Alexis DeJoria’s 2016 livery teaser

January 27, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Check out this teaser video posted on Alexis DeJoria’s 2016 livery

Our hearts are pumping, and we can almost smell the nitro, folks! Just a few more weeks until the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season begins at Auto Club Raceway. Check out this awesome teaser video that Alexis DeJoria posted to her Facebook today in anticipation for the unveiling.

Alexis DeJoria will return to the NHRA Funny Car class in her Kalitta-backed Patron Funny Car when the season opens in Pomona for the 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals on February 11-14, 2016. Stay tuned, the official unveiling will take place tomorrow.

Stacy McGlory Driver of Champney Card FC

January 25, 2016 // by Kelly Morris

She began in the world of drag racing as a child, driving in a Junior Dragster at age 11. But Stacy McGlory wouldn’t stop there. As she turned 18, Stacy began racing a Dragster in the Super Pro category. One day, as Stacy had a run in with the Champney Card Funny Car at New England Dragway, along with her father, Don McGlory and friend/crew chief, Frank Freitas. There after, Stacy received the chance to become a Member of Champney Card crew. She enjoyed every minute of it, when it came time years later, Stacy was given the opportunity to drive a funny car!

As every driver knows, there is always the desire to go faster. I was very fortunate to become part of such an amazing team, I have always loved everything about the track and racing, its safe to say it is my home away from home.”

Stacy McGlory

Recently, Stacy McGlory, who is now 23, graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. When Stacy isn’t going full speeds down the track, she takes on the roll of an Engineer in North Haven, CT. She also participates with the Girl Scouts STEM Program to encourage more young girls to get involved with careers in math and science.

The majority of people are extremely positive about me pursing my dream; however, it is clear that Motorsports are still a male dominated sport. Plenty of people do not believe that I am the driver of the car or assume the car is substantially slower. I am fortunate that in my division, I have the full support of the track and Dana Hard who runs the East Coast Pro Comp series.”

Running in the East Coast Pro Comp Series in the Champney Card Alcohol Funny Car, Stacy McGlory competes in the 6.20 index racing class. Stacy states, “It is a truly amazing class because you are able to see dragsters line up against funny cars and altereds.” As Stacy prepared herself for the past year in the Champney Card Funny car, she spent about half of the season getting her license. Once completed, she was able to qualify for every race and was able to accomplish her first goal by being qualified 1st in the final race of the season. Stacy was able to finish 5th out of the 15 drivers, despite missing the first of the season.

As every driver knows, there is always the desire to go faster, I never imaged being able to race a funny car so for me this truly is a dream come true. That being said, the Champney Card funny car is hoping to start racing in more divisional’s this season and one day compete for the NHRA Alcohol Funny Car championship title.”

With amazing support from family, friends, fans, and her team. Stacy is happy to be racing! She says, “I wouldn’t be able to do this without them. I have to thank Sassy Engines, especially John Card who built and does all the maintenance work on the car. And to the owner Dennis Champney!”

You can learn more about Stacy, by clicking the following links.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacy.mcglory/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stacy-McGlory-153186548363900/

DeJoria Breast Cancer Awareness livery

October 3, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Its been a dismal, cold, soggy weekend so far at the 31^st annual NHRA Keystone Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, but Alexis DeJoria’s new Breast Cancer Awareness livery was hot enough to light up the pits in Reading, PA. The NHRA Funny Car driver unveiled her new #FightLikeAGirl hot pink Patrón XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry livery today during a brief dry moment, the only racing action of the wet weekend so far.

Alexis DeJoria Breast Cancer Awareness Funny Car livery

DeJoria’s hot pink livery will be run all month long in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In conjunction, her Free Mammograms for the Fans program will give fans the opportunity to take part in free screenings to detect problems early.

“October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we got to debut our bright pink Toyota Camry today during the first round of qualifying. We’re going to be running this pink scheme at the Dallas and Las Vegas October events as well. I’m looking forward to blinding all of my competitors!” joked DeJoria of her neon pink Camry and matching pink parachutes.

The rain and cold weather at the Maple Grove track this weekend made Saturday’s qualifying attempt the only action of the weekend thus far. Teams struggled to make it down the track, and Alexis was only able to post a 13.036 second pass at 76.76 mph for the No. 14 qualifying position. If the weather cooperates tomorrow, she will face No. 3 qualifier, Jack Beckman, in the opening round of eliminations.

ESPN will air today’s qualifying rounds and Alexis’ hot pink Funny Car tomorrow morning, October 4 6:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. EST (ESPN2)

Free Mammograms for the Fans

September 28, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

While many professional athletes celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink uniforms or using other pink-ribbon awareness, NHRA Funny Car racer Alexis DeJoria goes above and beyond to fight the disease. Her “Free Mammograms for the Fans” program returns for the third year, allowing female race fans the opportunity to receive a free mammogram in the mobile mammovan while attending the NHRA race.

Alexis DeJoria Racing partners again with the Nevada Health Centers (NVHC) to offer any female ticketholder over the age of 40 attending the NHRA Toyota Nationals event in Las Vegas (Oct 30-31), a free mammogram, regardless of health insurance status. In addition, she has partnered with Baylor Health Care Systems (BHCS) for a similar program at the AAA NHRA FallNationals in suburban Dallas (Oct 16-17).

“With the success of ‘Free Mammograms for the Fans’ the last two years, we decided to expand the program to include the Dallas race, which now falls during National Breast Cancer Awareness month in October,” said DeJoria, an Austin resident who will proudly sport a hot pink Patrόn XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Carthroughout October in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competition.

Alexis DeJoria has been raising funds for the cause with the sale of special “Fight Like a Girl” bracelets, with 100% of the proceeds going to the “Free Mammograms for the Fans” program. The addition of presenting sponsors Patrón Spirits Company and Toyota assisted the program’s growth to Dallas and the Texas Motorplex.

“I really want to thank the Patrón Spirits Company and Toyota for their support, as well as Kalitta Motorsports, everyone who bought items on our eBay fundraising page, purchased our pink Fight Like a Girl bracelets and made donations,” said DeJoria, who has qualified for the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. “It all goes toward this very wonderful life-saving cause and we would not be able to provide this service to our fans without their support.”

Those wanting to get screened at the race do not need an appointment or referral. Although health insurance is not required, those who are insured should bring their insurance information to the race. Test results will be sent via mail approximately ten days following the event.

“Toyota is extremely supportive of everything that each of our teams does to help promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we are excited that working extensively with Alexis DeJoria Racing on their ‘Free Mammograms for the Fans’ program has afforded us the opportunity to make an additional impact,” said Ed Laukes, Vice President marketing, performance and guest experience for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. “If we are able to save the life of so much as one mother, daughter, sister, wife or friend, it will be well worth our additional investment in our partners at DeJoria. It truly is rewarding to be able to assist one of our race teams on a program that is so meaningful to so many people.”

For more information, please visit www.alexisdejoria.com.

Second round loss for Alexis Dejoria

September 28, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA’s Alexis DeJoria, driver of the Patrón XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car, struggled in qualifying for the second consecutive weekend at the 4th Annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, MO. She was able to regroup and recover on eliminations day, but bowed out in the second round

Lackluster Qualifying Position

After a 4.073 run in her second qualifying attempt, Alexis DeJoria was unable to make her way cleanly down the track in qualifying. That 4.073 second pass was good enough at the time for the sixth provisional spot, but was bumped back into the 12th position before racing began on Sunday.

Second round loss for Alexis DeJoria

Her first round match up would be against Tommy Johnson Jr., who had eliminated her just one week prior in Charlotte. DeJoria was ready for a chance to return the favor, and the pair left together at the tree. She would charge ahead by the finish line, running her first three second pass on the weekend and defeating Tommy Johnson Jr, 3.966 second E.T at 292.77 mph to his losing 4.332 second E.T. at 211.49 mph.

In the second round she would face Ron Capps. Although she posted another consistent light, traction issues returned and the Patrón XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car fell to tire smoke before half-track against Ron Capps, resulting in a second round loss for Alexis DeJoria.

“Very much like our last weekend in Charlotte, we did not qualify the best but we got in the show and that is all that matters,” said DeJoria. “In the first round, we ran our best time of the entire weekend and won the round. We went into the second round and shook the tires. I still feel like we can do something in these last few races. We are just trying to find that consistency. I have to just keep sticking to my guns and work on my part and hope the best. I have the upmost faith in my team and I know we will have something for them in Reading.”

Alexis entered the weekend 7th in points for the Countdown to the Championship. She leaves the event in the same position, 204 points outside of the leader, teammate Del Worsham (unofficial results).

Courtney Force breaking barriers in sports

August 19, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Funny Car driver Courtney Force will be honored by the WNBA’s Indiana Fever on Wednesday, Aug. 26 during their game with the Los Angeles Sparks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as part of the Fever’s Inspiring Women Night. This year’s theme for the annual event is “Breaking Barriers in Sports.”

Force, the winningest female racer in NHRA Funny Car history, will be recognized during the pre-game reception alongside Carlie Irsay-Gordon, vice chair and owner of the Indianapolis Colts, NBA referee Lauren Holtkamp and Hall of Fame basketball coach Lin Dunn. WISH TV sports director Anthony Calhoun will lead a panel discussion with the four women as part of the pre-game reception, which begins at 5:45 p.m. Individual tickets to attend Inspiring Women Night presented by Elements Financial are $60 and a table of 10 is $550. The four women also will be recognized in front of the fans during half-time ceremonies at the Fever-Sparks game, which begins at 7 p.m.

Courtney Force Inspires Women in Racing

Courtney earned the milestone 100th victory for female racers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series last season. She set the national speed record in Funny Car this season by powering to a speed of 325.06 mph at the controls of her 10,000-horsepower Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS and has earned seven career victories and nine No. 1 qualifying positions in her career. Force is the youngest daughter of 16-time NHRA world champion John Force, and shares the spotlight with her sisters, Ashley and Brittany, also women in racing competitors in NHRA’s Funny Car and Top Fuel classes.

Along with her appearance at Inspiring Women Night at the Fever game, Force will be in Indianapolis next week participating in pre-race testing for the 61st Annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race, which will be held Sept. 2-7, at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in nearby Brownsburg.

Courtney Force 100th win — Courtney Force’s 100th Win | Photo: Gary Nastase, John Force Racing

First nitro win for Mendy Fry

July 1, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Mendy Fry Saturday Night Nitro — Photo: Dave Kommel

Mendy “Nitro Kitty” Fry would earn her first nitro win Saturday at Auto Club Famoso Raceway’s Good Vibrations Saturday Night Nitro event, but the celebration was short lived with sad news of a fellow competitor’s fatal crash.

Photo Credit: Dave Kommel

Good Vibrations Saturday Night Nitro

The Saturday Night Nitro event features a unique one-night format for racers: each of the competitors only has one qualifying opportunity in which to secure a spot in the Quick 8 race format. Those top 8 then battle in a single round for the the fastest pass of the night to take the win.

Mendy Fry and her Smokey’s Darkside 1978 Challenger Nitro Funny Car crew were able to post a 5.97 second quarter-mile elapsed time at 236.46 mph. This was good for the No. 6 qualified position, earning her a spot in the show out of the dozen-plus entrants vying for the top 8 positions.

The Darkside team would scramble to make some tuning changes between rounds to their Arias Hemi Chevy program, adding timing and increasing the nitromethane percentage.

The first pair in the Quick 8 program would be Roger Garten in the War Horse Funny Car against Matt Bynum in the Nitro Nick Funny Car. Tragedy would strike shortly off the line when Roger crossed the centerline, crashing into Bynum. Bynum was uninjured, but emergency personnel at the track worked to extract Roger from the wreckage, and transported him to the hospital.

When racing resumed, Smokey Alleman’s tuning calls would net an impressive two-tenths improvement, catapulting Fry and the Darkside Challenger straight to the top with a 5.72 second performance at 252 mph. This was a career-best pass, not only for Fry but for the Darkside team and the Arias Hemi engine program. Mendy’s nearest competitor, the California Hustler, posted a 5.81 at 253 mph, netting her the first nitro funny car win of her career by over a tenth of a second.

The team was elated with the win, receiving the AA/FC Good Vibrations trophy and an outpouring of support from the community congratulating their success.

Wow, what a movie. We come dragging up to our front doorstep after 4 am, trophy in hand as evidence of my first nitro win EVER, full of elation and pride in my crew chief and crew.”

But the celebration would be short-lived, as the following morning came news that fellow competitor Roger Garten had succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the crash during the event. The entire racing community was stunned and saddened by the news.

There really are no appropriate words. I am stunned that Roger lost his life in that crash, and offer my deepest condolences to his family.”

For Mendy, the win is bittersweet. Though she did not know Roger personally, she was crushed by the news of his passing. Understandably, her previous evening joy and excitement was instantly deflated at the unfortunate dangers of racing and the loss of a fellow competitor.

“Drag racing sure is a sport of contradictions,” she said of the sport’s risks and rewards.

Mendy Fry in Smokey’s Darkside

Runner-up finish for Alexis DeJoria

June 9, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Alexis DeJoria finishes 2nd at Englishtown in Funny Car

Alexis DeJoria and the Patrón XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car team raced to their first runner-up finish of 2015 at the 46^th annual Toyota NHRA Summernationals. The sixth final round appearance of her Funny Car career, DeJoria and her Patrón team had one of the most consistent cars throughout eliminations on Sunday.

In the opening round, the No. 10 qualified DeJoria would take on No. 7 qualifier Jack Beckman. Beckman had the upper hand in their previous meetings, with an 11-4 record. Beckman would leave first, but quickly lost traction and spun the tires as Alexis would power on to victory with a 4.089 elapsed time at 302.96 mph to his 4.458 second E.T. at 206.39mph. That pass would earn DeJoria lane choice for the second round.

Dom Lagana would also take the reaction advantage against DeJoria in round two, but aborted the run when he also lost traction, as Alexis again made another strong 4.168 second pass. This would place her in the semi-final round against Kalitta teammate, Del Worsham.

This would be a close race between the Kalitta Camrys. Although Worsham would take a slight advantage off of the starting line, DeJoria was on his tail and passed him by 330 feet in route to a run of 4.120 to his competitive 4.138 second pass. The margin of victory at the finish line was just 0.0015 seconds, or approximately 8 inches. Alexis would also just edge out reigning World Champion and current points leader, Matt Hagan, for lane choice into the finals.

The final round was a nail-biter from start-to-finish. The two launched off of the starting line with nearly identical reaction times (0.079 versus Hagan’s 0.074), with DeJoria pulling away to take the early lead. She led the race to 330 feet, but Hagan recaptured the lead at 660 feet, by just 0.001 seconds. He would hold onto the win, defeating DeJoria by a 0.0114 second margin of victory and less than a car length. An exciting race but unfortunately DeJoria just barely missed setting off the win light with her 4.138-sec pass to his 4.132.

What a day. I’m just beside myself right now,” said DeJoria a three-time Funny Car winner. “To do this well at the Toyota NHRA Summernationals is awesome. I’ve never won in Englishtown and I’ve definitely never made it to the finals here, so it feels good. I’ve really got to give it up to my team- they’re the main reason we went so far today. They’re such an excellent group and they’ve really got my back. I love these guys like a family. I wasn’t the greatest on my reaction times every round, but when it mattered, I really pulled it off. It was a hell of a final against Matt Hagan. I didn’t give anything up on the starting line, that’s for sure, and I’m leaving Englishtown pretty stoked.”

Although she missed putting her Patrón Toyota Camry in the Winners Circle by just a few thousandths of a second, advancing to the final round enabled the Patrón team to gain sixty valuable points. The team has struggled with only a pair of semi-final finishes over the course of the first eight races, and has sat at the bottom of the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship points throughout most of the season. They entered Sunday of the Toyota NHRA Summernationals in the No. 10 spot with only a one-point advantage above the No. 11^th ranked driver. The runner-up finish allowed them to move up to the 8^th spot, and put much needed points on the board in an ultra-competitive Funny Car class.

“We picked up quite a few points this weekend, and we’re starting to get back into the swing things so I’m really glad we’re back at it up in Epping next weekend.”

Now ranked eighth, the Patrón XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car team leaves Old Bridge Township Raceway with 487 points. They compete next at the 3^rd annual NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H., June 12-14.

Early exit in Atlanta for Alexis DeJoria

May 17, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Alexis qualifies at dusk in Atlanta — Photo: Gary Nastase/ Alexis DeJoria Racing

Alexis DeJoria still hunting for her 1st win in 2015

Drag Racing Funny Car driver, Alexis DeJoria and her Patrón XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car team went into the 35th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals hoping to pick up their elusive first event win of the 2015 season. Unfortunately for three-time Funny Car winner, Atlanta Dragway would not become the dry-spell breaking victory for the Kalitta affiliated team.

DeJoria ready to run in Atlanta — Photo: Gary Nastase/ Alexis DeJoria Racing

After qualifying in the No. 8 spot with their 4.064-second run from the second qualifying session, Alexis and the Patrón team faced No. 9 qualifier Ron Capps in the first round of eliminations on Sunday morning. The two went head-to-head in the final pairing of Funny Cars. DeJoria made a good clean run in her Toyota Camry, but her 4.091-second pass didn’t stand up against Capps’ 4.081-sec run, ending Team Patrón’s day much earlier than they had anticipated.

It was a close race against Ron Capps. I really had a good feeling about this weekend but at least we don’t have to wait long until we’re back racing again. We’ll be in Topeka, Kan. next weekend and we’ll get back after it,” said DeJoria, who has raced to two semi-final finishes so far this year.

Chutes out in Atlanta Alexis DeJoria — Photo: Gary Nastase/ Alexis DeJoria Racing

The Kalitta Motorsports Patrón XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car team heads to the midwest from Atlanta for the series’ first back-to-back race of the season. They will enter the 27^th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals, May 22-24, in 9^th place in Topeka with 361 points.

Force and Enders share Seattle podium

August 6, 2012 // by Horsepower & Heels

Wow! What a weekend for the ladies in NHRA!

Enders and Force share the podium — Erica Enders and Courtney Force hoist their Wallys in the air after both scoring wins in Seattle.

Courtney Force landed her first NHRA Funny Car victory, a feat after climbing back from the #14 position at the bottom of the ladder. This all coming in her rookie Funny Car season, in just her 15th start. She’s definitely proving to be quite a Force to be dealt with (pun cheesily intended).

Force and Enders share Seattle podium

But for the first time in history, she would be joined by another gal on the PRO podium, with Erica Enders also landing her second career win in Pro Stock. Erica’s win came just 3 races after her elusive first win in Chicago, but what makes it even more poetic to me, is that this win comes just one week after the crazy controversy between her and Greg Anderson in Sonoma.

The internet has been on FIRE with the backlash against Greg after he publicly declared Erica Enders “unprofessional” on his ESPN2 interview following the round in Sonoma. Not only was he asked by his sponsor Summit Racing to apologize to Enders and her crew, the ill-karma he wished upon her came back to bite him. In what can only be the most fitting form of proper karma dispatch, it was Enders who put Anderson on the trailer early in the race en route to her second career win.

Enders was quite the gracious winner. The rest of us however, had a field day with that one.

Apparently, it didn’t stop with the fans either. Matt Hagan made a remark during his final round interview that he didn’t mind losing to a woman. John Force also was quoted saying how capable and talent the women of our sport are, with a special mention to daughter Courtney, Erica and Shirley Muldowney.

Its sad that there are people out there who still view women as inferior competitors. Motorsports being the great equalizer- the cars don’t know gender- its really disappointing to know the amount of sexism that still lingers.

Kudos to the ladies for such a great weekend of racing!

Photo: NHRA