Women of Power 2022

BY RYAN MURRAY PHOTOGRAPH BY RICK BELDEN

LLISON MCCORMICK knew the time was right . After working in the PR world in drag racing for the past 10 years – the last

With star drivers like Antron Brown and Ron Capps becoming team owners in the offseason , they wanted to continue to work with McCormick , as did DSR .

Along with adding former client Alexis De- Joria back into the mix , it led to the creation of

ABM Communications , a bold step for McCormick but one that simply made perfect sense .

“ If I didn ’ t take advantage of it , it ’ s a situation I didn ’ t know if I would ever be in again , I felt like I had to take advantage ,” McCormick says . “ I gave it a lot of thought and I spoke to everyone involved , and they were all very supportive of this new venture . They were saying , ‘ We want to work with you .’ It was super flattering and

made me feel good about the decision . It really seemed like a no-brainer .”

It ’ s turned into a great decision for McCormick , who has long been one of the sport ’ s top PR representatives .

She didn ’ t have a motorsports background growing up , but Patrón Tequila came on board as a client at the PR agency in Florida where

McCormick worked . With DeJoria starting her transition into the professional ranks , Patrón became McCormick ’ s client until she left the agency to work directly for Patrón and DeJoria when she started her full-time Funny Car career in 2012 .

When DeJoria stepped away from the sport after 2017 , McCormick was named PR manager at DSR , working with a stable that included seven drivers in NHRA ’ s nitro ranks .

With Tony Schumacher returning to fulltime racing in 2022 , along with a fleet of Factory Stock Showdown drivers , McCormick was thrilled to still be able to work with DSR and maintain that great relationship , while continuing to work with Brown and Capps , and joining back up with DeJoria a second time .

“ That was so important to me . I really enjoyed my time there and Megan [ Fessel-Schumacher ] and I have a great working relationship ,” McCormick says . “ I feel very supported by Megan and Don , and Tony is so easy to work with . I definitely wanted to continue that , and I was happy when they wanted to move forward .”

A standout behind the scenes , McCormick has been integral in her drivers landing national coverage at a variety of major publications , podcasts , and television stations over the years .

There have been the usual challenges that come with running her own business , but Mc- Cormick , a creative , outside-the-box thinker , continues to thrive and remains as driven as ever to help her clients get an even bigger spotlight .

“ We all want the same thing and that ’ s for the sport to continue to grow ,” McCormick asserts . “ More growth means more eyeballs and that trickles down to everything . I came from an agency and I didn ’ t grow up in motorsports , so I ’ m able to pitch things from an outsider ’ s perspective . I want to continue to reach new people and get drivers coverage in areas that don ’ t normally cover motorsports . When that

happens , it ’ s such a great feeling and so motivating to keep going after more DI.”

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114 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 176