SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 23, 2014)— Alexis DeJoria raced to the fourth final round of her Funny Car career, but came up just short of picking up her third win at the 2nd annual Auto Plus NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H. on Sunday. The final round found DeJoria squaring off against Ron Capps, who made a 4.095-second run to DeJoria’s 4.121.
The Kalitta Motorsports Patrón XO Cafe Toyota Camry was consistent throughout the weekend making quick, clean runs straight down the middle of the 1,000-foot dragstrip. DeJoria’s 4.053-sec run from the opening round of qualifying held up to be the best of the session, earning her three bonus points. On Sunday, the reigning ‘quickest woman in Funny Car history’ ran a 4.120, 4.106, and 4.086 in her gold, purple, and matte-black 10,000 horsepower Toyota Camry before meeting Capps in the finals. It wasn’t their first time competing against each other for the Wally. In Bristol 2012, than-rookie DeJoria raced to her first ever final round, and found herself matched up against Capps, who went on to defeat DeJoria. She hoped to even the score today, but it was not to be.
Although the two-time 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season winner was not able to add another Wally to her collection, the XO Cafe team was able to break into second place in the Funny Car points ranking- the highest position of their three year career- when they defeated John Force in the semifinals.
“Epping was a really big race for the Patrón XO Cafe Toyota Camry Funny Car team, and a big race for me, personally,” said DeJoria, who had spent the days prior to the New England Nationals in Narragansett, R.I. with her mother’s side of the family. “Half my family lives on the East Coast, and they were all out supporting our team in full force. It was my mother’s birthday on Saturday, which was really exciting and special. You always want to do well in front of your friends and family, and this was the first time that side of the family has all come out to a race together, so for us to go all the way to the finals yesterday was really big.”
“We didn’t win, but we were able to move up to the second spot in points. We’re on our game right now; our car is extremely consistent, getting down the race track, and that’s what’s needed to win races. Tommy [DeLago] and Glen [Huszar] have given us such a great hot rod and the guys have been so great working on this car. Now it’s straight on to Chicago, and we’re going in to that race with our heads held high.”
Alexis DeJoria and the Kalitta Motorsports Patrón XO Cafe Toyota Camry Funny Car team packed up in Epping today and have a quick turnaround before rolling into Illinois on Wednesday for the Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill. For more information please visit www.alexisdejoria.com, Follow Us on Twitter @ADR_Nitro771, or Like Us on Facebook Alexis DeJoria.
Photo Captions:
GNP GN1 6610 Alexis DeJoria’s Northeastern family showed up in full force to support DeJoria and her Patrón XO Cafe team
GNP GN2 5704 A young fan has her shirt signed by Alexis DeJoria
GNP GN3 1343 Alexis DeJoria hops out of her Patrón XO Cafe Toyota Camry after winning the first round of eliminations
GNP GN3 1354 Alexis DeJoria is all smiles after a winning round on Sunday
GNP GN3 1615 Alexis DeJoria congratulating teammate Doug Kalitta after his semi-final win. The two would both represent Kalitta Motorsports in the final round.
GNP GN3 1506 Alexis DeJoria races her Patrón XO Cafe Toyota Camry to a winning pass versus John Force
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.