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Alexis DeJoria on Husband Jesse James: “I Wanted to Marry Him the First Day”

Alexis DeJoria
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, drag racer Alexis DeJoria opens up about husband Jesse James, her love of racing, and her daughter, Bella

Alexis DeJoria waited a long time to find the right guy. But she knew as soon as she met now-husband Jesse James that he was it for her. Sitting down for an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the drag-racing beauty says she had an undeniable connection with James from their very first meeting.

"We actually met at the races out in Dallas. I was racing at the time, and [Jesse] had been friends with my dad [Paul Mitchell billionaire John Paul DeJoria] for a while," she explains to Us of how her relationship with the motorcycle customizer began. "So he came up to see my dad and the guys that I race with, and that was it. It was the first time we met, and we just hit it off. He has never missed a race since."

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"I can't even tell you — we have so much in common," she continues. "We just click. I've never had that in a man before. I've never experienced that with anyone before him, so I knew it right away. He was definitely the one. It has been amazing."

"I think I wanted to marry him the first day," she says, laughing. "It's just like marrying your best friend. It's perfect." (As Us Weekly previously reported, the couple tied the knot in Malibu on March 24.)

DeJoria — who has a 10-year-old daughter, Bella, from a former relationship — says their kids feel the same way. (James has three children from previous marriages: daughter Chandler and son Jesse Jr. with first wife Karla James, and daughter Sunny with second wife Janine Lindemulder. He was also married to actress Sandra Bullock.)

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"Our daughters [Bella and Sunny] are the same age, and they just click. They are like two peas in a pod. It's the cutest thing ever," DeJoria tells Us of her new blended family. "[Bella] has always wanted a sister…so it just worked out perfectly."

The NHRA standout also notes that her new husband is super supportive of her racing career. "He really understands it," she says, noting that the former Monster Garage star can "hold his own" with her crew. "He wants to get in there and get his hands dirty and work…He's in there cleaning parts, welding on the car…He's very, very active in my profession, and it's awesome."

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DeJoria has been racing for almost a decade, but she's in just her second year as a professional. She actually started out working for her dad at the Paul Mitchell hair care company but realized after the birth of her daughter that she wanted to commit to drag racing as a profession.

"I was definitely the wild child of the family, just kind of the thrill-seeker, which definitely came from my dad," she explains to Us of how she got into the sport. "My dad raised his kids to be very confident, strong individuals and always work for things that we're passionate about. I'm going to be a go-getter. I'm going to experience life and enjoy it to the fullest. That's the way my father raised his kids to be, and that's the way I'm going to raise my child."

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Bella, in fact, is already showing signs of being "a little thrill-seeker." But drag racing isn't her thing — yet. "She rides horses. One horsepower," DeJoria quips. "And roller skating. She wants to be in a roller derby."

As for DeJoria's dreams? "My ultimate goal would be to win a championship and someday maybe own my own team," she muses to Us. "Anything could happen, but I plan on being in this sport for quite a long time."

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