MOHNTON, Pa. (October 8, 2014) – 2014 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national champion Chris Demke swept the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway last weekend, clinching the championship on Friday, winning the rained-out Carolina Nationals on Saturday and claiming the NHRA Nationals event win on Sunday. The weekend was a fitting end to a whirlwind championship chase that took Demke and the Peen Rite team across the country multiple times since the season started in February.
“This weekend has been indescribable, considering I didn't even want to go to this race. I feel like a fool for arguing with my crew as they certainly had the right idea coming here and had more confidence in our ability to perform than I did,” Demke admitted.
Demke qualified No. 2 for the NHRA Nationals while finishing eliminations from the Carolina Nationals, running a best of 5.281 at 273 MPH during the second round. He fired off a shot heard around the Top Alcohol world in the first round of racing for the NHRA Nationals when the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster traveled the Maple Grove quarter mile in 5.217 seconds at a wicked 277.94 miles per hour, the fourth-quickest blown alcohol pass in history and the single fastest blown alcohol run ever.
“After winning the championship on Friday then the Charlotte race early in the day Saturday, the pressure was off. We were ready to unleash and see what the car would run more than we were concerned with winning the Maple Grove race. When we ripped off that 5.21 at 277.94 MPH on Saturday night, that was a prime example,” said the Maddern Racing crew member-turned driver.
Demke, team owner Jerry Maddern and tuner Adam Rhoades set the car on kill mode for Sunday's eliminations, confident in their ability to dip into the five-teens.
“We came up with some ideas to make it go faster on Sunday. The first run on Sunday was a little over the top. I had to pedal it and had some engine problems at the top end. Luckily we did win that round,” Chris said.
Demke's pedal job was enough to win over Top 5 driver Rich McPhillips in a 5.25 to 5.32 race. Existing engine damage from that abusive run resulted in a backfire during the semifinals but opponent Mike Lewis suffered his own troubles earlier in the run, so Demke coasted through to the final round. Waiting for him there was 2011 national champion Duane Shields, who ran 5.23 in his semifinal race. The Peen Rite team almost didn't make it to the starting line in time for the final, but both car and driver were more than on time after that, leaving first with a .005 reaction time and winning with a 5.26 ET to Shields' 5.39.
The experienced blown alcohol dragster driver isn't new to winning big events, as he recently won the 60th Anniversary U.S. Nationals at Indy, but this weekend carried a different type of excitement.
“Winning Indy was special, don't get me wrong, but every year someone gets to win Indy. What we pulled off this weekend – winning the championship, a rain-delayed race and the actual race all in one weekend – that doesn't happen every year. It was a truly astounding feat for these guys to pull off. I'm still on cloud nine; it hasn't really hit me.
“I couldn't really let my guard down until after we won the championship and the Charlotte race. Once that final win light came on Sunday afternoon, it finally hit me that I was the 2014 world champion. I don't know which one of these wins to celebrate. It's just an incredible feeling. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it because I'd be a millionaire if I could.”
While extending thanks to team owner Jerry Maddern and crew members Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller, Chris Demke also noted the fellow TAD competitors who helped the Peen Rite team during eliminations.
“I want to thank all of the east coast teams who came over to help us get the car turned around between the later rounds. We've had the west coast teams step in to help when we needed to get work done quickly but to see the east coast guys help out when we're on their turf really made me happy. It really is one big Top Alcohol family. I want to thank Mike Kosky especially for loaning us his fuel pump. Stephany Schuster and Kristen Wetzel from Frank Schuster's team stepped in to help. We had guys from Dave Hirata's crew helping too. It was an amazing group of people and my hat's off to them for coming over to help.”
Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team will skip the Las Vegas national event to service the car and hauler, as the equipment has been on the road since leaving for the Topeka race in May. Demke might compete at the Las Vegas regional race, November 7-9, but will definitely finish out the season at the NHRA Finals, November 14-16, at Maddern Racing's home track, Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.
Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.
Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Jet-Lube, and Morningwood Energy Drink.
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