Alexis DeJoria: Driver of the Kalitta Motorsports Patrón XO Cafe Toyota Camry
The Results:
Q1: 4.109 ET at 303.16 MPH
Q2: 4.048 ET at 309.27 MPH (1 bonus pt, 3rd quickest ET of the session)
Q3: 4.399 ET at 203.95 MPH
Q4: 4.062 ET at 305.49 MPH (1 bonus pt, 3rd quickest ET of the session)
The Competition:
No. 4 Alexis DeJoria (lane choice) vs. No. 13 Jeff Arend
Quotables:
Alexis DeJoria, Driver
We picked up where we left off in Pomona here in Phoenix. We ran really well during both Friday sessions which landed us in the No. 3 spot. Today we dropped down one spot going into our last run of the day but we had another consistent run with that 4.06, so I’m happy. We race Jeff Arend tomorrow in the first round. I’m excited to be qualified in the top half of the field again for the second weekend in a row, and to have picked up two bonus points during qualifying for having the third quickest car of the session during both Q2 and Q4.
Tommy DeLago, Crew Chief
Things are getting better for the Patrón XO Cafe team. They were getting better towards the end of last year and of course, we made that good run at Pomona [3.997-seconds], and we’re trying to build off of that. I think we still have a long ways to go to get where we need to be, but we have a car that we can compete with and a car that can win races. Everyone on the team is working well together- the chemistry between the guys is really rolling and that right there breeds success. I’m happy with the progress that we’re making, and we’re definitely off to a good start.
TV Schedule
Qualifying
February 23, 2AM-3:30AM EST
February 23, 8AM-9AM EST (Re-Air)
ESPN2
Eliminations
February 23, 8PM-11PM EST
ESPN2
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. Alexis drives the Patrόn XO Cafe-sponsored 2014 Toyota Camry. Alexis, who had all the opportunity in the world to pursue any type of career, felt strongly about following her passion, and her 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 male dominated sport of drag racing.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Mich., Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The team was founded and is owned by drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta. For more than 50 years, Connie has been involved in the sport as a driver, tuner, and an owner. Kalitta Motorsports is one of the most successful teams in the history of auto racing with five world championships and over 50 national event titles in five different professional drag racing sanctioning bodies since it was established by Connie in 1959.