursday’s test sessions, “When you put any new team together, there’s always a learning curve involved, but these guys picked it up right away. They worked well together and this week proved to be a great learning experience.”
The first round of testing began on Wednesday. Track conditions were less than ideal, and the car blew the tires right out the gate during the first pass, but with her quick reaction time, Alexis was able to catch it, never letting the motor go above 8400 rpm- an impressive feat. During the second and final round of Wednesday’s test session, Alexis smoked the tires at the 300 feet.
The team was back at it in the August heat on Thursday morning. Following Jim’s instructions, Alexis took the car to half-track and shut it off on her first pass. The purpose of this run was to gain data on the kind of conditions they were in. The car ran well, and after analyzing the data, the crew made the necessary adjustments. During her second run, she dropped a cylinder. Although not an ideal situation, it was a good opportunity for Alexis to learn how to control the car and keep it in the groove, which she was able to do. Of her performance, Jim said “She did a great job driving the car. It’s clear that she has a very good feel for the car and understands where she is on the track, and what’s going on in the seat.”
Track conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the day, and by the time Alexis made her third run, the track temperature had reached 120 degrees. Not many cars were going down the track at that point, but Alexis and her team were determined to get two more runs in. The crew kept it conservative and Alexis ran a 4.28 at 297 mph. “It’s pretty amazing to watch how well she does in that car. She really did a great job controlling it, and keeping it in line. It was straight as an arrow from start to finish,” said Bob Lawson, Alexis’ Operation Manager. Jim added “After that third run, a couple of crew chiefs who I truly have a lot of respect for came over to compliment Alexis on how well she did, which is really telling.”
The day came to an end with Alexis running a 4.23 at 294 mph. “Every run was a learning experience. We had some curveballs thrown at us with the tires blowing, and dropping a cylinder, but I’m glad these things happened- it allowed me to learn how to react properly,” said Alexis.
“When I see Alexis, I see someone who is a very motivated and determined race car driver. She has the ability to not only be a great female race car driver, but to be a great driver, period. If she keeps going in the direction we see her going, the sky is the limit for her,” said Jim.
Alexis, who’s excited about making the transition from Top Alcohol to Fuel driver in Dallas, also finished the day in high spirits, remarking “In all, this was a great two days out here in Indy. We worked well as a team, and our test sessions have been very successful. I’m really looking forward to making my debut in Dallas and can’t wait to get out on the track and represent Patrόn!”
Alexis has completed forty-two Nitro test runs, and will make her Nitro Funny Car debut in Dallas at the NHRA Fall Nationals, September 23rd-25th.
About Alexis DeJoria
Alexis DeJoria, daughter of the famed John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and proud owner of Tequila Patrόn, is currently the Top Female Top Alcohol Funny Car Racer. Her team, Stealth Motorsports, co-operated by Alexis, is one of the few female-owned and operated teams in the industry. Alexis made racing history when she competed in the first ever ‘woman vs. woman’ race in her class in 2010, and she is the 2nd woman ever to win a Top Alcohol Funny Car race. Alexis is the female world record holder for the fastest and quickest speeds, and her car is currently the second fastest car in the world in the TAFC category. Alexis is also well-known for her infamous 2009 Englishtown, NJ crash.
Alexis, who had all the opportunity in the world to pursue any type of career, felt strongly about doing something she is passionate about, and she is proud to encourage and inspire young women to go after their dreams. Alexis’ need for adrenaline drove her to pursue the unlikely profession of auto-racing. The determination to ‘blaze her own trail’ continues to drive her and push her to higher levels in the dangerous, male dominated sport of drag racing. Alexis will transition into the Nitro Funny Car category in the Fall of 2011. She will be the fourth member, and second Funny Car driver for the infamous Kalitta Motorsports team.
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