MARTIN, Mich. (Sept. 21, 2026) – Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Café Funny Car team opened the 2026 NHRA Countdown to the Championship with a quarterfinal finish at the inaugural NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park. DeJoria qualified in the top half of the field and picked up one bonus point during qualifying before powering to her quickest pass of the weekend in Monday’s rain-delayed opening round. Her race day came to an end against Matt Hagan in the quarterfinals when her machine lost traction early in the run.
Making her 10th Countdown to the Championship appearance and first as a member of John Force Racing, DeJoria entered the six-race playoffs ranked seventh in the Funny Car standings. She lost traction at the hit in Friday’s opening qualifying session before bouncing back with a clean 3.924-second pass at 331.86 mph aboard her Chevrolet SS in the second session to move into the No. 6 position. After encountering tire shake early in her third attempt, DeJoria closed out qualifying by clocking the third-quickest run of the final session, a 3.898-second pass at 333.09 mph that earned one bonus point and secured the No. 6 starting position.
Persistent rain and falling temperatures at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park forced Sunday’s elimination rounds to be postponed until Monday, when DeJoria lined up against Hunter Green in the opening round. DeJoria was straight down the groove in the Bandero Café Chevrolet, clocking a 3.884-second pass at 335.07 mph to improve upon her qualifying effort and advance to the quarterfinals while Green encountered issues in the other lane, causing him to make contact with the wall before coming to a stop ahead of the finish line.
The round win set up a quarterfinal meeting with current Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan. Against Hagan, DeJoria’s machine overpowered the racing surface early in the run, forcing her to lift off the throttle while Hagan posted a 3.885-second effort to advance.
“Long weekend with Sunday turning into the Monday Nationals here in Martin, Michigan, for our inaugural race,” said DeJoria. “We ran well in qualifying and during the first round of eliminations. Second round, unfortunately, we overpowered the track, and that was the end of our day against Matt Hagan.
“This is the first of three consecutive races, and we’re onto another new facility in Rockingham, North Carolina, in just a few short days, so we don’t have to wait long for another shot at it. We’re still seventh in the standings, but it’s the Countdown to the Championship. Getting a round win and a bonus point this weekend is good, but we’re focused on stepping up our game for these next races.”
DeJoria and the Bandero Café team will continue their Countdown campaign at the NHRA Nationals at The Rock, Sept. 25-27, at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina. The event is the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship.
Qualified: No. 6 (3.898 E.T. at 333.00 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.884 E.T. at 335.07 MPH defeated Hunter Green, No Time
E2: 7.435 E.T. at 87.16 MPH defeated by Matt Hagan 3.885 E.T. at 330.40 MPH
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
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Making her 10th Countdown to the Championship appearance and first as a member of John Force Racing, DeJoria entered the six-race playoffs ranked seventh in the Funny Car standings. She lost traction at the hit in Friday’s opening qualifying session before bouncing back with a clean 3.924-second pass at 331.86 mph aboard her Chevrolet SS in the second session to move into the No. 6 position. After encountering tire shake early in her third attempt, DeJoria closed out qualifying by clocking the third-quickest run of the final session, a 3.898-second pass at 333.09 mph that earned one bonus point and secured the No. 6 starting position.
Persistent rain and falling temperatures at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park forced Sunday’s elimination rounds to be postponed until Monday, when DeJoria lined up against Hunter Green in the opening round. DeJoria was straight down the groove in the Bandero Café Chevrolet, clocking a 3.884-second pass at 335.07 mph to improve upon her qualifying effort and advance to the quarterfinals while Green encountered issues in the other lane, causing him to make contact with the wall before coming to a stop ahead of the finish line.
The round win set up a quarterfinal meeting with current Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan. Against Hagan, DeJoria’s machine overpowered the racing surface early in the run, forcing her to lift off the throttle while Hagan posted a 3.885-second effort to advance.
“Long weekend with Sunday turning into the Monday Nationals here in Martin, Michigan, for our inaugural race,” said DeJoria. “We ran well in qualifying and during the first round of eliminations. Second round, unfortunately, we overpowered the track, and that was the end of our day against Matt Hagan.
“This is the first of three consecutive races, and we’re onto another new facility in Rockingham, North Carolina, in just a few short days, so we don’t have to wait long for another shot at it. We’re still seventh in the standings, but it’s the Countdown to the Championship. Getting a round win and a bonus point this weekend is good, but we’re focused on stepping up our game for these next races.”
DeJoria and the Bandero Café team will continue their Countdown campaign at the NHRA Nationals at The Rock, Sept. 25-27, at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina. The event is the second of six races in the Countdown to the Championship.
Qualified: No. 6 (3.898 E.T. at 333.00 MPH)
Elimination Round Results:
E1: 3.884 E.T. at 335.07 MPH defeated Hunter Green, No Time
E2: 7.435 E.T. at 87.16 MPH defeated by Matt Hagan 3.885 E.T. at 330.40 MPH
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals Presented by Mopar
Continue reading...
