INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 1, 2025) – Building on a solid outing at Brainerd, Alexis DeJoria charged to a semifinal finish at the NHRA U.S. Nationals behind the wheel of her Bandero Café Funny Car Monday afternoon at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The 2014 U.S. Nationals winner earned bonus points in qualifying with class-leading performances, qualified No. 4 in a loaded Funny Car field, and turned on win lights on race day at the biggest race of the year. The overall weekend performance sent DeJoria’s confidence soaring as she prepares to represent JCM Racing in the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship.
In the first of five qualifying sessions, DeJoria rocketed to a 3.891-second blast at 329.02 mph to take the provisional No. 3 position on Friday evening. She made the quickest pass of the second session on Saturday, a 3.929 E.T. at 330.88 mph, to earn four bonus points. She hazed the tires in the third session, but ended Saturday still in the No. 3 spot. DeJoria lost traction again in the fourth session before capping off qualifying with a 3.948 E.T. at 329.18 mph, the second-quickest pass of the fifth session, to take another three bonus points.
Racing out of the No. 4 position, DeJoria faced second-generation racer Bobby Bode in the first round of eliminations on Monday morning. Tuned by crew chiefs Mike ‘Zippy’ Neff and Todd Smith, DeJoria charged to a 3.901-second pass at 333.16 mph to get the win over a tire-smoking Bode. In a battle between two of the closest matched cars in qualifying, DeJoria left the line ahead of No. 5 qualifier Matt Hagan and led wire-to-wire with a 3.935 E.T. at 331.85 mph. Making her fifth semifinal appearance of the season, DeJoria lined up against No. 1 qualifier Jack Beckman, and while the Bandero Café Funny Car launched hard, it went into tire smoke around the 330-foot mark.
“Coming into the U.S. Nationals, we felt pretty strong as a team,” DeJoria said. “We ran a 3.87 at the last race and we know we have a good car. None of us are brand-new to this, but together we are brand-new. This Funny Car came together last-minute, and to be where we are today and to be running as good as we are and consistent as we are, that speaks volumes. I’m so proud.”
DeJoria moved up one spot in the Funny Car points standings with her semifinal finish, meaning she’ll enter the Countdown to the Championship in the No. 8 spot. More importantly, DeJoria and the Bandero Café Funny Car team have the confidence they need to chase a championship.
“We’ve got a week off and then we’ve got three back-to-back races, and those are the races you get hot for,” DeJoria said. “You want to get hot right now. This is the time to do it and we’re doing it. I have so much confidence in this team, and that in turn makes me feel confident as a driver. Together, we’re making it happen. I can’t wait for the next race, I can’t wait for all the races in the next two months, and I can’t wait for next year and beyond.”
DeJoria, who is seeking her first Funny Car series title, will kick off the NHRA Countdown to the Championship at the first of six races, the 40th NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish, Sept. 12-14, at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Penn.
Qualified: No. 4 (3.891 E.T. at 329.02 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.901 E.T. at 333.16 MPH defeated Bobby Bode 9.136 E.T. at 82.84 MPH
E2: 3.935 E.T. at 331.82 MPH defeated Matt Hagan 5.926 E.T. at 146.80 MPH
E3: 4.923 E.T. at 160.37 MPH defeated by Jack Beckman 4.123 E.T. at 248.66 MPH
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In the first of five qualifying sessions, DeJoria rocketed to a 3.891-second blast at 329.02 mph to take the provisional No. 3 position on Friday evening. She made the quickest pass of the second session on Saturday, a 3.929 E.T. at 330.88 mph, to earn four bonus points. She hazed the tires in the third session, but ended Saturday still in the No. 3 spot. DeJoria lost traction again in the fourth session before capping off qualifying with a 3.948 E.T. at 329.18 mph, the second-quickest pass of the fifth session, to take another three bonus points.
Racing out of the No. 4 position, DeJoria faced second-generation racer Bobby Bode in the first round of eliminations on Monday morning. Tuned by crew chiefs Mike ‘Zippy’ Neff and Todd Smith, DeJoria charged to a 3.901-second pass at 333.16 mph to get the win over a tire-smoking Bode. In a battle between two of the closest matched cars in qualifying, DeJoria left the line ahead of No. 5 qualifier Matt Hagan and led wire-to-wire with a 3.935 E.T. at 331.85 mph. Making her fifth semifinal appearance of the season, DeJoria lined up against No. 1 qualifier Jack Beckman, and while the Bandero Café Funny Car launched hard, it went into tire smoke around the 330-foot mark.
“Coming into the U.S. Nationals, we felt pretty strong as a team,” DeJoria said. “We ran a 3.87 at the last race and we know we have a good car. None of us are brand-new to this, but together we are brand-new. This Funny Car came together last-minute, and to be where we are today and to be running as good as we are and consistent as we are, that speaks volumes. I’m so proud.”
DeJoria moved up one spot in the Funny Car points standings with her semifinal finish, meaning she’ll enter the Countdown to the Championship in the No. 8 spot. More importantly, DeJoria and the Bandero Café Funny Car team have the confidence they need to chase a championship.
“We’ve got a week off and then we’ve got three back-to-back races, and those are the races you get hot for,” DeJoria said. “You want to get hot right now. This is the time to do it and we’re doing it. I have so much confidence in this team, and that in turn makes me feel confident as a driver. Together, we’re making it happen. I can’t wait for the next race, I can’t wait for all the races in the next two months, and I can’t wait for next year and beyond.”
DeJoria, who is seeking her first Funny Car series title, will kick off the NHRA Countdown to the Championship at the first of six races, the 40th NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish, Sept. 12-14, at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, Penn.
Qualified: No. 4 (3.891 E.T. at 329.02 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.901 E.T. at 333.16 MPH defeated Bobby Bode 9.136 E.T. at 82.84 MPH
E2: 3.935 E.T. at 331.82 MPH defeated Matt Hagan 5.926 E.T. at 146.80 MPH
E3: 4.923 E.T. at 160.37 MPH defeated by Jack Beckman 4.123 E.T. at 248.66 MPH
Continue reading...
