POMONA, CA – Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Café Funny Car team were hoping for one more opportunity to race for a Wally trophy at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., but Mother Nature had other plans. Persistent showers in the Inland Empire wiped out two days of qualifying, and on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, NHRA officials made the difficult decision to cancel the race altogether due to the continuing rain and deteriorating track conditions.

For the first-year JCM Racing Funny Car team, the Pomona event was supposed to have served as a chance to close out the year with a win under their belt. The team, led by crew chiefs Mike ‘Zippy’ Neff and Todd Smith, had shown steady improvement throughout the year, reaching five semifinals in 19 events and earning a qualifying position in the top half of the field 11 times, including their season-best qualifying outing in Bristol, Tenn., where they scored the No. 2 seed. They closed out the year ranked twelfth in the final standings. Continue reading →

Pomona, CA – DeJoria, a longtime and current Southern California resident, was first introduced to NHRA Drag Racing when she visited the Pomona track with friends as a teenager.

The five-time semifinalist in 2025 enters the weekend occupying the No. 12 position and will attempt to battle her way back into the top 10A 35-point deficit separates DeJoria from the No. 10 ranked driver.

With Pomona’s unique points-and-a-half format, only two competition rounds separate sixth through 12th place to start the weekend.

“So here we are, the final race of the 2025 season. Our Bandero Café team made some great runs, had some great weekends, and we are looking to finish the year strong and get ourselves back into the top 10,” explained Alexis. Continue reading →

LAS VEGAS –With two prior wins at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Alexis DeJoria was hoping a little Vegas luck would help her first-year JCM Racing Bandero Café Funny Car team break through for their first win as a team. Three solid passes during qualifying placed DeJoria ninth out of 21 cars vying for a spot in the Sunday show, but traction issues during the first round of eliminations caused the five-time semifinalist in 2025 to bow out early at the NHRA Nevada Nationals.

DeJoria opened the weekend by running a stout 3.948-second at 330.96 mph pass during the first qualifying session to place her in the provisional No. 2 position. She made another good run during Q2, clocking a 3.938 E.T. and backed that up with a 3.946-second pass on Saturday afternoon. In the final qualifying session, DeJoria’s machine was up in smoke early, and she settled into the No. 9 position in the final Funny Car order.

Race day pitted DeJoria against her former teammate J.R. Todd in the first elimination round. The two had previously met 17 times in eliminations, with DeJoria carrying a winning record of 10 round wins over Todd. Unfortunately, Todd was able to get his eighth round-win over DeJoria when she ran into traction issues and slowed to a 4.338 E.T. while he made a clean pass of 3.926 seconds in the opposite lane. Continue reading →

Las Vegas – “I always look forward to returning to Las Vegas Motor Speedway; it’s one of my favorite tracks on tour for many reasons. I’ve had some great success there over the years, including a few wins and a few poles, and I’m hoping to replicate some of that ‘Vegas luck’ this weekend. Our immediate goal is to stay in the Top 10,” explained Alexis.

“Obviously, we’d love to leave Vegas with a trophy, but right now, the priority is going rounds so that we put ourselves in a better position heading into Pomona where points-and-a-half comes into play. We’re all pretty bunched up there, and it’s going to be a fight ‘til the very end.”

Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 10th

NHRA Nevada Nationals Event Highlights: 2021 No. 1 qualifier

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Overall Highlights: Two-time event champion, One No. 1 qualifier Continue reading →

Ennis, TX – Alexis made her professional debut at the 2011 Dallas event while competing for Kalitta Motorsports.  Although now a former Texas resident, DeJoria still considers the Ennis facility to be a home track.

“I love going back to the Stampede of Speed. I still consider the Motorplex to be one of my home tracks even though I don’t live in Texas anymore. The Meyer family is incredible, and they really know how to deliver when it comes to the fan experience; it’s always a great show.” explained DeJoria.

“The Funny Car points are really tight right now, particularly from sixth to 12th, so it’s important that we go rounds and gain those points so we can finish the year as high up in the standings as possible. Not to mention, we really want to get our first win as a team with Mike Neff and Todd Smith, and I’d love nothing more than to do it there and finish Sunday with some cowboy hats.” Continue reading →

MADISON, IL – Alexis DeJoria, a five-time semifinalist in 2025, closed out the first half of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship with a quarterfinal finish this weekend at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill. It was a solid outing for DeJoria and her Bandero Café team as they continue their climb in the Mission Foods Funny Car standings heading into the final stretch of the season. With three races to go, DeJoria will leave World Wide Technology Raceway in ninth place and within two round wins of the No. 7 and No. 8-seeded drivers.

DeJoria began her weekend at the St. Louis-area facility by powering her Bandero Café Funny Car down the track in 3.956 seconds at 326.95 mph to place her in the provisional No. 7 spot. On Friday night under the lights, DeJoria was straight down the groove once again, clocking a 3.900 E.T. at 332.84 mph to move up one spot to sixth. Saturday’s first run gave way to tire smoke and in the final qualifying session, DeJoria appeared to be on another good run before her machine lost traction just past halftrack. With four rounds of qualifying in the books, DeJoria’s Q2 pass held strong for sixth to secure a qualifying position in the top half of the field for the 10th time this year. Continue reading →

Madison, IL – With disappointment and the reality of the season closing in on them the Bandero Café Funny Car Team is looking to gain all the experience and knowledge they can during the final stretch of the 2025 countdown.

Alexis on Madison,  “These last few races, our Bandero Café Funny Car team will continue to give it our all and hopefully, we’ll have something shiny in our hands to walk away with.”

Countdown to the Championship Ranking: 10th

2024 NHRA Midwest Nationals Event Recap: Qualified 12th; First round exit (defeated by Daniel Wilkerson in E1)

Last Event (Charlotte 1): Qualified fifth; First round exit (defeated by Spencer Hyde) Continue reading →