Claremont
She’s also an up-and-coming stock car racer who regularly reaches speeds of 90 mph while competing against adults in the Limited Sportsman Division.
“You kind of get addicted to racing. It’s something you always want to do,” said the 14-year-old Claremont resident. “Once you’ve done it one time, you kind of can’t stop doing it. I guess it’s the adrenaline rush it gives you.”
Alexis was introduced to racing by her father, Dave, when she was 10. He also races and when Alexis first started to compete, they shared a vehicle. She now has her own vehicle, a V8 Chevy Monte Carlo.
In addition to competing against drivers much older than she is, racing is a male-dominated sport.
“Competing against a different gender definitely gives you something to strive for,” Alexis said. “You show that not only men can do this, not only women can do this, but both genders can compete equally.”
Alexis also acknowledged the risk and danger associated with the sport.
“I don’t think about it that way,” she said. “If you think about it that way, you start to question whether it’s worth it.
“But just like any other sport that you love, you would do anything for it.”
John Happel can be reached at happelj@gmail.com.