Alexis Dejoria: “Cars don’t care if you’re a man or a woman”

Alexis DeJoria is a seasoned NHRA Funny Car driver and currently the only woman competing in the category. A consistent top-10 contender, she’s chasing the goal of becoming the first female Funny Car world champion in NHRA history. Her journey began in 2005 in the Super Gas class before moving into a Super Comp dragster. Now in 2025, she’s part of history again, driving for JCM Racing as they debut the sport’s first all-female nitro team.

“I've always loved motorsports, all forms of motorsports, motorcycles, off-road racing, F1, IndyCar, NASCAR, you name it,” Alexis tells Females in Motorsport. “I went to my very first NHRA race when I was 16. And that really did it for me. That solidified my decision to progress and focus on NHRA drag racing.”

NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) is the world’s largest drag racing body. Drag racing is a straight-line racing where two cars launch from a standing start, usually over a quarter-mile strip, to see who crosses the finish line first. With cars reaching speeds of over 330 mph in just seconds, it’s one of the most intense and fastest forms of motorsport.

That decision set her on a path that would make history. In 2014, Alexis became the first woman ever to run a sub-four Funny Car pass with a 3.997-second e.t. at the NHRA Winternationals. Just one race later, she secured her first Funny Car win in Phoenix, followed by another in Las Vegas, and later that year, won the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals, the sport's biggest race of the year.

“I am so glad I still get to do this, and I get to live out my dream of racing Nitro Funny Car,” she says. “I’ve really worked my way to this position and earned it.”

With nearly 20 years in NHRA drag racing and 14 years as a professional, Alexis has built a career defined by perseverance and determination. 

“I've won races, I’ve broken records, I’ve qualified in the number one position, and I’ve done really well,” she says. “What I've accomplished already is very, very gratifying.

“It’s really incredible to be able to say, if you want to do something, put your mind to it, persevere, and make it happen.

At 47, Alexis is chasing something that has never been done before: a Nitro Funny Car championship by a female driver.

“I absolutely love that feeling of having a chance to win the championship this year,” she says. “At 47 years old, I’ve made many sacrifices in life. To be able to achieve all of this feels like reaching the moon.”

NHRA is no stranger to diversity, but for the first time, it now has an all-female Nitro team. Alexis, with JCM Racing, sees this as a powerful step forward.

“I think we needed this all along the way,” she says. “This motivates more women to join the sport. It’s one of the best things to happen in racing. I hope to inspire more women out there and show them that, hey, this is possible.

“And once you get into the car, nobody cares if you are a man or a woman, you just need to deliver your best. This is why we say, racing has no gender, because with passion and the right support, we can all aim for the wins.”

Every racer has that one win that stands above the rest.

“My favorite has to be winning the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana,” she says. “That moment was just incredible, something I’ll never forget. Winning against John Force, with my family and team there, it was huge!

While racing is her passion, Alexis revealed that if she hadn’t pursued motorsport, music would have been her second calling.

“Probably a singer, like a musician,” she says. “I love music so much, and I love to sing. It’s a big part of what I do, and it helps get me in the right headspace before a race.

From being a teenager captivated by the sound of Nitro Funny Cars to standing today as the only woman on the NHRA Funny Car grid, Alexis DeJoria shows how far passion can take you.

As she puts it, “These cars don’t know gender. Once you’re in the seat, it’s all about giving it everything you’ve got.”