As the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series marches toward the heat of summer, Alexis DeJoria and John Force Racing’s Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car team have turned up wick on their recent performances leading into the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS at Maryland International Raceway on May 29-31.
With a semifinal finish two races ago in the Southern Nationals and a runner-up showing two weeks ago in the Route 66 Nationals, the Mike Neff / Jonnie Lindberg-led team is providing DeJoria with a race car capable of going rounds and eventually capturing her first NHRA Funny Car event victory since October 2021 in Bristol, Tenn.
“Honestly, I don’t have any expectations heading to Maryland. We’ve never raced there, so it’s new territory for all of us,” said DeJoria. “There are so many factors at play when it comes to assessing a new track. One thing I can say is we have a great tune-up for hot or cold weather.”
DeJoria started off the 2026 season with a final-round appearance but was followed by a first-round exit in Phoenix. Since then, she has won at least one round of eliminations in each of the four succeeding races. To put a point on it, DeJoria’s 10 round wins after just six events this season matches the total number she earned in the entire 2025 season.
“Now that we have the consistency we were working on, Mike (Neff) and Jonnie (Lindberg) will be shooting for those low E.T.s and high mph,” DeJoria said. “At John Force Racing, we have a team full of experts who know what they are doing, which means a high level of confidence for me as a driver, even when we’re looking at a new facility. My faith in this crew is unwavering. After winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and getting another runner-up in Chicago, we’re on a good trajectory.”
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2:30 and 5 p.m. ET on Friday, May 29, with the final two rounds Saturday, May 30, at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday, May 31, at 11 a.m.
Television coverage on FS1 includes a qualifying show Friday from 7-8 p.m. ET, a second qualifying show Saturday from 7-8 p.m., and the eliminations broadcast Sunday from 3-6 p.m.
This story was originally published on May 27, 2026. 
The post Alexis DeJoria Heats Up Performance as Summer Nears Heading Into Inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
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