NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

If anything, Alexis DeJoria knows how to overcome adversity, which is why she is not about to let a slow start to her 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season bring her down.

DeJoria has suffered three straight first-round losses to open 2017 in her 10,000-horsepower Tequila Patron Toyota Camry, but there are a number of signs pointing to a turnaround. DeJoria has showed strong consistency following last season’s injuries, a fractured pelvis and then a late-season concussion caused the Funny Car standout to miss three events at the end of 2016. She also enters this weekend’s 18th annual Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the defending event champion, giving her added momentum.

“We've been trying to build consistency more than anything,” DeJoria said. “No, we haven't won any races or even rounds as of yet, but we're building on something greater and that's a consistent race car. We can set it up to go fast, but we want to get to that point where we're able to be the quickest at any moment. Testing has gone really well and I believe right now we're on the brink of doing something very great. What gives me great confidence is the fact that my car is going down the race track every time. That kind of confidence for a driver is priceless.”

Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) were also last year’s winners of the event that will be televised on FOX Sports 1, including three hours of live finals coverage starting at 6 p.m. (ET) on Sunday. It is the fourth of 24 races during the 2017, and the first of two annual stops in Las Vegas, where DeJoria has performed well at the spring event in recent years.

She also won the 2014 race, giving DeJoria half of her career victories at the first-class facility. Even after last year’s unfortunate turn of events, where she suffered a concussion after her struck a retaining wall during qualifying at the fall race, DeJoria feels comfortable in Vegas.

“We know that we've had success at this track before,” said DeJoria, who finished 10th in Funny Car points a season ago and qualified for her third straight Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. “It seems to be our track, regardless of what happened in the fall during the Toyota Nationals. We have really good history here. We'll build on that. There's a comfort level going back to a track where you know you've done well.”

DeJoria and her team, led by crew chiefs Tommy DeLago and Nicky Boninfante, will face off against a host of Funny Car standouts, including points leader Matt Hagan, who has two wins in 2017, Gainesville winner John Force and defending world champion Ron Capps. But DeJoria’s confidence comes from being part of a Kalitta Motorsports team that includes J.R. Todd, who is making his Funny Car debut in 2017, rookie Troy Coughlin Jr. and veteran standout Doug Kalitta.

“We truly are a family and a huge support system for each other,” DeJoria said. “When one of our teams goes out early, everyone from that team is on the starting line supporting the other Kalitta cars. We're all there for each other, supporting each other every step of the way, especially this year with J.R. starting his Funny Car career and Troy Jr. in a Top Fuel dragster for the first time. J.R.’s got me and Del (Worsham). Even though he's no longer part of Kalitta Motorsports, we still consider Del a teammate. J.R. has done an incredible job so far and the transition has been great.”
                             
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:00 and 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 31 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 1, at 1:20 and 3:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, April 2.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call (800) 884-NHRA (6472) or visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult.