DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (February 11, 2013)—Alexis DeJoria Racing is proud to announce that it has partnered with the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing support for people with paralysis and preventing spinal cord injuries.

The Darrell Gwynn Foundation’s namesake founder, a champion driver and legend in the sport of drag racing, was involved in a horrific crash in 1990 leaving him paralyzed. After transitioning from driver to team owner, Gwynn later founded the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in 2002 and has helped hundreds with his foundation’s national Wheelchair Donation Program, which donates custom power wheelchairs to individuals facing medical and financial hardships.  His foundation also donates funds to assist patients recovering from spinal cord injuries and educates thousands of high school students annually on ways to prevent spinal cord injuries.  A constant presence at the track, Gwynn serves as an inspiration to many, including NHRA Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria.

According to DeJoria, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car, “We’ve [Alexis DeJoria Racing] been friends with Darrell for quite a long time. He’s such a remarkable person and a legend in the sport of NHRA drag racing. What he’s done is absolutely amazing. To be a part of his foundation is so important to our team and we’re honored to be able to help him and his cause. Darrell is a prime example of ‘no matter what happens in life, don’t ever give up.’ Anything we can do to help them along the way; we’re going to do it. I know I speak on behalf of my entire team when I say we’re proud to run the Darrell Gwynn Foundation sticker on our race car this season.”

In addition to running the foundation’s decal at all 24 races of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Series, starting with this week’s kickoff event, the 53^rd Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries, Alexis DeJoria Racing has established a comprehensive social media plan to help support the Darrell Gwynn Foundation’s fundraising efforts and help increase awareness of their cause. The two organizations plan to partner on developing unique fundraising ideas both on-track and off throughout the course of the 2013 NHRA season.

“The Darrell Gwynn Foundation has helped so many over the years and we’re proud to be able to give back to such a trusted and well-respected organization.  Now in our sophomore season, this is the first charitable group that we’ve officially aligned ourselves with and we look forward to focusing our fundraising efforts and being an asset to their foundation.  We look forward to a productive 2013 season.”

About Darrell Gwynn Foundation

Founded in 2002 by Champion Racer Darrell Gwynn and his wife, Lisa, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to provide SUPPORT for people living with paralysis and PREVENT spinal cord injuries. The foundation’s primary support program is its national Wheelchair Donation Program. With this program the Darrell Gwynn Foundation has donated custom built wheelchairs to hundreds of individuals in need. The foundation also maintains a Patient Assistance Fund offering support services and tools at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado with aspirations to expand this model to several hospitals nationwide. The Patient Assistance Fund also supports two Speediatrics Units the Betty Jane France Pediatric Center, at Halifax Hospital in Daytona, Fla. and Homestead Hospital in Homestead, Fla. Additionally, the Patient Assistance Fund provides financial support through its Fast Track Laboratory with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis aimed at finding a cure for paralysis. The foundation operates an Education & Prevention Program directed to high school students to educate them on the dangers of risky behavior that can lead to spinal cord injuries. This rapidly growing program reaches over 10,000 students annually at over 50 high schools. In an effort to create more awareness about spinal cord injuries, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation successfully lobbied for and established a National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month and Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week in Florida. With tremendous fundraising partners such as Barrett-Jackson, the NHRA, NASCAR and many more generous sponsors, individual supporters and donors, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation continues to evolve as a leading foundation for those with spinal cord injuries and living with paralysis. For more information please visitwww.darrellgwynnfoundation.org or www.facebook.com/darrellgwynnfoundation.

About Alexis DeJoria

Alexis DeJoria, daughter of the famed John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and proud owner of Tequila Patr?n, is a professional NHRA race car driver, competing in the nitro Funny Car class on the Kalitta Motorsports team. She is their second nitro Funny Car driver and fourth member of the team. Alexis drives a Tequila Patr?n-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. For more information, please visit www.alexisdejoriaracing.com