| Alexis DeJoria Racing Team Ready to Hit the Firebird Track for their Second Nitro Funny Car Race |
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| For Immediate Release: Media Contact: Allison McCormick Alexis DeJoria Racing allison@alexisdejoria.com (561) 279-7827 x306 or (305) 764-5377 Alexis DeJoria Racing 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series 27th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals Firebird Int’l Raceway 20000 Maricopa Road Chandler, AZ 85226 October 14th-16th, 2011 Alexis DeJoria Racing Team Ready to Hit the Firebird Track for their Second Nitro Funny Car Race Venice, CA (October 10, 2011) – The Alexis DeJoria Racing team is ready to get back on the track after almost a three week break since they first made their Nitro Funny Car debut in Ennis, TX last month. In order to be considered ‘rookie status’ for the 2012 season, Team Patrόn was only allowed to compete in four races this year, electing to forgo the Reading, PA race last week for logistical purposes. During this break, every member of the team has been working hard to make sure their second Funny Car showing is a successful one, and the team feels confident that they have a solid game plan going into this weekend’s race. Following the Texas Fall Nationals, the team stayed behind and tested on the Ennis track. The test runs went well, and the team anticipates the track conditions (very hot and dry) in Phoenix to be similar to what they encountered in Ennis, arming them with crucial information they can utilize going into this weekend’s event. In addition to gathering data from their first race and test session, Alexis’ crew chief & VP of Kalitta Motorsports, Jim Oberhofer, is able to apply information from the DHL car (Kalitta’s other Funny Car) which ran very well in Reading. Both Funny Cars are set up in a similar manner, allowing them to play off each other. Alexis, who’s been following an intense workout regimen of circuit training five days a week in order to help physically prepare, is eager to get back in the seat. “I really wanted to be at Reading. I’m a racer through-and-through. It’s so hard being away from something I love for three weeks- especially when I’m watching the cars put up these great numbers [in Reading] on TV. I absolutely wish I could’ve been there. I don’t want to watch it on TV- I want to be out there with my team!” she said, adding “I have high expectations for this weekend. This is our second race out with a new team, and we’ve learned a lot between Ennis and now. I’m ready to come back and show everyone that the Tequila Patrόn team is going to be a powerhouse in the 2012 season.” “We’re looking to redeem ourselves after Dallas,” said Jim Oberhofer. “We had some small mechanical problems, and spent that entire day on Sunday going through the car, making sure everything looked alright. Not only was it Alexis’ first race as a Funny Car driver, but it was my first race as a Funny Car crew chief. There were some mistakes I made on my end, like trying to run the car too hard, but I was able to learn from those conditions and feel confident that this time around we have a good setup for going down a hot track.” “The guys have been working extra hard getting everything ready and are extremely well prepared. Every time you go out on your first race, there are things you learn, but overall we’ve progressed a lot, worked hard and are ready to get back and start racing again.” Alexis DeJoria and the Tequila Patrόn Toyota Camry Funny Car team will compete this weekend at the 27th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix, AZ Oct 14th-16th. 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 a professional NHRA race car driver, competing in the Nitro Funny Car class on the Kalitta Motorsports team. She is their second Nitro Funny Car driver and fourth member of the team. Alexis drives a Tequila Patrόn-sponsored 2011 Toyota Camry. Alexis had a successful career in the Top Alcohol Funny Car category where she co-owned and operated her team, and was one of the few females ever to do so. She left the TAFC category holding the title of Top Female Top Alcohol Funny Car Racer and 2011 NHRA Northwest Nationals TAFC event champion. 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 TAFC race. She is currently the female world record holder for the fastest and quickest TAFC speeds. 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 following her passion. 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. Media Contact info: Alexis DeJoria and members of Alexis DeJoria Racing are available for interview. Please contact Allison McCormick at (305) 764-5377 or allison@alexisdejoria.com ### |