BAYTOWN, TX – A wet and long weekend at Houston Raceway Park wrapped up with eliminations completed on Monday by Alexis DeJoria and the ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car. The veteran driver came out of the trailer on Saturday with one of quickest Funny Cars on the property racing to the No. 1 spot after the first qualifying session. The Friday qualifying session was cancelled leaving the race teams with just two shots to get the most data and additional rain storms in the forecast. DeJoria’s quick time on Saturday earned her three qualifying bonus points and lit up the scoreboard with an impressive 3.912 second pass at 307.44 mph. As quick as the run was, the team knew there was more out there on the performance side for the ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota team.

Before DeJoria could get a second qualifying run rain moved in and cut the session in half but not before one race car was able to edge her out of the top qualifying spot.

“We had a really good run in the first round with a 3.912,” said DeJoria. “At that point, we really didn’t think we were going to be able to get the second run in. It would have been nice to get another shot at it, but we’ve got a really good ROKiT Camry. We’re happy with qualifying second and we’re looking forward to eliminations on Monday.”

Continue reading →

Austin, TX – Coming off her best best performance of the season, a semifinal finish at the NHRA Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals, NHRA Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria is looking to keep the pressure on the rest of the Funny Car class. The ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry recaptured its early season mojo posting consistently quick times including two round wins in the unique four-wide racing style to land DeJoria in the final quad of the day. Throughout the event DeJoria, who qualified No. 2 her best starting position of the season, handled her 11,000 horsepower race car like a seasoned veteran.

“This ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car was a dream to drive in Charlotte,” said DeJoria, who currently sits in sixth place in Funny Car points. “We went right to the top of the field on Friday night and only one car ran quicker in qualifying. We knew we had a quick hot rod and we showed it on Sunday with two more quick runs to get to that last quad. On the final run I am not sure what happened but it was mixing up cylinders all the way down the track and we let one get away from us. We tested on Monday and I am ready to get after it in Houston.”

Continue reading →

CHARLOTTE, NC – Three rounds of racing today showed that the ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car and driver Alexis DeJoria will be a tough team to handle as the NHRA season ramps up. The 11th NGK NTK NHRA Four-Wide Nationals highlighted the strength of DeJoria’s race car and also showcased her skill behind the wheel.

“We had a very positive day today. What a turnaround from last race,” said DeJoria. “Our ROKiT/Bandero Toyota Camry was consistent. We qualified number two. We were the best of the opening round and won the first two quads. Any time you see a win light come on, it’s an ego booster. We were just on it today.”

The experienced driver made the most of two days of qualifying posting impressive times including the quickest run of Friday night that earned her three qualifying bonus points and the provisional No. 1 spot. On Saturday she was bumped back one position but entered race day as the No. 2 Funny Car on the property and a favorite to go rounds.

Continue reading →

AUSTIN, TX –  The NHRA Carolina Four-Wide Nationals are Alexis DeJoria’s second shot this season driving the ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car in one of drag racing’s most unique events. With over 40,000 horsepower on the starting line the round by round competitors almost equal an entire starting grid of most NASCAR races as soon as they hit the throttle pedal. That kind of raw power is what draws thousands of fans to zMAX Dragway and has led to a sellout crowd for Saturday’s final day of qualifying. It is also what fires up self-described adrenaline junkie DeJoria to suit up and strap in for a 320 mph ride throughout the season.

“There is nothing like sitting on the starting line with a Funny Car on either side of you,” said DeJoria. “When we are all doing burnouts before a run it is an amazing sound and you feel the ground move. Four nitro Funny Cars or Top Fuel dragster racing at the same time is one of the coolest things we get to do.”

Earlier this season at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway DeJoria qualified No. 3 and made a strong first round run. In the second quad a broken blower belt stole her chance to advance to the final quad and an opportunity to pick up her first four-wide nationals win. In 2014 at zMAX Dragway DeJoria raced in the final quad ultimately finishing third. The format of being first or second to the finish line has its advantages and disadvantages for the ultra-competitive racer who calls Austin, Texas home.

Continue reading →

ATLANTA, GA – During the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season a handful of national events will be contested with only two rounds of qualifying on Saturday prior to Sunday’s eliminations. The reduction in qualifying sessions adds pressure on all the teams and puts a premium on each team’s lone two qualifying runs.  The ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car team and driver Alexis DeJoria were victims to the truncated qualifying sessions during the 40th NHRA Southern Nationals this weekend at Atlanta Dragway. The team was looking for performance consistency and opted to run their back-up race car which upon further inspection was the root of their qualifying and race day issues.

On Saturday in the first session DeJoria and her ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota dropped a cylinder right off the starting line and had to click their runoff early. The tricky track had a number of teams aborting runs throughout the day. Coming back for the second session DeJoria and her team were prepared to move up the ladder from their provisional No. 12 spot. In the second session running beside Jim Campbell, DeJoria rolled in to stage and the staging bulb began to flicker. As DeJoria continued to attempt to stage she was timed out and did not get a second qualifying time. Her qualifying effort from the first session placed the ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Funny Car in the field as the No. 14 qualifier.

Continue reading →

AUSTIN, TX –  While the 40th Southern Nationals will be the swan song for the fabled NHRA national event held at Atlanta Dragway just north of Atlanta, Georgia, Funny Car racer Alexis DeJoria will be looking to add her name to a legendary list of Funny Car winners. Since Tripp Shumake won the inaugural event, names like Raymond Beadle, Kenny Bernstein, John Force and Ed McCulloch have hoisted the Funny Car Wally in victory. DeJoria’s current crew chief Del Worsham captured his first win at the 1991 event as a 21 year-old rookie.

“The Southern Nationals has a lot of history for sure,” said DeJoria. “Del got his first win in Atlanta his rookie year and he was the youngest person to every win a Funny Car national event. To be able to win the last Southern Nationals with Del as my crew chief would be pretty awesome.”

DeJoria will be bringing her ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car to the track with designs on translating qualifying success to race day win lights. Two weeks ago in Las Vegas DeJoria was the No. 3 qualifier extending her streak of top five starts to seven events in a row going back to the 2020 season. In the first round of the Four-Wide Nationals she made another blistering run to advance but in the next race a broken blower belt sealed her fate in a losing effort. The five-time Funny Car winner knows that success on Sunday is looming on the horizon.

Continue reading →

LAS VEGAS, NV – The ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car team and driver Alexis DeJoria rolled into The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway looking to continue their high level of performance. At the end of the 21st NHRA Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals DeJoria and the team knew they had a strong race car and positive momentum as the 2021 season got underway.

DeJoria steadily improved throughout qualifying on Friday and Saturday. In the final session the ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Funny Car blasted to the top with a blistering 3.912 second pass that moved her to No. 1 with one quad left to run. DeJoria settled for the No. 3 qualifier position after Robert Hight and John Force improved to close out Funny Car qualifying. The strong effort extended the team’s streak of top five qualifying positions to seven races and counting.

Heading into the first round of race day facing three competitors in the first quad DeJoria was focused on a first round win.  As the drivers were staging Chad Green in the far right fourth lane had issues staging, ultimately timing out. DeJoria got to the stripe beside Tim Wilkerson and both drivers advanced to the second quad ahead of Terry Haddock. DeJoria’s advancing time of 3.950 seconds at 321.73 mph was a stout run for the first session.

Continue reading →

AUSTIN, TX – Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria will be heading to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway focused on adding one more accomplishment to her impressive record.  She will be looking for her first career four-wide national event win at a track where she has had success in the past. DeJoria celebrated victories in the desert in 2014 and 2016 at the Las Vegas NHRA Nationals before the track underwent a major reconstruction to add two additional lanes. DeJoria will be looking to keep her ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car on the right track this weekend.

“I am looking forward to racing Vegas because it will be my first Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip,” said DeJoria. “I’ve had success there before but I have never won an actual four-wide race yet. My dad turned 80 this week on the 13th and he will be at the races. I would love to give him a Wally as a present.”

It has been over a year since any professional driver has tackled the unique four-wide racing format and DeJoria will be right in the thick of the competition. Her best four-wide performance was 2014 when she raced to the final quad at the Carolina Nationals.

Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – Starting the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season at the 52nd annual NHRA Gatornationals for the first time did not phase Alexis DeJoria. The veteran driver powered her ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry to the No. 2 qualifying position and continued her qualifying dominance in the category. The last time DeJoria and her Toyota Camry Funny Car raced at the Gators they qualified No. 5 which began an active streak of six consecutive Top Five qualifying starts including this weekend’s strong performance.

“These crew guys are doing so well to start the season,” said DeJoria, who has five Funny Car national event wins to her credit. “(Co-crew chiefs) Nicky (Boninfante) and Del (Worsham) are tuning this Toyota up and it is making some killer runs. I am excited about going to the next race because we have a great race car. We have been a top five qualifier the past six races going back to last season. We got bonus points this weekend and were the No. 2 qualifier so that is a great start.”

In the opening round DeJoria matched up with John Smith and her ROKiT Funny Car team was not taking the Paul Smith tuned opponent lightly. She blasted off the starting line and lit the scoreboard 3.918 seconds later which was the second quickest run of the day. It was a dominant first round win for the ROKiT team. Following the run DeJoria’s crew chief Del Worsham had high praise for his driver.

Continue reading →

SPRING, TX – Building on its return to the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Series in 2020 with a technical partnership alongside TRD (Toyota Racing Development), ExxonMobil will expand its current team roster within NHRA to include Toyota Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria. ExxonMobil has enjoyed a partnership with Kalitta Motorsports and will also continue that winning relationship into the 2021 season.

Under the expanded agreement, ExxonMobil will supply DeJoria and her team with its Drag Racing motor oil, along with other lubricants, while also providing engineering support throughout the season. In addition, ExxonMobil is continuing to develop next-generation lubricants to improve engine and gearbox performance while also continuing to support Kalitta Motorsports through its relationship with Toyota. DeJoria is ready to begin her quest for her first NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series World Championship as the season gets underway this month.

Continue reading →