BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 23, 2026) – Alexis DeJoria and John Force Racing’s Bandero Café Chevrolet Funny Car team have been chipping away at success throughout the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season but know the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock, Sept. 25-27 at Rockingham (N.C.) Dragway is the time to grab the sledgehammer and take solid whacks at their championship opportunities.
DeJoria, who celebrates a birthday Sept. 24, is seventh in the point standings after 15 of 20 races, just 11 points behind sixth place and 51 out of fifth place. Her 16 round wins is five more than last year’s total and, with 20 more rounds of competition remaining, there’s every reason to believe the Mike Neff/Jonnie Lindberg-led team will add significantly to the current total.
John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools team’s win in the NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park made Jordan Vandergriff the ninth John Force Racing driver to win a Countdown to the Championship race and, in doing so, earned the organization’s 45th Countdown event. He joins John Force (7 Countdown wins), Robert Hight (16), Brittany Force (7), Austin Prock (7), Mike Neff (2), Courtney Force (2), Jack Beckman (2) and Ashley Force Hood (1).
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after 15 of 20 races are: 1. Matt Hagan, 2,208; 2. Jordan Vandergriff, 2,185; 3. Jack Beckman, 2,154; 4. Ron Capps, 2,145; 5. J.R. Todd, 2,139; 6. Austin Prock, 2,099; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,088; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,069; 9. Chad Green, 2,055; 10. Spencer Hyde, 2,033.
Quotes
What’s it going to be like racing at Rockingham for the first time?
“I haven’t heard much of anything about the surface at Rockingham. I’ve never raced there before either but I’m just excited we get another new track on the schedule to show a new group of fans what NHRA nitro racing is all about.”
Which driver, past or present, would you like to line up against at least once?
“If I could line up against anyone, past or present, it would be Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme. I first met Don when I started racing Alcohol Funny Cars. I told him my plans to race nitro Funny Car one day and he said ‘Girls don’t drive Nitro Funny Cars’. I told him, ‘Well, this one is!’ I always thought it would be cool to line up against him after that.”
What’s the Bandero Café team’s approach going into the second race of the Countdown?
“We’re seventh in the standings after the first race in the Countdown to the Championship. Getting a round win and a bonus point at Michigan was good but we’re focused on stepping up our game for these next races.”
Appearances
DeJoria will be signing autographs at the following times and locations: Thurs., Sept. 24, from 6:30-7:15 p.m. at Harrington Square in downtown Rockingham, N.C.; and Sat., Sept. 26, from 9:30-10 a.m. at the Cornwell Quality Tools midway display.
Track Schedule
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 25 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 27.
TV Schedule
Television coverage on Sun., Sept. 27, includes qualifying on FS1 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET before eliminations action at from 3 – 6 p.m.
2026 Results
| Event | Qualify | Round by Round | Round Record | Points Position |
| Gainesville | 11 | Beat Cruz Pedregon, Spencer Hyde, J.R. Todd; lost to Chad Green | 3-1 | 2 |
| Phoenix | 12 | Lost Jordan Vandergriff | 3-2 | 6 |
| Pomona1 | 7 | Beat Dave Richards; lost to Ron Capps | 4-3 | 7 |
| Charlotte | 5 | Won 1st Quad; lost 2nd quad | 5-4 | 6 |
| Valdosta | 10 | Beat Cruz Pedregon, Matt Hagan; lost to J.R. Todd | 7-5 | 6 |
| Chicago | 12 | Beat Spencer Hyde, Dave Richards, Matt Hagan; lost to Chad Green | 10-6 | 6 |
| Maryland | 7 | Lost to Ron Capps | 10-7 | 6 |
| Epping | 3 | Beat Cruz Pedregon; lost to Ron Capps | 11-8 | 7 |
| Bristol | 2 | Lost to Jordan Vandergriff | 11-9 | 7 |
| Norwalk | 2 | Beat Blake Alexander, Chad Green; lost to Ron Capps | 13-10 | 7 |
| Sonoma | 7 | Lost to Cruz Pedregon | 13-11 | 7 |
| Seattle | 3 | Lost to Dave Richards | 13-12 | 8 |
| Brainerd | 8 | Beat Dave Richards; lost to Jordan Vandergriff | 14-13 | 8 |
| Indianapolis | 6 | Beat Chad Green; lost to Jack Beckman | 15-14 | 7 |
| Martin | 6 | Beat Hunter Green; lost to Matt Hagan | 16-15 | 7 |
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