Paul Smith Racing
Alexander Rolls Into Houston on Four-Wide Final Momentum
BAYTOWN, TX – Funny Car newcomer Blake Alexander enters this weekend’s NHRA Spring Nationals with more momentum than he’s 
ever had. The 24-year old driver reached the first final round of his short two-year Funny Car career at the recent Dollar General Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. Alexander sees the back-to-back events as an advantage, as he and his Gates/Auto Service Plus teammates will have the taste of winning fresh on their palates.
“It definitely helps me as a driver. It helps the crew, too. We don’t always get the opportunity to pick up where we left off, even if we didn’t go to the final round. It’s helpful to continue racing and stay in the groove with all of the full-time teams,” Blake said.
Blake Alexander Takes Second in First Career FC Final
CONCORD, NC – Gates Auto Funny Car driver Blake Alexander anticipated a successful weekend at the Dollar General Four-Wide 
Nationals, however his expectations were exceeded when he became runner up of the whole Four-Wide event. Young Alexander, in just his second season in the 320 MPH Funny Car class, earned his first round win and his first final round appearance this weekend at zMax Dragway. He came up short to fellow Virginian Matt Hagan.
“It felt good to go rounds and make three consistent runs in a row. I knew that if we kept going up there positive things would happen because of the results we’ve been seeing in qualifying. With the small margins we were losing by – we just needed a little racing luck. The car performed well. Paul (Smith) and Johnny (West) have been getting it down the track consistently this year,” said 24-year old Alexander.
Blake Alexander Debuting New Gates Look at 4-Wide
CONCORD, NC – Funny Car driver Blake Alexander will have a new look on his Paul Smith Racing Dodge Charger Funny Car at zMax 
Dragway this weekend. The 4-Wide Nationals will be the first of two 2013 events where longtime supporter Gates Automotive Belts and Hoses will assume the primary sponsorship role. This marks an eight-year partnership between Alexander and Gates.
“My relationship with Gates stems back to when I was getting out of Junior Dragsters at age 16. My father suggested I look for sponsorship so I could move up to a big car. I had met an executive from Gates while I was racing Junior Dragsters. I reached out to them and as fate would have it, I forged a relationship with them that has lasted around eight years now. It’s exciting to have their support from the Sportsman ranks to my second year as a professional Funny Car driver,” Blake says.
Reassuring Weekend for Alexander in Dallas
Release courtesy of Nate Van Wagnen
Photo courtesy of Blake Alexander Racing
ENNIS, TX – Though his weekend ended early in the first round, Blake Alexander is content with the performance of the Auto Service 
Plus Funny Car at the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. After all, he earned his career-best qualifying position and gave first round opponent Ron Capps a run for his money.
“We went into the weekend with the goal of running high four-teens and qualifying well. We achieved both of those, qualifying 11th with a 4.18. I tried my best first round. I staged so shallow that the stage light flickered. I think it threw off both of us. I got off the line first and held the lead until the 330 mark,” Blake said.
The young Funny Car rookie was unable to get the win over Capps, running 4.189 to Ron’s 4.119. “There’s a reason that he’s the Funny Car points leader,” Blake added.
The weekend was a step in the right direction for Alexander, who struggled at his last race in Indianapolis.
Alexander Returning to the Birthplace of his FC Career
Courtesy of Paul Smith Racing
ENNIS, TX – This weekend Funny Car rookie Blake Alexander returns to Texas Motorplex, the place where he earned his fuel Funny 
Car license, to compete in the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. Tried and true tuning and some experience will come into play for the Auto Service Plus driver.
“There’s something about this that I think is cool, because this is the only track where I have experience making full passes in a Funny Car. I don’t know what that’ll mean, since I was so green when I was here getting my license last year. I’ve learned so much over the course of the season,” Blake said.
The Paul Smith Racing car Blake will be driving experienced success at the Fall Nationals last year, qualifying third and reaching the semifinals. The tune-up that yielded such a finish will be back in the Auto Service Plus car this weekend.
Positive Results Give Alexander Confidence Heading into Atlanta
Courtesy of Paul Smith Racing
Photo Courtesy of Roger Richards
COMMERCE,GA – College student and Funny Car racer Blake Alexander just finished a week of challenging finals, working on earning a degree in Communications. Now he heads toAtlantafor the NHRA Southern Nationals
to complete another challenging task: pilot the Auto Service Plus nitro Funny Car down the hot Atlanta Dragway. Career-best numbers at his previous race inCharlottegive Blake extra confidence.
“I think it raises the confidence in everyone on the team, but at the same time we’re just going to take it one step at a time. The conditions in Atlanta will be unlike any that we’ve raced in all year, so we’re going to take it step-by-step to see how the new supercharger fits in,” said Alexander.
This event marks the first full year that Blake has been driving a nitro Funny Car. He began testing and licensing runs in the Paul Smith’s Top Fuel School Funny Car following this event in 2011. Now three competitive events in to his Funny Car career, Blake says he’s more confident in his driving.
Blake Alexander at Z-Max and 4-Wide Nationals
Courtesy of Paul Smith Racing
CONCORD, NC – Funny Car rookie Blake Alexander has been through some trying experiences in just his first few races 
in the nitro-breathing Auto Service Plus car. His season of wild rides continued at the 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway last weekend. Blake’s first qualifying pass ended in a fiery mess.
“We had it set up to run a 4.16 or 4.18. I had my hands full on the second half of the run, trying to keep it straight with a hole out. Once I started to slow down, the supercharger back-fired and lifted the body up. I could feel the heat before I could see the flames. I got it stopped and shut everything down. Flames reached the fuel tank and lit the fuel on fire. Ultimately it was a parts failure that caused a lot of damage,” said Alexander, who ran a career-best 4.18 at 302 mph, his first official 300 mph pass.
Tuner and car owner Paul Smith had the Auto Service Plus Funny Car running consistently through qualifying, giving Blake the power to run 4.19 and 4.18 in the final two sessions. Blake would square off with fellow rookie Alexis DeJoria, Johnny Gray and Mike Neff in the first round of eliminations. He came up close at the finish line, just nine thousandths of a second from moving on to the next round. His 4.215 wasn’t enough to best Neff or Gray. Alexander feels that he handled his first 4-Wide experience well.
Alexander Ready for Freshman Four-Wide Experience
Courtesy of Paul Smith Racing
CONCORD,NC– College student and Funny Car driver Blake Alexander has been doing a lot of studying over the past few weeks. In between college classes, he studies the staging process 
that is necessary for this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. The driver of the Auto Service Plus Funny Car is ready for the challenge.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to take part in the four-wide race. I’ve talked with Paul and John Smith about the process, on top of studying video of past 4-Wide Nationals runs. Ultimately the staging process is the only thing that’s different for me. It will take more time and focus to get it right,” claimed Alexander.
Blake and the Paul Smith-led team have experience at the Bellagio of drag strips. Blake tested at zMax Dragway in the Paul Smith’s Top Fuel School Funny Car last year during his licensing time. The Paul Smith Racing team experienced success at last year’s 4-Wide Nationals, and they’re shooting for even more success this year.
Wild Ride for Blake Alexander at the Gatornational
Courtesy of Paul Smith Racing
Photo courtesy of Roger Richards
GAINESVILLE, FL– Despite a wild ride during qualifying and a first round loss against the eventual race winner, Blake Alexander is optimistic about his inaugural Gatornationals appearance. The gradual addition of new equipment will
surely show improvement in the coming races for Blake and the Auto Service Plus Funny Car team.
“We didn’t have an opportunity to test the new car and parts before the race, so we were still working out the tune-up for the new chassis, based off the tune-up from the old car. Most of the issues should be worked out for the next race inCharlotte,” said Alexander.
During the second round of qualifying, the 8,000 horsepower nitro funny car took Blake for a ride skyward. The run made for excellent replays on ESPN2, but also helped tuner Paul Smith adjust the tune-up to the new car.
“Basically the car didn’t have enough weight in the front. This didn’t show up in the first run because it shook the tires very early. When the clutch locked up in the second run, that’s when it hooked up and lifted the front end off the track.
Courtesy of Paul Smith Racing
GAINESVILLE, FL – Funny Car racer Blake Alexander will be starting off his 2012 season at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals this weekend, following a long off-season. Blake and team owner Paul Smith have been working all
winter to put the right pieces into place to field a competitive Fuel Funny Car.
“A lot has been happening over the winter. Paul and the team put together a new chassis and motor, which will be hitting the track for the first time atGainesville. The major achievement was putting together a nine-race schedule, promoting the Auto Service Plus brand,” explained Alexander.
Blake will be a part of the fierce battle for the Auto Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, or Rookie of the Year. He joins rookies Courtney Force, Alexis DeJoria, and Todd Lesenko in Funny Car.
