NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

After a strong showing in Seattle, Alexis DeJoria is has a positive outlook ahead of this weekend’s 37th annual Denso Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge at scenic Sonoma Raceway.

DeJoria, in her Bandero Café Toyota, advanced to the Funny Car semifinals last weekend in Seattle. She won the opening round of competition with a holeshot victory over Gainesville winner Chad Green, and then defeated former champion and Epping winner J.R. Todd in the quarterfinals with another holeshot win. DeJoria eventually fell to event winner and four-time world champion Matt Hagan, but the outing, and her solid driving, fueled a wave of fresh optimism on the heels of three consecutive first round exits. 

“Our Bandero Café Funny Car team is coming off a good showing in Seattle, and I’m excited to get right back out there this weekend in Sonoma,” said DeJoria. “It’s a great facility, good air, cool conditions, good track surface, and the fans are great. Just all around really enjoy racing there.”

With her semifinal finish in Seattle, DeJoria punched her ticket to the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge where she will rematch with Hagan. The other pairing will be Seattle runner-up and former champion Ron Capps taking on Rookie of the Year candidate Spencer Hyde.
 
“We’d of course like continue our progression and success with going rounds and hopefully, acquire our very first Wally together as a team,” said DeJoria, who joined the JCM Team last winter. After Seattle, DeJoria jumped to eighth in points.
 
Currently leading the Funny Car points is reigning champion Prock, who has four wins on the season. His John Force Racing teammate and former champion Jack Beckman is second, after earning a pair of wins in Pomona and Chicago. Others to watch at Sonoma will be Hagan, Capps, Todd, Phoenix winner Paul Lee and 2024 Sonoma winner Tasca III.
 
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:30 and 6:45 p.m. PT on Friday, July 25 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 26 at 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 27. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, and eliminations at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday. A broadcast of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge takes place on FOX at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday.