SoCal's Demke, Maddern Racing Return to Pomona as 2014 TAD Champs

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

POMONA, Calif. (November 12, 2014) – Chris Demke enters the 50th Annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Pomona with a recently refined, once-retired race car. After a series of upgrades, Demke and his Peen Rite team brought an old car to the Las Vegas regional with the goal of finding a quick, consistent tune-up for future competition. The Uyehara-built Top Alcohol Dragster, retired in 2012 and replaced by the 2014 national championship-winning car, performed as anticipated. Demke ran a pair of low five-thirty elapsed times in qualifying, but slowed to lose first round.

“As for getting the bugs ironed out of the car, I would say everything went according to the plan. We tested on Thursday and that was valuable as it gave me some seat time to readjust to this car. The car ran well in qualifying. We just missed on the tune-up going into eliminations. While we got all of the bugs ironed out, we were tuning this car the way we tuned the championship car. I hate losing first round. It was the first time we've lost first round in a long time this year, but other than that we accomplished everything we set out to accomplish. Now the car is ready for Pomona this weekend,” Demke claimed.

The season-ending Auto Club Finals isn't just a season finale to Demke, it's a homecoming of sorts, as both driver and team are based in Southern California.

“I'm thrilled to be back home to finish out the season as the new champion. I'm looking forward to seeing and shaking hands with all of my friends, family and fans back in my hometown. I just want to finish out the season on a high note. We want to do some more tuning on this chassis and just go out and have a good time. It's the 50th anniversary of the Finals. It's wonderful to have the chance to compete at a race with such a storied history. If all goes well, hopefully we can step away from the weekend with another Wally to add to what has been our team's and my best season ever,” said the 2014 Top Alcohol Dragster national champion.

The Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster isn't new to success at the famed Auto Club Raceway. Demke claimed the 2012 Auto Club Finals title driving this car, beating rival Jim Whiteley in the quickest and fastest blown alcohol side-by-side race in history. The Maddern Racing driver also won the 2010, 2012 and 2014 Winternationals, held at Pomona in February. Possibly Demke's most impressive Pomona performance came at this year's Winternationals, running 5.21 in qualifying and a string of twenties to win.

“I'm hoping to go faster,” Demke said of his Finals goal. “I expect to exceed our performance from the Winternationals earlier this year if all goes as planned. It's never a guarantee but I want to set the bar high. All of the pieces are in place to make that happen. Traditionally you see all of the teams run better at the Finals than they did at the Winternationals. The teams all have their tune-ups refined and the crews are well-exercised. Some teams will start experimenting for next year, and we'll do that to an extent but we won't be out of bounds to run some quick ETs and high speeds.”

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.

TAD Champ Demke Testing Retired Car at Vegas Regional for 2015 Title Defense

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of David Smith

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (November 7, 2014) – Upon winning their first major national championship, some teams in drag racing might take it easy for a while and reflect on their accomplishment. 2014 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster champ Chris Demke and his Peen Rite team wouldn't even consider it. The Jerry Maddern-led team returned from their last race in Reading, PA and almost immediately started preparing one of their old cars for a title defense in 2015. The 2012 Maddern Racing dragster underwent a few updates and will return to the track at the Las Vegas NHRA regional race this weekend.

“We clinched the national championship and locked up the West Region title, so we can start preparing for next year during these next few races. We decided to pull out the car we retired at the end of 2012. That car has been front-halved and re-skinned by Sarmento Race Cars in Sacramento. It's really the same car, but the new skin has an aerodynamic package – a taller windshield and shroud over the roll cage – that we're hoping will help add some mile-per-hour. We'll use these next few races to get that car ready for next year. Either I can drive it or I can go back to the championship car and we can rent the 2012 car to another driver,” hinted Demke.

The popular Californian driver already won both the national and regional titles, so the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team is left with two races in 2014 to basically test the refurbished car. Demke clinched the NHRA TAD national championship at the NHRA Nationals last month, where he claimed not only the national title but also event wins from Reading and the delayed Charlotte race. The Lucas Oil Series West Region title was decided when Demke won four of five claimable regional races, including Topeka, the last race he used as a test session.

“We secured the regional title so these points won't help anything except our JEGS Allstars points position so we can race at the Allstars race in Chicago next year. Similar to Topeka, we're treating this weekend as a test and debug session for this car. Even though the car has a proven history, it's been stripped down to the bare tubes and front-halved. We spent the last two weeks putting it back together. With something as complex as these cars, you're always going to have issues that need to be resolved. This test will help us catch any of those issues so we can go into 2015 with a strong car,” Demke declared.

The final Lucas Oil Series regional event of the season, the Shortline Express Markets Gambler Shootout, takes place at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, November 6-9. Top Alcohol qualifying starts with a session on Friday at 3 PM with additional sessions at noon and 4 PM on Saturday. Top Alcohol eliminations kick off at 11 AM Sunday morning.

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.

Demke Within Two Round Wins of First National Championship at NHRA Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

MOHNTON, Pa. (October 2, 2014) Top Alcohol Dragster national championship contender Chris Demke didn't anticipate a stop at the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway until he fell a couple rounds short of clinching the title at the last race in Dallas. Demke, who would've locked up the championship with a win at Dallas, lost to title rival Joey Severance in the semifinals due to a broken blower belt. This weekend, the California native is competing in two races – the remainder of eliminations from the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals and the NHRA Nationals.

“The Charlotte make-up race counts as my tenth race and the last race I can claim for points. While I'm here at Maple Grove, I'm really only thinking about Charlotte. Although we brought enough oil and parts to run both races, our first focus is winning the Charlotte race,” Demke claimed.

This weekend will be a test for the recently successful Demke and his Maddern Racing teammates, who won several races during the hot summer months. With cool temperatures expected throughout the NHRA Nationals, the Peen Rite team will be faced with conditions they haven't seen in months.

“Finishing the Charlotte race at Maple Grove doesn't fall into our strategy at all. We wanted to hit as many hot, higher altitude races as possible. Maple Grove is one of the quickest, if not the quickest, tracks in the country because of the great air and cool weather. The cars make a lot of horsepower here,” Chris explained.

Demke, who runs a supercharged, methanol-burning entry for team owner and stepfather Jerry Maddern, will have a close eye on his nitro-injected A/Fuel competitors this weekend. The nitro-burners typically excel in the conditions that will be present at Maple Grove Raceway.

“Coming here to chase the championship is very much like coming into the lion's den to finish this out. The A/Fuel cars will probably have the advantage but I have every bit of confidence that our car will be able to produce an enormous amount of horsepower this weekend. Our other option would've been going to Vegas or Pomona to finish this out. Because we did win first round at Charlotte, we're that one round closer to winning the championship. That's why we came here,” Demke noted.

The remaining three rounds of eliminations from the NHRA Carolina Nationals will be completed during qualifying for the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, PA, October 3-5. Q1 on Friday morning will serve as the first qualifying session for the Maple Grove race. The quarterfinals and semifinals from Charlotte will be contested during Q2 (Friday afternoon) and Q3 (Saturday morning). The final round race will take place before the first round of eliminations for Maple Grove on Saturday evening. Maple Grove eliminations continue on Sunday.

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, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Could Clinch National Championship at Fall Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

ENNIS, Texas (September 18, 2014) – Three-time Top Alcohol Dragster national championship runner-up Chris Demke is within striking distance of his first national title. A win at this weekend's Texas AAA NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex is all it would take for Demke to clinch the championship. The Californian driver won five of his recent races, as well as the first round of the delayed Carolina Nationals at Charlotte. The Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products driver has Charlotte in the mirror and has switched his focus to winning a championship.

“I thought I had to go to Charlotte and Dallas to have a chance at wrapping up the championship. I figured since Charlotte was delayed there was no way I could lock it up at Dallas, but that's not the case. So now I'm excited. I can just taste it. It's certainly not a guarantee; it's a tall order. I'm just thrilled to be in this position,” said the excitable Demke.

“I say that I'm not going to think about it (the national championship) but of course I'm going to think about it. At the same time I know I'm just going to Dallas to have a good time. If we keep our heads down, our shoulders squared and we keep executing like we have been at the last few races then there's a chance we can come out of there in good standing.

“But certainly going to Dallas and expecting to win, there's no way I can expect that. The last guy to beat me in eliminations and the guy with the best chance of taking the championship from me, Joey Severance, will be there. Not only him, but Shayne Lawson in Randy Meyer's car. A host of very competitive cars will be there. It's going to be an extreme challenge but one I believe my team is up to,” Demke claimed.

Joining Demke, team owner Jerry Maddern and the Peen Rite team at the race this weekend will be a special guest.

“I'm bringing my girlfriend, Cookie, my good luck charm. She was at Pomona at the beginning of the year and she went to Acton and Columbus – three of the races we won. I hope her support will help us win this race and the national championship,” Demke said.

The Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster team was racing at the Pep Boys Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, where they won first round before the rest of the race was delayed. The remainder of Carolina Nationals eliminations will continue at the Reading, PA national event, Oct. 3-5 at Maple Grove Raceway.

“They're going to make up Charlotte at Reading, which is fine. We won't make the decision to go or not until we're done with Dallas. If we need to make the trip to Maple Grove, then we're on our way. We're going to go where ever we need to go to make this championship happen.”

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, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Claims Meaningful U.S. Nationals Victory

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photos courtesy of Nate Van Wagnen

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 3) – After multiple close attempts at the biggest race of the year, NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster driver Chris Demke can finally call himself a U.S. Nationals champion. He won the event as a crew member in the past. Demke, the current national points leader, has won races from California to Florida and everywhere in between, but a win as a driver at the prestigious “Big Go” has eluded him to this point.

“Our team won the U.S. Nationals in 1998 with Darren Nicholson driving, and that was huge. It was our second race win ever and our first national event win. I won then as a crew member but I've always wanted to win it as a driver. I knew with our car's recent performance that we always had a chance. We struggled a little – struggled is a relative term – but in the end the Wally is ours. It's an incredible feeling; indescribable,” Demke exclaimed.

Demke qualified the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster in the fourth position, running 5.375, 5.323 and 5.331 elapsed times during the rain-plagued qualifying sessions.

“We struggled in qualifying,” Demke claimed. “From anyone else's perspective we did great, but I'm getting cocky and I'm just not happy with number four qualifier. The car was very consistent but it wasn't fast enough. We'd turn one knob and the the car would run a thirty-two. We'd turn another knob and the car would run a thirty-three. Finally we turned all of the knobs on kill for the semifinals and the car ran a twenty-eight. At that point I was satisfied with the car's performance.”

Eliminations at the 60th Annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals started with a close 5.328 to 5.340 race against David Brounkowski. Chris achieved top speed of the event in the second round, clicking off a 5.339 at 272 MPH to beat Shawn Cowie's 5.402. The run of the weekend, however, came in the semifinals, when Demke powered to a 5.281 victory over Brainerd winner Randy Meyer. The Maddern Racing machine had its worst run of the weekend in the final round, a tire-smoking 5.80, but opponent Rich McPhillips left too early with a red light, handing the win to Demke.

“After the semifinals the computer data made it clear that the 5.28 was on the ragged edge. We should have backed it down for the final, but hindsight is 20/20. I didn't know that McPhillips red-lit until about half-track where I felt like I hit the wall twice and crossed the center line a few times. When I got the car settled down, I looked up and noticed my win light was already on. We're lucky that McPhillips red-lit or he probably would have won. It's not how I expected to win, but I'll take it,” recalled the popular driver.

The U.S. Nationals win is Demke's third national event win of the 2014 season, adding to his recent string of four regional event wins. With his national points scorecard already maxed out on claimable regional wins, national event wins like this are important to the Maddern Racing chase for their first national championship.

“I padded my points lead. I haven't locked it (the national championship) up yet but I'm having the greatest year of my career. I'm really looking forward to my next few races,” Demke concluded.

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster team will head to Charlotte, N.C. next for the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, September 12-14.

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, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Seattle Regional Defending Champ Demke is Back for More

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

KENT, Wash. (August 14) – A recent runner-up finish at the NHRA Northwest Nationals is fresh on the mind of Chris Demke as he returns to Pacific Raceways for this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Series West Region race. The Maddern Racing team is equipped with solid data from the national event, and they're eager to improve in this weekend's better predicted conditions. Demke is confident in his Peen Rite Top Alcohol Dragster's ability to make quick, clean runs down the race track, but he's also wary of his competition, especially the nitro-burning racers.

“The weather is possibly going to be cooler. I expect the A/Fuel cars to step up accordingly. I'm sure they've all gained data from the national event, and with that knowledge they'll refine their tune-ups and step it up a bit. But based on our performance at Seattle, I think we have something for them,” claimed Demke, who won this event last year.

This weekend's West Region event is the seventh race in three months for Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team. They've crisscrossed the country from their home base in southern California to the rural race tracks of Ohio and everywhere in between. While the driver and crew has had time at home between those races, the equipment hasn't had the same treatment.

“This race is the end of a long road trip for the car and hauler. The rig hasn't been back to the shop since it left for Topeka back in May. Everything will head back to the Maddern Racing shop after this event for servicing and any necessary repairs before it goes out on its next journey,” stated the crew member-turned-driver.

When looking at their race planner for this weekend, the Peen Rite team was faced with a choice; stay on the west coast at Seattle or venture east again for the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn.

“The crew had me enter the Brainerd race just in case we wanted to go to there instead. Ultimately we decided to stay at Seattle and use our good tune-up to accumulate some more points,” Demke concluded.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the Pacific Raceways Lucas Oil Regional presented by The Sports Page begins at noon on Saturday, August 16th and continues at 3:45 and 7 PM. Eliminations start at noon on Sunday.

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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Returns to West Coast for Northwest Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

SEATTLE (July 31) – Maddern Racing driver Chris Demke returns to the west coast this weekend for the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, August 1-3. He brings with him the Top Alcohol Dragster national points lead, as well as Wallys from recent wins at Billings, Chicago and Columbus. Momentum and a history of success at Seattle will fuel the California team as they race for national event win number three of the season.

“This is a continuation of that road trip. The car hasn't been back to the shop since it left for Topeka in May. Certainly these last few races have squared our shoulders and given our team a bit of a swagger, but I can't discount the competition that's going to be at Seattle. It's the same bunch of guys that we avoided by going to Columbus instead of Woodburn. Now we're going to face the facts that we have to race these guys. We're going to give it our best. It won't be easy but I think we have a good tune-up for Seattle,” Demke claimed.

Realizing the potential of the competition, Chris Demke knows that his team can't miss a step as the 2014 season reaches the tail end of the summer stretch.

“Everybody is patting me on the back for having the points lead. It's a great position to be in but the season is far from over. Our team can't let our guard down. We have to stay aggressive and keep doing what we do best, and that's winning rounds and winning races.”

The Northwest Nationals bring back bittersweet memories for Demke and the Peen Rite team. They've reached the finals in three of their last five Seattle appearances, including a bizarre 2012 final against Jim Whiteley where both cars coasted to the finish line. The race that stands out most, though, is the 2010 final. Demke won the race when he took the green light. The other finalist and team friend, Mark Niver, passed away following a tragic semifinal accident.

“While we've had some crazy luck at this race in the past, it's also where we lost Mark Niver. I never go to Seattle without Mark on my mind. Whenever I pull to the starting line I'm thinking of Mark Niver,” Demke said emotionally. “That was my second national event win. While my first win was a joyous occasion, that second win taught me that winning isn't always a happy situation. I always like to think that Mark Niver was the real winner of the Seattle 2010 race because he was the last guy to turn on the win light.”

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster will take to the track at 2:15 and 5 PM on Friday and 11:30 AM on Saturday for qualifying. Eliminations begin at 2:15 PM on Saturday and continue on Sunday morning.

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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Pads Points Lead with Columbus Regional Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

HEBRON, Ohio (July 22) – NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national points leader Chris Demke added a second regional event win to his 2014 scorecard last weekend when he won the Buckeye Fuel Wars race. Racing at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Demke qualified No. 1 and scored the win to extend his points lead to almost one hundred points over Joey Severance. The win was the third in a stretch of races that included four events spread out between Montana and Ohio.

Demke put the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster in the top spot during Friday's opening qualifying session, running 5.358 at 270 MPH. Saturday rain showers forced the cancellation of one session, leaving teams with a final evening session. Few teams improved and the few that did improve didn't run better than 5.358, so the Maddern Racing team elected to skip the run.

Through eliminations Demke would face three Midwest-based nitro-injected A/Fuel dragsters. The first was Tripp Tatum, who qualified No. 8 with a 5.45. The race was close with Chris finishing first, 5.404 to Tripp's 5.424.

The Jerry Maddern-led team anticipated a challenge in the semifinals, as five-time national champion Bill Reichert would be their opponent.

“You can never take that guy lightly,” Demke said of Reichert. “He's a multi-time champion and he's probably beaten me more times than I've beaten him. That round was going to have huge implications for the points chase so we knew we had to step it up in order to have any shot at beating Bill. We went a little over the curve and it shook the tires. I had to do a little pedal job, so the monkey earned his banana.”

Repeating his first round elapsed time, Chris's footwork was enough to beat Reichert's 5.51. Another challenge followed in the final round. Finalist Dave Hirata had ripped off a 5.26 in the first round and a competitive 5.38 in the semifinals. Most of the challenge, however, took place in the pits, as the California team was left to tune for the finals with data from their previous race in Ohio.

“The tire shake from the semifinals damaged the data recorder. We didn't have any data to tune from, but that's where our experience at Norwalk paid dividends in that what happened at Norwalk told us what the car wanted under those track conditions and atmospheric conditions. We put in a tune-up that mimicked what we used for the semifinals at Norwalk and sure enough it worked,” Demke claimed.

Chris left the starting line first and led for the length of the National Trail quarter-mile, running his quickest ET of the weekend, 5.355/269 MPH to defeat Hirata's 5.376. The North Central Region win, added to recent wins at the Billings regional event and Chicago national event, gives him a lead of almost one hundred points in the NHRA LODRS national points standings.

“To have gone on this crazy trip, with a last minute schedule change – not going to Woodburn and instead going to Columbus – to win three of the four races is just an astounding task. My hat's off to my guys because they put in a Herculean effort. It's still hard to believe that we pulled off what we did,” Demke stated.

On a final note, Chris Demke expressed his thanks to local friend of the team Tim Bucher, who stepped in to assist the 'wounded' team.

“My tuner, Adam Rhoades, slipped and fell and put a big gash in his knee on Sunday morning. We had to drive him off to the hospital to get stitches and it wasn't clear at that time if he would make it back for eliminations. While he did make it back, he was unable to perform his usual task of servicing the clutch. Tim saw all of this on Facebook and came to the track on Sunday to help the team. We rotated (crew member) Kevin Watson to clutch and Tim came in and did bottom end with Hamburger Mike (Chris's brother). He filled in like a champ, and his presence was key to our victory. Having a guy like that to step in and integrate into the crew as easily as he did was huge.”

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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Reaches Semifinals at First Norwalk Appearance

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

NORWALK, Ohio (July 8) – A semifinal finish at one of the toughest races of the season, the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, puts Chris Demke at the top of the Top Alcohol Dragster national points standings. A close race against another stout blown alcohol competitor ended Chris' day in the penultimate round, but the upbeat Californian driver is still content with his recent performance.

Demke qualified the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster in the No. 5 spot, running 5.413, 5.344, and 5.434 in the Midwest heat. The Jerry Maddern-owned entry continued to perform in the low 5.4-to-5.3 range as eliminations began on Saturday with a 5.349 first round win over a tire-smoking Dan Page.

Chris eliminated successful Super-class racer Mia Tedesco in the second round in a 5.401 to 5.483 decision. His day would end in the next round when an uncharacteristically-late reaction time and 5.334 pass weren't enough to beat driver Mark Taliaferro and multi-time world champion tuner Norm Grimes, who ran 5.287 to move on.

“What I learned in Chicago is that you always have a chance,” Demke said, referencing his recent upset win. “I certainly went into the semifinals feeling like the underdog. Mark has Norm Grimes tuning his car, and you can see by his elapsed time and mile-per-hour on that run that Norm turned the knobs on high. That makes me feel good that he respects us enough to pour the coals to it when we're in the other lane. We knew we'd have a challenge. I think it's a race that both of our teams have been waiting for all season. They're a great group of guys and I'm glad that we were able to make a good race out of it. 5.28 to 5.34 – I have nothing to complain about. I just need to be on my game on the tree next time.”

This was Maddern Racing's first visit to Summit Motorsports Park, a popular track on the NHRA Mello Yello Series tour. Chris and his team enjoyed their time at the Norwalk, Ohio facility, and they're already feeling prepared for a return trip.

“Norwalk is a fun track,” Chris claimed. “I got a pound of ice cream for a dollar and I really enjoyed myself. The Bader family puts on an exciting show, and hopefully I'll be back here next year.

“The facility is great. The starting line was challenging. The air density was better than the track would typically hold, so we were challenged to get the car through low gear without tire shake. We fought that all weekend. We had an electrical component fail on the semifinal run and the car didn't shake as a result. Sometimes it takes a situation like that to teach you what you should've been doing all along. I think we'll have a better tune-up for the track if we come back here.”

Demke, who has finished second in the national points championship on multiple occasions in recent years, is excited about the rest of the season, thanks to his latest performances.

“This is the third race in a four-week stretch of races. We have two wins and this semifinal finish so I have nothing to complain about. I came into this race tied for first place with Joey Severance so I think this puts me solidly in first place. However, we're only halfway through the season and there's a lot of racing left. I'm just happy to be back in the thick of things,” Chris concluded.

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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Enters Summit Nationals with Momentum from Route 66 Nationals Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

NORWALK, Ohio (July 1) – West coast Top Alcohol Dragster hitter Chris Demke won the O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals for the second year in a row, winning his second race in as many weeks. Racing at Route 66 Raceway near Joliet, Ill. last weekend, Demke also competed in his seventh JEGS Allstars event. Now Chris and his Maddern Racing teammates carry momentum as they head to the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, July 3-6, for the first time.

Demke qualified No. 1 for the JEGS Allstars shootout race with a 5.39 pass. While typically an advantage, qualifying No. 1 lined up Chris against West Region teammate Joey Severance in the opening eliminations round. Chris improved slightly with a 5.377/268 MPH pass, but Severance improved greatly with a near-perfect .001 reaction time and 5.344 elapsed time.

“The team felt like we were punched in the gut,” Demke said of the first round loss. “We cherish the opportunity to race at the Allstars event. We have done well at the race recently, winning in 2012 and taking runner-up last year. We felt very confident in our chances.

“Going out early was tough to handle, but it gave us all day to take a look at what went wrong. We were able to come up with a solution before we went into national event competition on Sunday.”

Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team would get another chance to take down Severance, this time in the regular Route 66 Nationals eliminations. Chris first shut down Brandon Booher and Robin Samsel with 5.316 and 5.361 passes, respectively. The semifinal race between Demke and Severance would be epic, with both drivers cutting .038 lights and Chris finishing just one thousandth of a second ahead of Joey – 5.322 to 5.323.

“I figured, 'Okay, this is going to be my last run of the day but I'm going it give it my best.' With Joey's performance lately, not only his car's performance but his performance as a driver, I truly didn't think I had much of a chance. My lights were sub-standard, and I knew I had to dig deep to get to the final. When you feel like the serious underdog and you actually pull off a round win against somebody of his caliber, it's extremely exciting,” stated Chris, who is now tied for first in NHRA national points.

The California team faced another tough opponent in the final round. Both car and driver played equal roles in winning the round, but it was Demke's reaction time that sealed the deal. Finalist Mike Manners ran a 5.305, but Chris' slower but winning 5.313 was enough to win – on a holeshot.

“I was feeling like we had already won the race after our semifinal race against Joey, so it was hard to get up for the final round. Mike Manners ran a 5.26 in his semifinal round, so again I went in feeling like the underdog. We just kept our performance consistent and didn't try anything stupid. The fact that I won it on a holeshot is icing on the cake,” added Demke, the back-to-back Route 66 Nationals champ.

Now Chris and the Jerry Maddern-owned Peen Rite team head to Norwalk, Ohio's Summit Motorsports Park for the 8th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, July 3-6.

“Every year our team tries to go to a new track that we've never visited. For the last few years, all of the eastern teams have told us that we need to go to Norwalk. After hearing everyone's reviews, I'm really looking forward to experiencing all of the positive aspects of the track for myself – especially the pound of ice cream for a dollar,” Chris laughed.

Summit Racing Equipment Nationals Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying begins on Friday with runs at 12:30 and 3:30 PM. A final session is set for noon on Saturday, followed by first round of eliminations at 3 PM. Eliminations continue on Sunday.


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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Optimistic After Topeka Return

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Images LTD

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 27) – Top Alcohol Dragster standout Chris Demke is glad to be back in the seat of his Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products entry after nearly two months off. Demke's Maddern Racing team used the NHRA Kansas Nationals as a meter for their off-time improvements. A top-half qualifying effort and strong first round win have Demke and his team excited as they head into the summer races.

Persistent rain storms and on-track delays took away two of the scheduled TAD qualifying sessions, leaving Maddern Racing crew chief/team owner Jerry Maddern and tuner Adam Rhoades with just one run to work with going into eliminations. A 5.398/268 MPH lap during Friday's session ranked Chris seventh, giving him lane choice over first round opponent Chase Copeland.

“The rain delays give you plenty of time to sit around and think, which can be good or bad. Too much time to think gives you too much time to over-think different scenarios. Clearly we would've liked more qualifying runs to give us more chances to see if our changes worked, but it doesn't always work out that way,” Demke noted.

Eliminations started on a positive note, with Chris running a 5.336 at 267 MPH to take down Chase Copeland's 5.47. Demke wasn't so lucky in the next round, falling to Copeland's Randy Meyer Racing team mate, Shayne Lawson, in a 5.35 to 5.40 race.

“It wasn't a bad weekend overall. We certainly would've liked to go deeper into eliminations but we just missed it on the tune-up on Sunday. On the positive side, the 5.33 we ran first round of eliminations was by far the quickest run by our team at Topeka, which proves that we're on the right track. We didn't see any of the issues that were plaguing us early in the season on any of the three runs. I won't claim victory or say that the issues are completely solved, as three runs isn't enough to determine that, but it's a good indication that we're heading in the right direction,” Demke added optimistically.

After a break that started after the Las Vegas races earlier this spring, the weekend at Heartland Park Topeka was still rewarding for Demke.

“It's great to be back racing. We had to take a step back and take a look at our program. I think it was very valuable. I'm cautiously optimistic, but the efforts by the team during our break were reflected in the performance and health of the motor at the end of the three runs,” concluded the fan favorite Californian.

Chris Demke leaves the NHRA Kansas Nationals sitting third in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series national points standings. The next race for Maddern Racing is the NHRA LODRS regional event at Yellowstone Dragway near Billings, MT, June 21-22.

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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Back in Action at Kansas Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21) – Chris Demke and his Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster team return to competition at the NHRA Kansas Nationals this weekend after a short hiatus. The Californian group hasn't raced since the Las Vegas races in late March, taking time off to troubleshoot issues in the car's performance.

“We finished our humble pie and went through the car with a fine-toothed comb. We have a pretty good feeling that we found the issue but you never know until the car has gone down the track a couple of times. I'm cautiously optimistic. The rest of the team and I are very excited to get back to racing,” Demke commented.

Chris and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team have mixed feelings about racing at Heartland Park Topeka. Demke has reached the final round here four times in the past – as recently as last year – but he has yet to make it to the Topeka winner's circle.

“Topeka is an interesting track for our team, as it's one of the tracks where we've runnered-up numerous times but never won. While the car doesn't perform as well as I would like it to when we're there, we've been to the finals there more often than not. I'm certainly hoping we can finally get a win at Topeka, however I'm more eager to get back in the seat and find out if we've solved our problem in the clutch area,” claimed the popular blown alcohol dragster driver.

Adding to the excitement of Maddern Racing's return weekend is the opportunity to race in front of a sponsor's home crowd.

“Topeka is fairly close to the home office of one of my primary sponsors, Operational Solutions, Inc. It will be nice to see the team at OSI again. Racing so close to the OSI headquarters will give us extra motivation for us to give them a good showing this weekend,” Chris concluded.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the NHRA Kansas Nationals, May 23-25, kicks off on Friday with sessions at 3:30 and 6:30 PM. Teams will get one final session on Saturday at noon before going into first round of eliminations at 3 PM. Eliminations continue on Sunday.

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, and LA X-Ray

Demke Returning to Vegas Following Gainesville Early Exit

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

LAS VEGAS (March 19) – Maddern Racing driver Chris Demke returns to the west coast this week following a so-so showing at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. The Californian team struggled through qualifying and suffered a second round loss to rival blown alcohol team Ynot Racing and driver Mike Strasburg.

Demke dealt with traction issues on all three qualifying runs, eventually salvaging a 5.351/270 MPH run in the final session to qualify seventh. Tuner Adam Rhoades had the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster tuned up for Chris' first round race with Jared Dreher. Chris ran 5.284 over Jared's 5.364. He was unable to repeat on Sunday, running 5.395 in a losing effort to Mike Strasburg's 5.277.

“We just couldn't see the forest through the trees. We had better air, making more power, we just overestimated the track. We overpowered the track three times in a row. We were too confident. The computer was telling us every time what needed to happen, and we just weren't seeing it,” Chris said, adding, “We weren't accepting the fact that the track wasn't good enough. The evidence was in the Pro qualifying results. John Force, who did very well at the first two races, struggled to qualify. That says volumes right there; those guys were having the same problem.”

A second round exit wasn't the desired outcome for Demke, who won the Gatornationals in 2011 and 2012.

“In racing you're going to lose more than you win and that's just a fact. I try not to let a loss get me down. With that being said, it certainly wasn't what we had hoped for, but we'll pick up the pieces and move on. The odds were stacked against us to win the race three tries in a row.”

Chris and his Peen Rite team won't need to wait long to hit the track again. The 2013 national championship runner-up is racing at the Las Vegas regional this weekend, the first of back-to-back races in Vegas.

“Based on last year's results we should probably do well,” Demke claimed. “Running the Vegas regional this weekend will help us get our tune-up in line for the national event the following weekend. We want to have a good showing at the regional for two big reasons. The regional races have implications towards the national points standings. We also need to do well here to keep our position in the Jegs Allstars points so we can go back to Chicago to try for another Allstars win.

“I look forward to going to Vegas. It's a world-class facility. The track is always prepped well. I'll be glad to be racing closer to home; I was so jet-lagged all weekend at Gainesville. Vegas is a very familiar place for our team. We have a lot of data to look back on, data that will hopefully help take us to the winner's circle.”

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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Going After Third Gatornationals Wally

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 13) – West Coast Top Alcohol Dragster heavy hitter Chris Demke and his Maddern Racing team are heading east from their Southern California shop towards Florida, going after their third NHRA Gatornationals trophy. The excitable Demke is eager to return to Auto-Plus Raceway to further his place in Gatornationals history and start playing with the east coast A/Fuelers for the first time this season.

Chris and his Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team made the trek to Gainesville twice in the past few years, returning to California with the Wally both times.

“Some of the best performances in NHRA history were run at this track. Additionally, Maddern Racing has a great history at Gainesville. We came here in 2011 and 2012 and won it both years. Our team's tuner, Adam Rhoades, also has a history at this race, as his father, Walt, won the Gatornationals in 1971 and 1987. The track has a lot of history with NHRA and with our team,” Chris said. “It's also where I proclaimed myself as 'the new sheriff in town' in one of my ESPN2 interviews.”

The NHRA Gatornationals, March 13-16, serves as the east coast season opener. For that reason, most of the east coast and midwest A/Fuel cars haven't had many opportunities to play around with the new A/Fuel rules announced over the winter.

“I know they're chomping at the bit to start playing with that extra percent of nitro that they're allowed to use this season. Looking at the first couple of races so far, some of the teams have struggled to manage the extra nitromethane. On the other hand, it looks like the other teams have been able to figure it out in two or three runs. It certainly won't be easy this weekend. We just need to be on our game and run every run to our full potential,” Demke commented.

The Peen Rite blown alcohol dragster team will be looking to return to the winning ways with which they started the season at the Winternationals.

“We just need to pick things up where we left off in Pomona. We struggled with some technical difficulties at the Phoenix regional, but I think we have all of that behind us. We're ready to hit the track in Gainesville. The air looks like it should be decent; I think we have the right tune-up for the conditions,” Chris concluded with confidence.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the NHRA Gatornationals starts on Friday with sessions at 11:15 AM and 5 PM ET. A final qualifying session is at 10 AM on Saturday before first round of eliminations at 4 PM. Eliminations conclude on Sunday afternoon.

 Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on 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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Reaches Phoenix Semifinal, Maintains Points Lead

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 3) – Plagued with mechanical problems early in the weekend, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Chris Demke struggled to qualify and went out in the semifinals at the West Region opener at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park last weekend. The race paled in comparison to Demke's dominating performance at the Winternationals just weeks ago.

Demke was unable to make representative runs in both of Friday's qualifying sessions. The Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster was making plenty of power, but it couldn't properly transfer the power to the Hoosier racing slicks.

“We went into the event thinking we were prepared for the fight. The car went into tire shake on the first qualifying run, forcing me to pedal twice to a 5.69. We later found that a bad batch of old clutch discs had been mistakenly installed and caused the shake. When I tried to leave the starting line on Q2, the car didn't move an inch – I didn't even get a reaction time. It turned out the gears in the reverser were shredded. It was a freak occurrence that we hadn't seen in our twenty years of racing,” Chris claimed.

The Maddern Racing team was outside of the field going into Saturday's one and only time shot, which was threatened by weather.

“We didn't expect to have the opportunity to make the third qualifying session. The forecast called for rain and it was raining when we left our hotel that morning. However, the sun was shining when it came time for us to make our final qualifying run. The car responded to our changes and ran a conservative 5.33 to put us in the show at fourth. The skies opened up and started pouring shortly after qualifying, so we got lucky,” Demke added.

The Jerry Maddern and Adam Rhoades-led team went into eliminations not knowing what the track could hold. They only had one full run on the new surface, and Saturday's rain altered the conditions further. The Peen Rite car's tune-up was aggressive enough to beat Garrett Bateman in a 5.30 to 5.34 first round race. Demke was consistent in his semifinal pairing with No. 1 qualifier Johnny Ahten, but his 5.33 couldn't top Ahten's 5.24.

“In retrospect, I'm sure we would've had a more aggressive tune-up capable of running with Ahten's 5.24 if we were able to make the first two qualifying runs without mechanical problems. We just didn't have enough data,” said the optimistic Californian, adding, “On the bright side, we leave Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park with the national points lead.”

The one through five Top Alcohol Dragster qualifiers at Phoenix were all protected by CleanBoost lubrication products, available through Maddern Racing sponsor Boost Performance Products.


Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice and Robert Hadaller. For more information on 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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Seeking Fourth Phoenix Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

CHANDLER, Ariz. (February 27) – Recent Winternationals Top Alcohol Dragster champion Chris Demke is off to new and improved Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park to kick off the 2014 LODRS West Region season this weekend. Formerly Firebird Raceway, Wild Horse Pass recently underwent renovations, including a new track surface.

“I'm excited to go to Phoenix – it's under new management and they've made several improvements. I'm eager to race on their new track surface,” Demke said about the Arizona facility.

Chris' enthusiasm for his return to the Phoenix-area track is multiplied because it was the site of his first race win ten years ago, the first of back-to-back-to-back Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park wins.

“My first-ever NHRA event win was at this race ten years ago. I runnered-up in 2003, then won in 2004, 2005, and 2006. I haven't won at Phoenix since so I'm excited to see if I can change my luck,” added the driver of the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster.

This weekend is the first of seven 2014 NHRA LODRS West Regional series races. Runner-up to Jim Whiteley in both the national and West Region championships last year, Demke is optimistic yet realistic about his 2014 regional chances.

“It won't be any easier this year,” Chris commented. “Jim Whiteley is out of the picture now but he didn't run many West Region races. A lot of fast cars will be competing in the West Region this year – Joey Severance, Don St. Arnaud, and a bunch of A/Fuel cars who are closing in on their performance. This Maddern Racing team is up for the challenge, though.”

The California driver is also optimistic about his chances at claiming another Phoenix win.

“If we keep our Pomona momentum going, the car should run well. We have the car and the crew to do it. Hopefully we can keep the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster in the low thirties and high twenties through qualifying and eliminations.”

The 2014 LODRS West Region opener at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park is set for February 28-March 2. Top Alcohol qualifying starts on Friday at 3 PM and continues on Saturday at noon and 4 PM. Eliminations begin at noon on Sunday.


Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice and Robert Hadaller. For more information on 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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Opens 2014 Season with Dominating Winternationals Victory

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

POMONA, Calif. (February 10) – Top Alcohol Dragster championship hopeful Chris Demke opened his 2014 season with a dominating win at the NHRA Circle K Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway last weekend. His Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster was the quickest TAD all weekend, running 5.21 in Q3 and staying in the twenties through eliminations.

“It was a surprise but it was a great feeling,” Demke said of his car's performance. “Testing before Pomona didn't go so well but I knew the car had potential. I was confident in the information we acquired last year and the tune-up decisions we made in the offseason.”

The weekend started slow for the California driver, as he smoked the tires on Friday's only qualifying run. The Adam Rhoades-tuned dragster made up for it on the next two runs, 5.34 and 5.218 at a booming 276.46 MPH, tied for the fourth-quickest blown alcohol run and second-fastest blown speed. That run made Demke the No. 1 qualifier by six hundredths.

“Qualifying was a challenge – tire smoke on Q1 then I messed up on Q2. It all came together on Q3 when we ripped off that 5.21, which we really didn't expect. It was a great feeling knowing that we had all of our ducks in a row going into eliminations,” Chris stated.

With only fifteen cars in attendance, Chris was given a first round bye run. The Peen Rite team used the opportunity to test the track and go for E2 lane choice, running 5.22/275.9 MPH. Demke ran another low twenty in the second round, 5.23/275.51 MPH to beat Megan McKernan's 5.57. The Maddern Racing entry slowed slightly to a 5.276 in the semifinals, but it was enough to defeat Casey Grisel's 5.57.

“Each round had it's challenges,” Demke said. “I never take the competition lightly. I stay on the offense mentally and we do the same with the tune-up. Certainly racing Megan McKernan on Sunday morning had me worried. She ran her career-best in first round and her reaction times were improving. I have a sizable win/loss record over Megan and I knew she would be coming after us.”

Chris Demke also had his guard up as he went into the final round, where he would meet Canadian A/Fuel driver Don St. Arnaud.

“St. Arnaud is a great leaver. His car shows extreme power, as he had top speed of the meet. I have great respect for his tuner, Javin Marvsich. He had a solid tune-up and Don was doing his job on the starting line. Though we had the performance advantage going into the final, I knew we had to bring our A-game if we wanted to win the race.”

Demke and St. Arnaud put on one of the better races of the weekend, but Chris' reaction time advantage and blown alcohol power were too much for Don's A/Fuel charge. Demke won, 5.251/275 to 5.32/276.

“I know that I'm the favorite to win the championship this year. One race win doesn't win a championship but it helps my chances to start the season with a win. We'll try to keep it going as we head to the Phoenix regional race in a few weeks,” Chris concluded.

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice and Robert Hadaller. For more information on 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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke Starting 2014 Championship Bid at Winternationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

POMONA, Calif. (February 4) – Top Alcohol Dragster national championship runner-up Chris Demke enters the 2014 season with possibly the best championship chances he's ever had. The popular driver has a proven race car underneath him and his most formidable opponent is no longer competing in the TAD class.

Demke, who has been runner-up in the national championship for three of the last four years, started the 2013 season with a car that was new to his Maddern Racing team. The California-based group took their new car to ten finals, winning two of them. Now with a full season of experience with the car, Chris is extremely comfortable and confident in the Peen Rite entry.

“I personally really like the new car. I'm not a big guy so I had trouble seeing out of the old car. I was much more comfortable in the new car last year, and I had better visibility. I think the new car made me a better driver.

“Through the course of the year we tried many different things, and near the end of the season we really got a handle on the chassis. I'm really confident in the car heading into this season,” Demke said.

This year will be very different from the past few years, as Chris' rival, two-time national champion Jim Whiteley, will not be competing in the TAD class.

“We're all going to miss Jim to a degree. It's certainly one less very formidable competitor to deal with, but that doesn't discount the rest of the field. There are plenty of great teams out there that can definitely step up, especially with the rule changes that were handed down over the offseason. Many of the A/Fuel teams have the ability to step up and compete at Jim Whiteley's performance level. Jim leaving certainly doesn't make it any easier,” Chris claimed.

The Top Alcohol Dragster class will be contending with new rules this season, as Chris mentioned. Nitromethane-injected A/Fuel Dragsters are allowed an added percentage of nitromethane, as well as fuel chilled to ten degrees cooler than last year's minimum. The methanol-burning, supercharged entries will continue to work with the same rules as they did 2013.

Despite the many changes that took place over the winter, Chris Demke and his Jerry Maddern-owned team are excited about their chances this season.

“Between the rule changes and the new teams and alliances, we always have the results of the silly season going in to a new season,” Demke added. “It just remains to be seen what those changes hold for us. I'm always, as usual, very excited to get back on the track. I know my team's confidence level is at an all-time high. We feel very strongly about our championship potential, but at the same time we have to keep that in check, keep our noses down, and stay focused on running the best performance that we possibly can. I'll say one thing – we're not going to be conservative this year.”

The Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team personnel remains the same with the exception of one crew member.

“We do have one crew member taking a year off, Mr. Ron Mann. We're sorry to lose his talent and capabilities this season. To take his place we've brought in a team friend, Robert Hadaller. Robert helped our team in the mid-nineties and he's been chomping at the bit to rejoin us. Other than that, the rest of the guys – Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, and Greg Rice – are all ready to go.”

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice and Robert Hadaller. For more information on 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, and LA X-Ray.

Demke's Season Ends in Second Round at Pomona

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of John Teas/Images LTD

POMONA, Calif. (November 14) – A second round loss at the AAA Finals at Auto Club Raceway was definitely not what Chris Demke had in mind when he envisioned the final race of his 2013 season. The popular Top Alcohol Dragster driver isn't used to early round losses, as he has reached the finals at six of his ten national event starts this season. With the points situation already played out, Demke and his Peen Rite team took the chance to test new ideas for next season.

“I would've liked to go out with a bang rather than a whimper, but you can't win them all. We had second place in national points locked up and we couldn't go around Jim (Whiteley) for the championship. We took the opportunity to test some things. It's not often that you get to test on a high-quality track like Pomona. This team is always trying to win, even in test mode, but it just wasn't in the cards,” Chris claimed.
 

Chris drove the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster to the No. 5 qualifying spot (5.29) before defeating 2011 national champion Duane Shields in the opening round, 5.30 to 5.43. Demke's car slowed slightly in the next round, enough for Garrett Bateman to get the 5.30 to 5.33 round win.

Demke's 2013 season began when the Maddern Racing team acquired a decade-old chassis similar to the one Chris drove to multiple wins in 2012. Despite its age, the car had few runs on it and the Peen Rite team had no data for the car. The car showed promise immediately, reaching the finals at the season-opening Pomona and Las Vegas national events. While successful at times, the team struggled with 'new car blues' when it came to the money round.

“Our inability to convert final rounds into wins kept us from winning the championship. Part of that was learning the new chassis, but there were other mistakes made as well, driver and mechanical. We're working on that part of the program as well. We'll see the result in 2014
 

“We tried a lot of changes this year, trying to get a handle on the new chassis. I won't know until we start making runs next year, but I think we've made a change that should be beneficial for quicker E.T.s,” Demke said.
 

Chris also reflected on the highlights of the season, citing his Jegs Allstars runner-up/Route 66 Nationals win at Chicago as one of the best weekends of the year.

“Winning Chicago was really cool. We came so close to doubling up. It would've been great to get that bonus, but maybe next year. I'm currently leading Jegs Allstars points in the West Region. Hopefully we can continue that lead and make it out to Chicago again next year.

“Overall, it was a fun year. It was bittersweet in that we lost a lot of finals. However, we won a lot of rounds and I'm proud of our guys for that,” added the driver of the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster.

Chris and the rest of the Jerry Maddern-owned team will enjoy a few months away from the track before the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series starts up again at Pomona in February.

Maddern Racing, celebrating 20 years of competition in 2013, is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, and Ron Mann. For more information on Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.
 

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, Boninfante Friction Inc., and Hoosier Racing Tire.

Defending Finals Champ Demke Ready to Strike Again

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Images LTD

POMONA, Calif. (November 7) – TAD national championship runner-up Chris Demke and his Southern California-based Maddern Racing team will finish their 2013 season “at home” where it began – Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Demke, the defending NHRA Finals event champion, enters the race with possibly the best car he’s had all season.

“I’m very excited to finish the season this weekend. Our current tune-up, which worked very well at Las Vegas, should exceed our expectations at Pomona. Both the national and regional championships have been decided so all we need to focus on now is continuing to improve our performance and defend our Finals title,” Chris said.

Tuner Adam Rhoades concurred, adding, “We learned a lot at Las Vegas. The car is responding to changes. I’m actually really excited for Pomona because I think our car is one hundred percent back to where it was a year ago. We should be able to go out there and run low five-twenties this weekend.”

Last year’s Auto Club of Southern California Finals was a big race for Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster. Chris reset his personal best numbers multiple times, ultimately running as quick as 5.236 at 274 MPH. Even better, he ran it to beat Jim Whiteley in the quickest side-by-side blown alcohol dragster race in history.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Nov. 7-10, is set for 4 PM Thursday and 12:15 and 3:30 PM Friday. Eliminations begin at 3 PM Saturday and continue on Sunday.

Maddern Racing, celebrating 20 years of competition in 2013, is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, and Ron Mann. For more information on Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, A1 Technologies, Boninfante Friction Inc., and Hoosier Racing Tire.