NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Following this morning's announcement that she will be driving her Bandero Café entry under the John Force Racing umbrella in 2026, Alexis DeJoria offered some further thoughts about the new arrangement and the 2026 season.

How did this move to JFR come to be?

“This has been in the works for quite some time, actually; going as far back as the end of the 2024 season, but the timing wasn’t right, and we weren’t able to make it happen for 2025. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to race for Joe Maynard and his JCM Racing team last year, which I am very grateful for. At that point, I had kind of put the thought of racing for JFR off in the back of my mind, thinking maybe it wasn’t necessarily feasible. But then, the opportunity presented itself once again a few months back, and it just wasn’t something I could pass up. At that point, I started to take the necessary steps to make the move for 2026.”

What are your goals for the 2026 season?

“JFR is a whole different beast. This isn’t my first rodeo; I’ve been out here for many years now, and I know from experience that when switching teams and cars, there is a bit of an adjustment period, especially with getting to know all of the people and personalities involved. So, the first few weeks I plan to focus on getting myself acquainted with their style and how they operate.

“From a performance perspective, the goal remains the same – run for a championship. I know I’m tenacious; I’m hungry, I’m competitive. You combine that with the fact that I’ll have the absolute best equipment underneath me at John Force Racing, and I have no doubt we’re absolutely going to hit the ground running next season. I fully expect for our Bandero Café Chevy Camaro team to be part of the conversation next fall.”

Alexis DeJoria on John Force

“John Force and Del Worsham are my idols out here and the two people that I’ve always looked up to the most. They were also the ones to sign my nitro Funny Car license back in 2011, so this truly feels like a full-circle moment for me. I’ve had the honor of driving for Del, and now, I’ll drive for the legendary John Force. I have the utmost respect and admiration for him; his will, his tenacity; he’s been through everything you can imagine while driving a nitro Funny Car, and he's persevered. He is NHRA Drag Racing. There will never be another John Force, and the fact that I get to drive for the legend himself is a true highlight of my career, and an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.”

On being the first woman without the Force name to drive for John Force Racing

“For the longest time, this wasn’t something that I ever pictured for myself. Not because I didn’t want it to happen, but because I didn’t think it was possible. Back when I started my nitro career, it was John, Robert [Hight], Courtney [Force], and Mike Neff, and then it was John, Robert, Courtney, and Brittany [Force]. Everyone who was driving there at the time either had the last name Force or was part of the Force family in some capacity, with the exception of Mike. I always thought it was cool that all of John’s daughters raced. He put his girls in record-breaking, championship-winning race cars, and I couldn’t be more stoked to now be a part of that program.”

On representing Chevrolet

“Representing Chevrolet is a natural fit for me. I grew up a Chevy girl; I have a 1967 Chevelle SS that I’ve had since I was 17, and I’ve added to the collection over the years, including a ’59 Impala. Chevy has been my go-to since I could drive, and in fact, it’s sort of what led to me having this career. I used to go to Pomona for the swap meets to source parts for my Chevelle, and that’s where I learned about an upcoming Sportsman race at that track. I ended up going back for that event and fell in love. It lit a fire in me and is ultimately what led me to get behind the wheel and compete in Super Gas.”

On having Funny Car teammates

“Having teammates builds camaraderie. I love being part of a big team like I have been previously, and I’ll definitely miss racing with Ida [Zetterström], but having Funny Car teammates is a little different because you can work off each other. And of course, the obvious advantage of having more data to work from and the ability to share information amongst the crew chief brain trust will be a great competitive advantage that I haven’t had since the Kalitta days nearly a decade ago.”