Alexis De Joria Bakersfield preview

De Joria hoping to rebound in Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - While drag racing is a contest to see who can go the quickest in a straight line, NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car rookie Alexis De Joria is making her way around the learning curve that provides those quick times. In a season that has had it's up's and downs as she tries to master what is commonly regarded as the hardest cars in all of drag racing to drive, she and the Tequila Patrón/Jack O'Bannon Racing team hope to bounce back during this weekend's Division 7 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.

De Joria, 29, of Venice, Calif., hopes that pre-race testing on Thursday will help her and the Randy Anderson lead team find their 'groove' before qualifying starts on Friday.

"They're going to let us start testing at 9 a.m.," said De Joria. "We're going to try to make as many runs as we can on Thursday. That always seems to help. This weekend gives us another chance to run the car and another weekend for me to learn more about driving one of these hot rods. Jack O'Bannon Racing has given me a great team to be a part of and some great teachers to learn from. We have a great sponsor in Tequila Patrón, so hopefully it won't be long before this team start to go rounds."

Despite not qualifying at her last event in Acton, Mont., De Joria, daughter of Patrón Spirits Company and Paul Mitchell Hair Care Products founder John Paul De Joria, cites the weekend may have been one of her best behind the wheel.

"It was my first time to race at night in Acton," stated De Joria. "I kept having problems with my visor fogging up, so when it shook and started getting out of shape, I decided to lift instead of trying to go down the track blind. I've really been working hard away from the track and I've been riding my bike four to ten miles a day to build my leg strength. It really paid off in Acton because I had my best 'foot swaps' since I've been driving the car."

"We'll be running at night in Bakersfield, too," De Joria continued. "So I've got some new visors to make sure that doesn't happen again. Hopefully I can get my foot swaps right again and we can get a good baseline tune-up for the car. We're all working hard towards the same goal, and I'm confident we'll get there."

Qualifying will be ran on Friday with three sessions. Final eliminations will conclude the event Saturday.

About The Patrón Spirits Company:
Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, the company's eight distinctive products now share the Patrón label; Gran Patrón Platinum, Patrón Añejo, Patrón Reposado, Patrón Silver, Patrón XO Café, Patrón Citrónge, Pyrat Cask 23, Pyrat XO Reserve. Each brand is the finest in their category. The newest, Gran Patrón Platinum, is an extraordinary triple distilled pure tequila. sPatrón Tequila is today, the world’s number one ultra premium tequila. In 2004 & 2005, Patrón Tequila was recognized with the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Five Star Diamond Award. Patrón is the first spirits brand ever to receive this prestigious honor. Patrón Tequila continues to set new sales records every year.

To find out more about the Jack O'Bannon Racing Team, visit their website at www.JackOBannonRacing.com

To find out more about Jack O'Bannon Racing's quality partners, visit these websites:

www.PatronSpirits.com - Find out more about the world's number one tequila - Tequila Patrón.

www.ForestRiverInc.com - Find out more about America's largest producer of towable RV's and Cargo Trailers

www.HoosierRacingTire.com - "Tires Designed for Champions"

www.LE-Inc.com - Lubrication Engineers - "Leaders in Lubrication"

Contact: Will Hanna/Pro Race Communications
Email: Will.Hanna@InsideTopAlcohol.com