Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria entered the 2025 season with a major shake-up. After more than a decade of working alongside mentor Del Worsham, the two unexpectedly parted ways in a move that surprised much of the NHRA community.
The shift brought DeJoria to JCM Motorsports, where she was paired with veteran crew chief Mike Neff. The combination quickly proved successful, with DeJoria reaching her fifth semifinal of the season at the U.S. Nationals. Her career already includes 16 final-round appearances, six victories, and eight No. 1 qualifiers, but she sees this year as one of growth and renewed momentum.
“It definitely, it does,” DeJoria said of the change. “I don’t like change normally, but yeah, I mean, sometimes God’s got to make things a little difficult for you to realize that it’s time for a change, and it all make sense in the end. So yeah.”
Leaving behind a longtime team was not an easy process. DeJoria described the years of shared experience and loyalty, but said the shift has ultimately been positive.
“Well, it was a lot of years, a lot of time, and you build these relationships with your team,” she said. “And it’s like you don’t want to change anything, but it was just time, and it’s actually, it turned out well. And I mean, I’m a fighter. I’m not a quitter, almost to a fault, and I’m loyal to a fault as well.”
DeJoria credited the new combination with reviving her career after difficult seasons. She has long admired Neff and said their communication has been a key factor in their early success.
“I feel very blessed to be able to be working with him,” she said. “He’s very level-headed and very smart, and he’s been before too, so he knows that perspective. We’ve got a great level of communication, which is so key.”
The transition was smoother than expected, with results coming almost immediately. At Gainesville, their first race together, DeJoria advanced to the semifinals, setting the tone for the months that followed.
“Usually, new teams coming together with a new driver, it takes time to build that unity, that camaraderie,” DeJoria said. “And right off the bat, our first race together in Gainesville, we went to the semi-finals. And talk about team building, that just worked away, set us on a great course.”
Those results also bolstered her confidence, particularly because of how different the car has felt this year. She emphasized that the stability of her equipment has allowed her to concentrate on her job as a driver rather than wrestling with mechanical issues.
“I know I’m a good driver,” DeJoria said. “The equipment’s very good. We have really good chassis, and we’re not fighting our equipment. It makes my job a lot easier when everything is solid and proven and ready to go. I have Mike Neff and Todd Smith and the whole crew to thank for that. They give me a great car. It’s just basically up to me to mess it up.”
While the team is still building its identity, DeJoria has shown she can run with the leaders. She closed the regular season eighth in the standings, but under NHRA rules that allow drivers who run all events to advance to the Countdown, that seeding does not guarantee a true top-10 finish once the postseason ends.
“I think people are very aware of our potential as a team,” she said. “I’ve won before. I haven’t won lately, but I have wins under my belt, and it’s just a matter of everybody coming together at the right time, having the good equipment, getting down the track consistently and building off of that. That builds confidence in myself and my team. And yeah, this year to finish in the top 10 would be great.
“Obviously, we want to win races. I’m not really concerned about winning a championship this year because we’re not there yet. Is it possible? Yes. But I think that’s maybe not in the cards this season, but possibly next or the next. Right now, we’re just building.”
For DeJoria, the grind of racing has always demanded grit, and she knows better than most how quickly the sport can turn. As she continues with her new team, she carries the perspective of a veteran who has weathered lean years and now sees the foundation of something stronger taking shape.
“I’ve gone through hell to dig myself out, and it’s a mental mind game out there,” DeJoria said. “You go from hero to zero real quick in this sport. But we’re on the right path now, and I’m not done yet.”
