Mac Tools TF Dragster
DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
Support Staff
Doug Kalitta News
Shawn Langdon News
JR Todd News
READING, Penn. (October 6, 2013)— The old saying ‘third times the charm’ proved to be true as No. 14 qualifier Alexis DeJoria defeated No. 3 qualifier Jack Beckman in first round of eliminations on Sunday morning, after being matched up against the 2012 NHRA Funny Car World Champion for the third weekend in a row.
At the two previous events in Dallas and St. Louis, Beckman came out victorious over DeJoria, but at the 29th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, it was DeJoria who crossed the stripe first to take the win. As the second pair of Funny Cars to run, DeJoria had the advantage off the line and she powered her Patrón Toyota Camry to an impressive 4.077-seconds at 310.70-mph pass- the second quickest run of the first session.
In the second round matchup, DeJoria had lane choice over Chad Head. The Patrón hot rod, accented with hot pink decals and matching parachutes in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, made another great pass but unfortunately, Head took the round win on a holeshot, ending Team Patrón’s day.
“We struggled a bit during qualifying this weekend, but clearly Tommy [DeLago, crew chief] turned the car around because we had two very quick and consistent runs today,” said DeJoria. “It was awesome to pick up that win against Beckman in the first round after falling short the past two weekends. I had a good reaction time and the car ran really well.”
“Unfortunately, in the second round against Chad Head I got caught up on the light and we lost the race due to my reaction time. But again, the car went down the track and ran really well, and it was great to be able to run my pink-accented car in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month on race day. I’ve got to thank Tommy, Glen [Huszar, co-crew chief] and my whole team- they gave me one hell of a car today, and I’m looking forward to going after it again in Vegas.”
Alexis DeJoria and the Kalitta Motorsports Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car team compete next at the 13th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals, October 25-27 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For more information, please visit alexisdejoria.com.
TV Schedule
Eliminations
October 6, 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 a Tequila Patrόn-sponsored 2013 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.