Alexis DeJoria (born September 24, 1977) is an American
drag racer
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most c ...
who competes in the
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorspo ...
(NHRA)
Funny Car
Funny Car is a type of drag racing vehicle and a specific racing class in organized drag racing. Funny cars are characterized by having tilt-up fiberglass or carbon fiber automotive bodies over a custom-fabricated chassis, giving them an appea ...
category. She previously drove a
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry ...
for Kalitta Motorsports (owned by
Connie Kalitta
Conrad "Connie" Kalitta (born February 24, 1938) is an Americans, American businessman and former drag racing driver, nicknamed "The Bounty Hunter". Kalitta is the CEO of Kalitta Air and the owner of Kalitta Motorsports.Patrón Spirits Company. She will return to competitive racing in 2020 with a new team led by crew chiefs Del Worsham and Nicky Boninfante. As of 2019, she was the third richest female athlete in the World, and as of 2022 the second richest with net worth $100 million.
Career
DeJoria began her NHRA career in 2005, initially competing in the
Super Gas
Super may refer to:
Computing
* SUPER (computer program), or Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer, a video converter / player
* Super (computer science), a keyword in object-oriented programming languages
* Super key (keyboard butto ...
category, before moving into a
Super Comp Super Comp (or Quick Rod) is the fastest of the heads-up Super classes (8.90 index). Super Comp is composed primarily of Drag racing, dragsters. Engine, chassis and body modifications are virtually unlimited, though all entries must adhere to NHRA o ...
dragster. Eight months after her NHRA debut, she went on to win the Sportsman Nationals in
Fontana, California
Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County, California. Founded by Azariel Blanchard Miller in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area. It is now a regional h ...
.
DeJoria spent the next two years racing on the West coast in
Top Alcohol
Top Alcohol refers to two different classes in professional drag racing: Top Alcohol Dragster and the Top Alcohol Funny Car. Hot rod#Language, Commonly known as "alky" cars, both are akin in design to the premier Top Fuel classes, but less power ...
Funny Car (TA/FC).
In 2009, DeJoria built her own racing team, Stealth Motorsports. At the 2011 NHRA Northwest Fall Nationals, she won her first ever NHRA national event win in TA/FC, becoming the second woman ever to do so. She co-owned and operated the team for three years, leaving in 2011 to join Kalitta Motorsports as their fourth member and second funny car driver. This move coincided with her transition to racing a
nitro
Nitro may refer to:
Chemistry
*Nitrogen, a chemical element and a gas except at very low temperatures, with which many compounds are formed:
**Nitro compound, an organic compound containing one or more nitro functional groups, -NO2
**Nitroalkene, ...
(Fuel) funny car at the 2011 Texas Fall Nationals.
In 2012, DeJoria raced her first final-round appearance at Bristol. That year she also set both a career best for time with a run of 4.032 and speed of at Reading.
During the 2013 season, DeJoria had four semi-final finishes.
In 2014, DeJoria became the first woman ever to make a sub-four second pass, with a 3.997-second e.t., during the
NHRA Winternationals
The NHRA Winternationals (commonly called the Winternats) are an annual drag racing event held by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California.
In 1962, under pressure from Peggy Hart (wife of track owner "P ...
at Pomona. At her next race in Phoenix, DeJoria won her first race in Funny Car. In March 2014, she picked up the second win of her professional career in Las Vegas. That May, she broke a Funny Car track record at Atlanta Dragway (4.012-second e.t.) while earning her the number one qualifier position. That summer, she went on to break
Brainerd International Raceway
Brainerd International Raceway is a road course, and dragstrip racing complex northwest of the city of Brainerd, Minnesota. The complex has a dragstrip, and overlapping and road courses. The complex also includes a kart track. The raceway hos ...
's Funny Car ET record with a 4.010-second pass, then reset her own record with a 3.998-second pass, the first sub-four second Funny Car pass at BIR. In September she won the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. On June 7, 2015, DeJoria reached the final round in Top Fuel Funny Car in the
NHRA Summernationals The NHRA Summernationals were an annual drag racing event run by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
The first annual event was held in July 1970, at York U.S. 30 Dragway near York, Pennsylvania. Subsequent events were held at Old Bridge ...
at Englishtown.
DeJoria announced her return from a two-year hiatus in late 2019. She stated plans to run the entire 2020 schedule in the hopes of becoming the first woman to win a Funny Car championship. During this time DeJoria entered into a multi year sponsorship with ROKiT Phones and ABK Beer, with branding appearing on DeJoria’s vehicle, driver and crew uniforms, official merchandise and across her team’s transport fleet.
Filmography
She played the role of Paula, in the 2013 movie "
Snake and Mongoose
''Snake & Mongoose'' is a 2013 American sports drama film directed by Wayne Holloway, starring Jesse Williams and Richard Blake as drag racers Don "The Snake" Prudhomme and Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen, respectively.
The film received a limited ...
".
Personal life
DeJoria was married to American television personality and motorcycle customizer
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the " Little Dixie" area of Western Missouri, James and his family maintained stro ...
. On March 17, 2020, it was announced via social media that Alexis and Jesse James were getting divorced. Among the reasons given was James' infidelity.
DeJoria is the daughter of entrepreneur
John Paul DeJoria
John Paul Jones DeJoria (born April 13, 1944) is an American entrepreneur, self-made billionaire and philanthropist best known as a co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products and The Patrón Spirits Company. Due to his personal car ...
.
DeJoria has a 15-year-old daughter, Bella, from a previous relationship.
Philanthropy
DeJoria, along with her mother Jamie Briggs, joined Sallie Latimer's efforts to raise money to repair the Earles Court water tower.