Alexis DeJoria: Exceptionally Talented Professional Drag Car Racer Reveals her Success mantra "Have a passion and love for what you do and never give up"   

Alexis DeJoria is an American drag racer competing in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). Pilot of one of the world's most powerful race cars, NHRA superstar Alexis DeJoria brings a different energy to the sport with her 'rock n roll' vibe. Alexis was bitten by the racing bug early on and currently drives a 10,000-horsepower nitro Funny Car.

These nitromethane-burning, fire-breathing machines exceed speeds of over 300 mph, and can cover 1,000 feet in less than four quick seconds. Rather than jump right in to the cockpit of one of the fastest accelerating cars on the planet, Alexis wanted to learn the ropes and work her way through the NHRA's slower Sportsman classes before suiting up to drive a nitro Funny Car.

She began her NHRA career in 2005, first competing in the Super Gas category and then moving into a rear engine Super Comp dragster. Within eight months of her NHRA debut, she advanced to two final-rounds and went on to win the coveted Sportsman Nationals in Fontana, Calif. Always looking to go faster and feeling comfortable with her success, Alexis moved in to a Top Alcohol Funny Car (TAFC) spending two years with a two-car team, competing primarily on the West coast. In 2009, Alexis made a major commitment in her racing career by building her own team, Stealth Motorsports. She co-owned and operated the team for three years, and is one of the few females ever to do so.

While racing for Stealth, Alexis made her way to four national event final-rounds, won a divisional event, and at the 2011 NHRA Northwest Fall Nationals, raced her way to the top spot, claiming her first ever NHRA national event win in TAFC. She was only the second woman ever to accomplish this feat.
 

After a year of testing in a nitro Funny Car, Alexis made the highly-anticipated leap from Top Alcohol Funny Car to Funny Car at the 2011 Texas Fall Nationals, joining the legendary Kalitta Motorsports team as their fourth member and second Funny Car driver.

During her 2012 rookie season, Alexis impressed fans everywhere when she raced her way to a final-round appearance at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn. Throughout her high-profile first professional season, Alexis dominated headlines off the track, receiving a stunning display of media attention, and was able to realize her lifelong dream of riding in an F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet.

During her sophomore season, Alexis raced to an impressive four semi-final finishes, but it was in her third season where she really caught her stride! In 2014 Alexis enjoyed what can only be described as her 'breakout season.' In Pomona, Calif. during the NHRA Winternationals, Alexis made history when she became the first woman ever to make a sub-four second run, with a 3.997-second ET.

At the very next event in Phoenix, Alexis finally realized her goal of winning her first race in the Funny Car category. Just one month later, she picked up the second win of her professional career in Las Vegas, March 2014, and raced her way to the final round at Epping later that summer. Adding more excitement to her third year, she later broke a Funny Car track record at Atlanta Dragway in May 2014 (4.012-second ET) while earning her the Number One qualifier position. Later that summer, she broke Brainerd International Raceway's Funny Car ET record when she ran a 4.010-second pass.

That same day, she reset her own record with a 3.998-second run, the first sub-four second Funny Car run recorded at BIR. She then went on to win the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis in September, and later, capped off 2014 with another No. 1 qualifier and three second run at the season closer. Now in her fourth year as a professional Funny Car racer, Alexis is looking to build on her 2014 momentum and add even more Wallys to her growing trophy collection while representing the Patron Spirits Company's newest brand, Patron XO Cafe Incendio.

Alexis, currently the only driver to have claimed wins in each the Super Comp, Top Alcohol Funny Car, and fuel Funny Car classes, has made the commitment to make NHRA drag racing her career. Having the support of Patron XO Cafe Incendio has helped Alexis continue to live her dream of competing at the highest level and help drive her appetite for success as a professional drag racer.

She played the role of Paula, in the movie Snake and Mongoose released in 2013. She along with her mother Jamie Briggs, joined Sallie Latimer's efforts to raise money to repair the Earles Court water tower.

Achievements of Alexis DeJoria

2015: Raced to a runner-up finish at English town; Reset career-best in elapsed time at Brainerd and career-best speed at Pomona 2; Qualified for the Countdown to the Championship playoff for the second consecutive season; Finished eighth in the points standings

2014: Raced to victories at Phoenix, Las Vegas 1 and Indianapolis; posted No. 1 qualifying efforts at Atlanta, Charlotte 2 and Pomona 2; became the first and only female Funny Car driver to post a three-second run (Pomona 1)

2013: Raced to semifinal efforts at both Las Vegas races, Houston and Sonoma; Posted a career-best time at Charlotte 1; Qualified a season-best fourth at Denver; Played key spoiler role in Countdown playoffs with first round upsets of title contenders Jack Beckman at Reading and Matt Hagan at Las Vegas 2

2012: Raced to her first final-round appearance at Bristol; set both a career best for time with a run of 4.032 and speed of 319.07 at Reading

2011: Raced at four national events: Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas 2 and Pomona 2

2010: Earned nitro Funny Car license; won first Alcohol Funny Car event

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