Seat Time, Win Lights on Demke's Mind at Carolina Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

CONCORD, NC (September 14, 2016) – Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster driver Chris Demke enters this weekend’s NHRA Carolina Nationals as a past event champion, but he’s never actually hoisted a coveted “Wally” trophy at zMAX Dragway. Demke hopes to change that this weekend, though.

“I would love to add Charlotte to the list of racetracks where I’ve won. It’s one of Bruton Smith’s tracks, so it’s an awesome racing facility. It’s the only four-wide dragstrip in the world, and it’s in the heart of racing country. The fans in the Charlotte area are all about any kind of racing, and they love drag racing,” said Demke, who won the 2014 Charlotte event as part of a trifecta weekend during which Demke won the Carolina Nationals, Keystone Nationals, and the NHRA Lucas Oil Series national championship.

The 2016 NHRA Carolina Nationals, Sept. 16-18, is Demke’s second race back in the seat of his championship-winning Maddern Racing dragster after walking away from a violent crash in the team’s formerly experimental “X-car” at the Seattle regional race. With just a couple weeks between the crash and the prestigious U.S. Nationals across the country in Indianapolis, the Jerry Maddern and Kevin Watson-led team worked to prepare the second Peen Rite dragster for Indy. Demke qualified sixth with a 5.287 and bowed out in the second round.

While winning is always on the minds of the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team, Demke will spend this weekend focusing on the mental aspect of successfully pursuing race wins and a second national championship.

“After my crash in Seattle, getting back in the seat at Indy was challenging. The old saying about getting back on the horse really holds true. I would’ve liked to do better at Indy, but our team is very satisfied with our performance. In the end, it was my driving that failed us. The only thing that’s going to solve that is more laps. The sooner I get back in the seat, the sooner I get back to one hundred percent behind the wheel,” Demke claimed.

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster team will take to the zMAX Dragway quarter-mile for Friday’s qualifying sessions around 11:30 AM and 1:45 PM. A third and final qualifying session is scheduled for 10:30 AM on Satuday, followed by first round of eliminations at 5 PM. Eliminations will 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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Steers Peen Rite Dragster to Quarterfinal Finish at U.S. Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (September 6, 2016) – Top Alcohol Dragster veteran Chris Demke entered last weekend’s 62nd annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals with a lot on his mind. Of course he was thinking about winning a second U.S. Nationals title, but he was also trying to shake a mental funk that he picked up after sustaining a dramatic crash at the Seattle regional race just weeks prior. As it turned out, it wouldn’t take long for the past world champion to move past the accident.

Driving Maddern Racing’s spare car, the same car he drove to the 2014 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world championship, Demke started off U.S. Nationals qualifying with another tense situation. He was already halfway down the Lucas Oil Raceway strip when he realized the steering wheel had become detached from the steering shaft upon launch. The Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products dragster was heading for the left retaining wall as it crossed the finish line at around 90 mph, but Demke took matters into his own hands.

“In my mind I was thinking, ‘I’m not ending my weekend like this.’ I grabbed the steering shaft with my hands and cranked it as hard as I could to the right. It felt like I steered it away from the wall, but more than likely the car moved over from the parachutes deploying automatically. Either way, the car remained in one piece to race another round,” Demke said with relief.

While the incident didn’t help in the performance department, it did allow Demke to move on from his jarring crash at Seattle.

“As crazy as it was, that run really helped me put the crash behind me. It was a test of how much I really wanted to race. I just had that thought of, “there’s no way I’m going to let this car hit a wall again.” What I went through in Seattle changed my mentality. Physically I was fine, but mentally I had some demons to deal with.”

The steering situation was promptly fixed by car chief Kevin Watson and the Maddern Racing crew, allowing Demke to pilot the Peen Rite rail to passes of 5.287, 5.324 and 5.303 to qualify eighth in the strong field.

“I really felt comfortable after qualifying. We knew we had a nice, consistent car going into eliminations. However, going into eliminations, especially being at Indy, I felt more butterflies than I did that first round of qualifying. I was extremely nervous, but Kevin got the tune-up right and we ran our low et of the weekend,” Demke recalled of his first-round win, 5.281 over David Brounkowski.

Demke’s time at the U.S. Nationals ended in the second round when the car and driver slowed when their opponent stepped up. Demke cut a .129 light and ran a respectable 5.345 alongside Midwest hitter Mia Tedesco, who ran 5.289 to move on.

“Unfortunately I just messed up on the starting line. After switching to the different car with different pedals, I was having trouble holding my staging rpms all weekend. The rpms dropped and I hurriedly rushed to bring the rpms back up. That distracted me and I had a bad light,” admitted the 2014 U.S. Nationals champion.

Despite the sour points of the weekend, Demke was upbeat about the team’s performance at the prestigious Labor Day race. He’ll have another chance to race for a Wally in a couple weeks at the NHRA Carolina Nationals, September 16-18, at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

“We did much better than we expected. I feel comfortable in the car again, but I think I still need some seat time before I’m back to where I was before the crash.”

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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Seattle Crash Won't Keep Demke from Racing at NHRA U.S. Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (August 31, 2016) – Less than two weeks ago, Chris Demke was climbing out of his mangled Top Alcohol Dragster chassis after a high-speed crash during the second qualifying session at an NHRA West Region race in Seattle. The crash would’ve put some other teams out of commission for weeks, it not months, but the Maddern Racing team went right to work preparing their spare car for this weekend’s 62nd annual Chevrolet Performance NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Racing at Pacific Raceways’ regional event, Demke was qualified seventh going into the second qualifying session when he encountered traction issues, pedaled a few times, and smacked the wall around the eighth-mile mark. The car then shot sideways across the centerline and hit the right wall, eventually coming to a stop past the finish line.

“Having won the Seattle regional the last three years, this is absolutely not how I wanted things to happen. I’m upset with myself for the driver error and destroying a beautiful race car. I’m very thankful to have a team that can put what happened behind them and move on to the next race,” Demke stressed.

The Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team would’ve worked to prepare their spare car going into any race, but the effort was supercharged due to the fact that their next planned race was the legendary U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Demke won the 60th anniversary edition of the prestigious event in 2014.

“The decision to go to Indy was made the afternoon after I crashed. The team rolled the broken chassis into the trailer and we all knew that if we were going to attempt to go to Indy, the decision had to be made that afternoon. We reviewed our options in a team meeting and the decision was made to make our best effort.”

Demke will roll into Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis with a very capable Uyehara chassis that previously carried the Californian driver to the 2014 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world championship and several race wins.

“Thanks to the Herculean efforts of Kevin Watson [car chief] and Jerry Maddern [team owner] and assistant Robert Hadaller, they pulled our other car out of storage and got her prepared in a very short period of time. We were prepared to go from Seattle to Indy. To change our plans and come all the way back to L.A., perform this work, and get the rig back on the road with a completely different car was nothing short of phenomenal.

“This car is the car I won the 2014 championship with and we used it through the Vegas national and regional earlier this year. We’re very familiar with this car and I’m very comfortable driving it; it’s not a huge change. Thankfully we took as little as possibly off of it when we put together this last car, but it was still a major task to get it ready for Indy,” Demke commented.

Fortunately, the Maddern Racing blown alcohol dragster was the only thing that was injured during the crash.

“The crash was violent as most crashes are, but all of the safety equipment worked flawlessly and I was able to walk away unscathed,” Demke recalled. “I had some tenderness, but nothing that a little Advil didn’t take care of. Honestly, I played some Ultimate Frisbee last week and I was sorer after that than I was after the crash.”

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products dragster will take to the legendary Lucas Oil Raceway quartermile for the first two Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying session on Friday, September 2nd. Another two sessions will follow on Saturday morning. The first two rounds of eliminations will be contested on Sunday. The semifinals and final round will run on Labor Day, Monday, September 5th.

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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Megan Meyer Becomes Quickest Female in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster at Lucas Oil Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

BRAINERD, MN (August 25, 2016) – NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster standout Megan Meyer added another impressive event performance to her rookie season scorecard last weekend when she qualified number one and reached the semifinals at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. She also became the quickest female in NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition with a blistering 5.178 elapsed time during eliminations.

Meyer’s Racers Evolved A/Fuel dragster started off qualifying with a 5.539, then stepped up to the number two position with a 5.281 at 275.83 mph on Friday’s second run. With her father, Randy, making the tuning calls, Megan fired off a 5.195 at 276.41 mph to qualify number one for the second time in national event competition.

“Going into Brainerd, we had high hopes that the car would run quick due to the colder weather conditions and the fact that we have a great race car and crew with us. When we made the first qualifying pass, we were all a little bit disappointed because it was very slow and just felt really off going down the track. We made a few tuning adjustments going into the second session, and we were all hoping for a better turnout. When it flew down the track and ran the 5.19, we were all so excited to have ran that quick and reset my career best E.T.! Although we were thrilled to be the number one qualifier, that was not where we wanted to end up because of how the ladder was set up – we were aiming for the number two position,” revealed Meyer, who would have faced national points leader Joey Severance in the second round if she qualified in the second position.

Another 5.19 or even low 5.2-second run would’ve been more than enough to secure the first-round win, but the Randy Meyer Racing team isn’t one to settle for “good enough”. Meyer uncorked a 5.178 at 278 mph for an opening round win over the blown alcohol dragster of Dean Dubbin. The run gave Meyer the title of quickest female in Top Alcohol Dragster, the NHRA’s quickest and fastest Sportsman category. She followed it up with a 5.179 at a faster 279.85 on a bye run into the semifinals.

“When we pulled up to the starting line for the first round of eliminations, I was confident that we would run quick enough to get the win, even though we backed it down some on the tune-up. I was focused on getting the starting line advantage over Dean, and making it from A to B with no problems. I knew the car was flying when it screamed past the lights and I never saw Dean. I did not expect it to pick up and run a 5.17, but I'm ecstatic about it and couldn't be happier for my dad and our team. Our entire operation has proven to be incredibly successful this year, and I think having me in the driver’s seat and my dad making the tune-up adjustments works out perfectly for us. This is a huge accomplishment for our team and our sponsors, and it has always been one of my goals ever since I was a little girl to have a national record,” Meyer said.

Meyer was aiming for a decisive victory over past world champion Duane Shields in the semifinals, but her Racers Evolved dragster went into violent tire shake while Shields went on to record a 5.25 to move on.

“We're still unsure what caused it to shake,” Meyer admitted. “It shook hard early on in the run, and when I lifted off the throttle to calm it down, I didn't pedal it to try and chase down Duane. I was a little shaken up about it, but I was more upset about losing the race because we were doing so well.”

Overall, Meyer was pleased with her Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals debut. She recorded low elapsed time and top speed of the event, added 53 points to her second-place total in the national championship standings, and was able to spend time with local sponsor John Haley #1 Roofer LLC.

“We had a lot of great friends and fans visit us this weekend, and we had a lot of people from John Haley #1 Roofer LLC visit the track this weekend and cheer us on. We're grateful for our friendship and partnership with John Haley and hope everyone had a great time at the Lucas Oil Nationals.”

The next race for Megan Meyer and the Racers Evolved/Meyer Truck Center A/Fuel dragster is this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Series North Central Region race at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

ABOUT MEGAN MEYER
No stranger to a life in the fast lane, Megan Meyer grew up around the sport of drag racing. In 2004, at just 10 years of age, she was given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Junior Dragster, alongside her younger sister, and took over the driving duties with no hesitations. Megan stepped up to the Super Comp class in 2010 after a successful career in the Junior Drag Racing League, earning two track championships. She is now making the transition to Top Alcohol Dragster with her father and veteran driver Randy Meyer as her mentor and driving coach. Follow Megan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meganmeyer.racing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/meyersisters), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/meganmeyer.racing).

ABOUT RANDY MEYER RACING
A highly respected member of the NHRA Drag Racing family, Randy Meyer has had a successful career spanning over 35 years of drag racing as driver, team owner, and crew chief from AHRA Pro-Comp to IHRA Top Fuel and NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster. Focusing on the things that brought the team to existence has been the reason that Randy Meyer Racing has been so successful. In 2002 he handed the driving duties over to Gary Ormsby Jr. to become the first Top Alcohol Dragster to run in the teens with a solid 5.135 ET. The following year, Meyer tuned Alan Bradshaw to become the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion. Randy has returned to the driver’s seat since then, and has earned multiple Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 5 and Central Region points championships. For more information on Randy Meyer Racing, please visit www.RandyMeyerRacing.comand like RMR on Facebook (www.facebook.com/randymeyerracing).

Megan Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team receive support from the following companies: Meyer Truck Center, Lucas Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, GUNK, John Haley #1 Roofer, Herbalife Nutrition, Team Racepak, Copeland Fabrications, Aeromotive, Goodyear, ARP Bolts, MAHLE/Clevite, Litton Financial, Trinity Performance Wear, and Grinds Coffee Pouches.

Northwest Nationals Finalist Demke Seeking Fourth Consecutive Seattle Regional Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Ron Lewis

KENT, Wash. (August 18, 2016) – While most of the top NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster teams are racing at the Brainerd national event this weekend, 2014 TAD world champion Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing team will be competing for their fourth consecutive event title at the Pacific Raceways regional event, August 19-21. The decision to race Seattle was an easy call for the California-based driver, who raced to the final round at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways a couple weeks ago.

“We’ve won this race the last three years. We needed some in-region races. We missed out on the Woodburn and Mission races, so we figured we’d hang out in Seattle for the regional race then head east for the U.S. Nationals in Indy,” Demke said.

Demke’s Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster was running on the edge at the NHRA Northwest Nationals. Demke qualified number three with a wheelstanding 5.221 et at 273.66 mph. His first-round 5.219 et was the tenth quickest pass for a blown alcohol dragster. The Maddern Racing team then earned two more round wins over Shawn Cowie and James Stevens. Demke was scheduled to face rival Joey Severance in the final round before rain showers forced the rescheduling of the race. The final round will be completed during qualifying at the NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas in September.

The Maddern Racing group also spent the weekend celebrating the engagement of Demke’s younger sister, Aimee, and car chief Kevin Watson, who was celebrating his birthday during Friday qualifying.

As the Jerry Maddern-led Peen Rite team moves on to this weekend’s regional event, they must adopt a different tune-up than the one that carried Demke to the final round at the national event.

“At some tracks it helps to race there back-to-back, but I don’t think that’s the case with Seattle this year. The track prep won’t be as good as it was at the national event – it was incredible – and the weather was cool. It’s a completely different situation here for the regional with the temperatures expected to be 15 to 20 degrees warmer, as well as elevated track temps,” noted Demke.

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products dragster will take to the Pacific Raceways quarter-mile for Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying sessions at 5:30 PM on Friday and noon and 3:30 PM on Saturday. Eliminations are scheduled to begin 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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visitwww.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Megan Meyer Prepared to Defend RMR's Lucas Oil Nationals Titles

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photos courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing and Alkey Alex Drag Racing Photos

BRAINERD, MN (August 17, 2016) – Powerhouse NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team Randy Meyer Racing enters this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals with intentions of winning the event for the third time in three years with as many different drivers. Team owner, tuner and driver Randy Meyer won it in 2014, former RMR driver Mark Taliaferro won last year, and now Megan Meyer looks to add her name to the history books at Brainerd International Raceway.

“Racing at Brainerd has always been a dream of mine,” Meyer said. “Some of my earliest memories are at BIR with my sister and I riding our scooters and selling t-shirts in the pits. As we got older, we were fortunate enough to bring both of our Junior Dragsters to BIR for a couple of years when they allowed juniors to race during the divisional race. Rachel and I claimed a couple of wins, and it was a really fun time to get to race at the same time as our dad and share the winner’s circle with him. Now, it's my turn to return to the track and try to take down some of the fiercest competition in the Alcohol class. I'm very excited to get back in the seat after claiming another runner-up at our last race in St. Louis,” said Megan, who is second in national points after a win and three runner-up finishes in national event competition and two runner-ups on the regional level.”

Meyer will be back to competing on her own this weekend after racing alongside younger sister Rachel at the last two races, where the Meyer sisters experienced mixed results.

“After the disappointing outing we had at the Topeka regional race, where Rachel and I both lost first round, we were all beating ourselves up pretty bad. We have some of the best dragsters in the nation and for us to go out and lose first round was very upsetting. We made some changes and ran a few test runs at the next race in St. Louis, and our efforts paid off on race day. We walked home with a Semi-Final and Runner-Up finish, and the track record mph of 274,” Meyer recalled.

A final round appearance was a timely confidence booster for Meyer, who will race for the next five weeks at national events in Brainerd, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, as well as LODRS regional events in Bowling Green, KY and Earlville, IA.

“I'm glad that we're going into our 5-week tour on a positive note and a happy race car. Over this year we've collected a lot of important data and have ran some incredible times, but we've also ended up hurting some critical parts in the process. With our rig only going home once or twice in the next 5 weeks, we have to be careful not to do too much damage so we don't run out of parts and products. Thankfully, we have some pretty great companies on board with us that supply us with the necessities of racing, such as Lucas Oil, NGK, Moroso, Boninfante, ARP, Mahle-Clevite, Goodyear and Gunk.”

This weekend, Megan Meyer and the Racers Evolved team will also receive support from John Haley #1 Roofer, a family-owned business based in Brainerd. John Haley #1 Roofer is a Twin Cities leader in residential and commercial roofing, siding, gutters, remodeling, windows and repairs.

“After first partnering with Randy Meyer Racing to advertise my business in 2014, I knew I had to partner with RMR again this year with Megan driving. The Meyer family is always fun to spend time with and they do a great job on the racetrack. I think Megan will be the #1 driver in Top Alcohol Dragster this weekend,” claimed John Haley.

“We are excited to have John Haley #1 Roofer back on board with us for the Lucas Oil Nationals again. We have a great relationship with John Haley, and we will be entertaining him and some of his guests this weekend as we try to bring his company back to the winners circle,” Megan added.

Randy Meyer shared his daughter’s sentiments, adding, “We have a tough field this weekend; even though there is a small car count, they are the quickest and fastest cars in our class. The cold weather conditions will be right for our car to run in the low 20s.

“We would like thank John for his continued support of the Randy Meyer Racing Team, and we hope to get him another Wally this weekend.”

Top Alcohol Dragster competition at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals begins on Friday with two qualifying sessions, followed by a third and final session on Saturday morning. First round of eliminations is scheduled for 2:30 PM on Saturday. Eliminations will continue on Sunday. FOX Sports will air their Lucas Oil Series coverage of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals on Thursday, August 25th, at 10 PM on FS2. Six additional replay dates are currently scheduled for FS1 and FS2.

ABOUT MEGAN MEYER
No stranger to a life in the fast lane, Megan Meyer grew up around the sport of drag racing. In 2004, at just 10 years of age, she was given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Junior Dragster, alongside her younger sister, and took over the driving duties with no hesitations. Megan stepped up to the Super Comp class in 2010 after a successful career in the Junior Drag Racing League, earning two track championships. She is now making the transition to Top Alcohol Dragster with her father and veteran driver Randy Meyer as her mentor and driving coach. Follow Megan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meganmeyer.racing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/meyersisters), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/meganmeyer.racing).

ABOUT RANDY MEYER RACING
A highly respected member of the NHRA Drag Racing family, Randy Meyer has had a successful career spanning over 35 years of drag racing as driver, team owner, and crew chief from AHRA Pro-Comp to IHRA Top Fuel and NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster. Focusing on the things that brought the team to existence has been the reason that Randy Meyer Racing has been so successful. In 2002 he handed the driving duties over to Gary Ormsby Jr. to become the first Top Alcohol Dragster to run in the teens with a solid 5.135 ET. The following year, Meyer tuned Alan Bradshaw to become the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion. Randy has returned to the driver’s seat since then, and has earned multiple Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 5 and Central Region points championships. For more information on Randy Meyer Racing, please visit www.RandyMeyerRacing.com and like RMR on Facebook (www.facebook.com/randymeyerracing).


Megan Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team receive support from the following companies: Meyer Truck Center, Racers Evolved, John Haley #1 Roofer, Denver Print House, Lucas Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, GUNK, Herbalife Nutrition, Team Racepak, Copeland Fabrications, Aeromotive, Goodyear, ARP Bolts, MAHLE/Clevite, Litton Financial, Trinity Performance Wear, and Grinds Coffee Pouches.

Last-Minute Decision Results in Demke's Second JEGS Allstars Title

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

JOLIET, Ill. (July 13, 2016) – Past JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol Dragster champion Chris Demke made the most of his last-minute trip to the Route 66 Nationals last weekend when he drove the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products dragster to another JEGS Allstars win and semifinal finish in the Route 66 Nationals. The Maddern Racing team performed flawlessly in the Allstars race, then worked through traction issues to claim a late-round finish on the national level.

While most of the eight JEGS Allstars competitors earned their spot in the prestigious race, Demke was actually invited as the sixth alternate for the West Region.

“One of the cool things about the Allstars is it’s the best of the best who earned their way there, even though we didn’t earn our way there,” Demke laughed. “With the last-minute invitation to go and our decision to accept that invitation, it was awesome to actually make something of it.”

Demke qualified fifth for the Allstars race with a 5.362 at 273.88 mph, pairing him up with Gord Gingles, who he defeated in the final round at the Tulsa regional event in June. The Peen Rite machine stepped up to a 5.236 at 276.01 to defeat “The Bull” A/Fueler and qualify number two for the Route 66 Nationals.

“We pretty much took our results from qualifying and Kevin (Watson, car chief) came up with a tune-up for first round. Once we ripped off that 23, we knew we had our hot rod back. Next round was against Randy Meyer. You can never take Randy lightly. I had a little tire shake but still ran a 5.326, which was enough to get past Randy.”

The Maddern Racing team lined up against their blown alcohol rival, Joey Severance, for the final round, where Demke ran 5.264 at 272.34 to Severance’s 5.277 at 274.01. The 2016 JEGS Allstars trophy now joins Demke’s 2012 Allstars award in the trophy case.

“Our teams either fail miserably against each other or we run one of the best rounds of racing. This time it was a great final round. Things finally went our team’s way for the first time in a while against those guys,” Demke said.

As the focus shifted to Route 66 Nationals eliminations on Sunday morning, the team struggled to continue the consistency that carried them to the Allstars win. Demke first survived a wild pedalfest against Ken Perry, winning a 6.689-to-6.929 race.

“I wasn’t 100% in agreement with the tune-up. I thought it would take a quick pedal job to get the car down the track. I figured we’ll just go with it and see what happens. As it turned out, it took more than a quick pedal job to get the car to the finish line. The monkey earned his banana on that one,” added Demke, a three-time Route 66 Nationals champion.

The Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products dragster returned to the 5.2s with a 5.258 victory over Gord Gingles’ tire-smoking effort in the second round, but the semifinals would require a bit more effort.

“Once again, we were paired up with good ol’ Joey (Severance) in the semifinals. Like I said, our teams either do something stupid or make it a great race when we line up against each other. This time we both pulled off something stupid. In our case, it was absolute driver error. I goofy-footed it on the starting line and launched at a thousand rpms too high and smoked the tires. I pedaled it a couple times to recover, but by then I could see Joey motoring on down the track, so I let off the throttle and gave up. That’s very unlike me. I have a million excuses, but I was just tired. Next thing I knew, I saw his pipes go wet, meaning he had an engine problem. I got back on the throttle and tried to run him down, but he won by three tenths of a second.”

While filled with regret over the loss, Demke still noted the positives for the weekend. He also realizes there are plenty of opportunities left to win on the NHRA national event level this season.

“We ran a team-best et and speed for this track, which we’ve done at every race since Phoenix this year. That really says something about the group of guys we have making the calls and working on the car.

“I saved the second round of the JEGS and the first round of the national event, but I’m still beating myself up over that semifinal. I know I can do a better job. It’s going to be soon when the car’s consistency and the driver’s consistency come together to get that national event Wally that’s eluded us in 2016.”

Fox Sports will air their coverage of the JEGS Allstars and Route 66 Nationals on FS2 at 7 PM ET on Thursday, July 14. Ten additional replay dates are scheduled throughout July on FS1 and FS2.

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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Booher Prepared for Second JEGS Allstars Appearance at Route 66 Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Mike Sopko Jr.

JOLIET, Ill. (July 7, 2016) – For the second time in his Top Alcohol Dragster career, Brandon Booher will represent the NHRA North Central Region in the prestigious JEGS Allstars race this weekend. Held in conjunction with the NHRA K&N Filters Route 66 Nationals, July 7-10, the Allstars race will pit eight of the best TAD competitors from across the country against each other. But unlike most of the other competitors, Booher will spend most of his on-track time dialing in his combination for regional competition.

Booher, the 2013 NHRA North Central Region champion, is using his 2016 national event appearances as testing opportunities to prepare for regional events. The AB Construction team’s first national event of the year at Norwalk two weeks ago yielded promising results, but an untimely loose fitting prevented Booher from making a run in the first round of eliminations.

“The testing strategy worked at Norwalk,” Booher said. “The car ran really well in the heat. It would’ve ran better first round, but we can’t really think about that now. Moving on to Joliet, we have the same plan. I’ve got some converter stuff I’m going to test. I’ve got a different set of tires I’m going to test. Don’t get me wrong; if it goes out there on the first pass and runs really well, I’m probably not going to swing for the fences after that. I’ll dial it in. I’m going there and I’m going to put a car down the track that’s different than what went down the track Q3 and E1 at Norwalk, which already was a really competitive car; second or third-low for the session and quickest blower car by quite a bit. That’s sort of the plan.”

Booher certainly considers the prestige and prizes associated with winning the JEGS Allstars race and the NHRA Route 66 Nationals, but he’s intent on getting ready for the next NHRA North Central Regional event in Columbus, Ohio, July 22-24. He currently leads the region points.

“I sort of pigeon-holed myself trying to run the Allstars race (in 2014) and I’ve seen it happen to guys who run that race and they don’t qualify for the national. Not that the national points mean that much to me, but the money definitely matters to a team like ours. Seven grand to win the Allstars, five grand to win the national, plus contingencies on both. It could be a big, big weekend for us. That’s on my mind, but I’m there to test. I’m there to make something better than what I have and go to Columbus with a set-up that’s going to be hateful in the heat. That’s what we need. It’s going to be hot and greasy. My plan as far as the regional points is not let off the gas. I want to lock this deal up. I let it slip through my fingers last year and I’m going to do everything within my power to make sure that doesn’t happen again this year,” added Booher, who finished second in the region championship by 10 points last season.

The AB Construction/Torque MGMT team enters the weekend as the most recent Top Alcohol Dragster team to win at Route 66 Raceway. Booher was victorious at the Burndown at Sundown NHRA regional race at Route 66 in June, winning for the first time with his 11 month old daughter, Adelynn, in attendance.

“We know this track. We know what it’s like to tow back with winning timeslips. We’ve already won races here, there and everywhere, but to come back to our home track where we just won, there’s going to be a certain comfort level,” noted Booher, a Champaign, Illinois native.

Adding to Booher’s aggressive outlook on the weekend is the sting that remains from losing first round at Norwalk.

“I want to rebound from Norwalk. Perform how you want in qualifying, but when it came down to when it mattered, we failed. I’m hungry. I know the guys are. I wouldn’t want to line up against me. I’m going to take no prisoners. We’ll be ready for sure.”

Booher praised the technical and product support from Steve Graves at Quick Drive, Mike Strasburg at B&J Transmissions, MVM Motorsports Products, High Performance Lubricants (HPL), and Goodson Tools for contributing to the team’s performance.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. Crew members include Brian Booher, Pete Brady, Cam Brady, Nate Van Wagnen, and Kirk Wolf. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Race Cars, B&J Transmission, High Performance Lubricants (HPL), Quick Drive, Goodson Tools, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Demke Enters Chicago as Unexpected JEGS Allstars Contestant

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

JOLIET, Ill. (July 7, 2016) – As of a few weeks ago, back-to-back-to-back and defending event champion Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing team weren’t planning on racing at this weekend’s K&N Filters NHRA Route 66 Nationals. A last-minute invitation to represent the West Region in the prestigious JEGS Allstars shootout race was all it took to coax the team from their base in Southern California to the heat and humidity of the Chicagoland area.

Demke, the 2012 JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol Dragster champion, wasn’t one of the top two in West Region JEGS Allstars points before the invitation was passed down to him.

“I’m just really excited to be a part of the Allstars race. I wasn’t really the number two guy. I was number six on the list, so it was a real surprise for our team to be going to Chicago. Shawn Cowie pulled out and the division director started calling numbers three, four and five, but nobody wanted to go. It came down to us. Our team really enjoys the JEGS Allstars event. Based on our past performance at this race, we just couldn’t say no,” Demke said.

Demke finds himself refocused heading into the Chicago race weekend, moving on from a first-round loss at his last race, a regional event in Denver. His starting line routine was thrown off by the unconventional staging process utilized by a torque converter-equipped car in the other lane, resulting in a sizable holeshot loss. Demke was the number two qualifier.

“I’ve put it behind me,” Demke reassured. “I hate losing like that, but I have the mental fortitude and the experience to go out, put it behind me and focus on the next event.”

Demke knows his crew, led by team owner Jerry Maddern and car chief Kevin Watson, will provide him with a car capable of winning rounds in the Midwest heat. Crew member Greg Rice is also returning to the team for the first time since undergoing surgery last month.

“I have every confidence that Jerry and Kevin will have the car running as quick as ever. Those guys aren’t afraid of hot conditions. I’m sure we’ll be in contention for both events.

“Greg Rice will be at this event. We’re very happy to have our full team back in gear. It’s going to be necessary at Chicago. To win both events, it will require a total of nine rounds of qualifying and eliminations passes. We’ll need all hands on deck, and with Greg present I’m sure we have the crew to get the job done.”

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster team will hit the track for two qualifying sessions on Friday, July 8. They’ll move on to first round of the JEGS Allstars race on Saturday morning, which will also count as their third and final qualifying session. JEGS Allstars eliminations continue on Saturday. Eliminations for the K&N Filters NHRA Route 66 Nationals will take place 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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Wins Tulsa Debut, Moves on to Denver's 'Thunder on the Mountain'

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

MORRISON, CO (June 15, 2016) – After a physically demanding weekend in the Tulsa heat, Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster team were able to add the first event win to their 2016 scorecard last weekend. Demke seeks to pick up another NHRA regional event Wally this weekend as the Maddern Racing team competes at Denver’s Bandimere Speedway for the first time in a decade.

Driving the team’s experimental “X-car”, Demke qualified number two at the NHRA Central Region event at Tulsa Raceway Park with a 5.330 elapsed time at 267 mph.

“We had the X-car out for its second race of the year and after two qualifying sessions on Friday, I thought we weren’t pushing that car as hard as it’s capable of running. While consistent, it wasn’t showing what we are capable of. Saturday morning, [car chief] Kevin Watson, [team owner] Jerry Maddern and I sat down and talked about where we were with things and formulated a strategy for the day and what tactics we would use to implement that strategy.”

A strong 5.346 at 268 mph was enough to defeat former Top Fuel driver Spencer Massey’s tire-smoking run in the steamy first round. Demke and his team knew it would take quicker performances to compete with the nitro-injected A/Fuel cars as the temperatures dropped for the later rounds.

“Going into second round, I was nervous about implementing the tactics we had discussed earlier, as it was time to get more aggressive with the tune-up. Kevin Watson stuck by his guns and the car responded by stepping up a good half a tenth,” Demke said of his 5.281 defeat of Mike Manners. “That gave us what we needed to win the second round. We turned the knobs a little harder going into the final and just squeezed one out by seven thousandths of a second against Gord Gingles, a very tough competitor.”

The Maddern Racing team has raced in a wide range of conditions, but Tulsa’s summer heat tried its hardest to handicap the 2014 world champions.

“The race in Tulsa was extremely challenging,” Demke stressed. “Not just from the perspective that we’d never been there before, but the temperatures, the heat index, the humidity, and the water grains were all in the ‘red zone’ on the meter. It brought the team to its knees, but the entire team stepped up to the challenge and persevered to do what it took to win the Wally.”

The Tulsa win was the team’s first under the tuning guidance of longtime car chief Kevin Watson, who took over the main tuning duties earlier this season.

“I have to hand it to Kevin. I can’t even begin to describe how proud I am and what a great job the guy is doing. It’s giving me great confidence in driving the car, too,” Demke noted.

Moving forward to this weekend’s “Thunder on the Mountain” NHRA Central Region event at Bandimere Speedway, the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team will face even more challenging conditions. The density altitude is expected to approach 10,000 feet. Furthermore, the team’s Denver data log’s most recent entry is from 2006.

“The biggest challenge is we haven’t raced there in 10 years. A lot has changed since then. Even though I have great records from 10 years ago, I don’t know that that information is still applicable. We’re just going to have to make some educated guesses on where to start with some of those tuning variables. We’re very capable and I have faith that we can at least make a decent showing,”

Included in that data log, though, is the 1999 NHRA national event at Denver, when Maddern Racing qualified number one, won the race, and set low et and the track record with Darren Nicholson driving. Demke realizes a much lower et will be required to even qualify this weekend.

“I think that track record run was like a 5.69. Since then, I think a good et there is in the 5.4-second range. Supercharger and cylinder head technologies have advanced significantly and we’re excited to see what our current pieces are capable of doing up on the mountain."

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the Bandimere Speedway “Thunder on the Mountain” race kicks off with one session at 4 PM on Friday, June 17. Two more sessions are scheduled for 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM on Saturday, June 18. Eliminations kick off 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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke, Maddern Racing Adding Tulsa to List of Tracks Raced

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of David Smith/PSA

TULSA, Okla. (June 8, 2016) – Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster team have raced across the country for over two decades, so it’s not often that the California team pulls into a track they’ve never raced at before. That’s the scenario this week, though, as Demke will compete at the NHRA Central Region event at Tulsa Raceway Park, June 9-12.

“We try to squeeze in a new track every year just to keep us on our toes. We’ve talked with other teams about Tulsa and it sounds like a great facility with a decent racing surface. I don’t think there’s anything different that we do at a new track other than try to enjoy it. It’s like taking a vacation to a place you’ve never been to before. There’s always some added fun and excitement to it,” said Demke, the 2014 TAD world champion.

On a somber note, Demke hopes to honor the memory of past Division 4 Top Alcohol Dragster champion Shelly Howard, who passed away in a freak racing accident at Tulsa along with her son, Brian, in 2005.

“I try to remember those who passed away while competing and I won’t forget that this is where Shelly Howard lost her life. It was a very tragic situation. She was a very talented blown alcohol dragster driver,” Demke added.

The Maddern Racing team will be short a couple hands this weekend, as crew member Greg Rice was originally scheduled to miss this race after undergoing knee surgery, but he might still be on-hand to support his teammates.

“Greg is a major asset to this team and it will be a challenge to fill in his place this weekend. He’ll try to make it out to the race to help guide the team as best he can as long as his doctor allows him,” noted Demke, who himself was a Maddern Racing crew member before getting the chance to drive.

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team will hit the track for Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying sessions at 5 and 8 PM on Friday, June 10. Eliminations are scheduled to begin Saturday at 4 PM and conclude at 10 PM.

“That type of a schedule is more of a challenge for us than it being a new track. Our team is more used to going to a regional event and getting one qualifying run on Friday, two on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday. Taking away a qualifying run introduces some new challenges and squeezing everything into two days really will test our abilities to get things done in a timely manner,” Demke 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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Booher Secures Second JEGS Allstars Berth with Norwalk Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

NORWALK, Ohio (May 27, 2016) – Past NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster regional champion Brandon Booher added a race win to his 2016 championship effort as he won the Cavalcade of Stars event at Summit Motorsports Park last weekend. The victory also gave Booher enough points to claim the number one spot to represent the North Central Region in the prestigious JEGS Allstars race in July.

Booher was especially pleased to win the Cavalcade of Stars because he only qualified eighth, barely earning the chance to race on Sunday. Tire shake plagued the AB Construction blown alcohol dragster on all three qualifying attempts, but the versatile driver/tuner found a solution for eliminations that brought him victorious runs of 5.447, 5.447, and 5.413 over Jared Dreher, Ken Perry, and Brandon Greco, respectively.

“I kept trying stuff through qualifying and nothing was working,” Booher stressed. “We’d get back from the run, download the Racepak, and it was as if nothing changed, like I made three carbon copy runs. So I decided I needed to do something drastic and run the car in a manner that I had never done before. That’s what it took. I doubt I’ll use those timing graphs ever again. I put some bars in the chassis that Spitzer had added when the car was built to use if needed to add rigidity to the car. I thought, well, it’s biting too much early and then not biting enough so I’ll stiffen it up and take an educated guess at the timing curve. Did it work? Well, it was more of a trophy-winning Band-Aid. It didn’t run phenomenal, but it ran good enough to win.”

It wasn’t a sweeping performance like the ones that helped Booher earn his first regional championship in 2013, but a dominant performance wasn’t needed to win the race that saw some of the Midwest’s best cars struggle to get down the Norwalk quarter-mile.

“Once we won first round and had lane choice in the second round, I realized I didn’t need to run a 5.32. Should I be able to run a thirty-two? Yes, everyone should be able to. But if you look at the performance, a lot of good cars didn’t make a lot of good runs. My game plan through eliminations was to just go down the track and try to improve. It was good enough to win. It shouldn’t have been. Sometimes you get luckier than the competition,” Booher readily admitted.

The Cavalcade of Stars was the last race for North Central Region teams to lock up their spots in the JEGS Allstars race, which is held in conjunction with the NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Booher’s home track, Route 66 Raceway, in July. The Norwalk win boosted Booher into first place, giving him his second Allstars berth. It’s a high honor for most, but the former Pro Top Outlaws champion won’t let it distract him from his ultimate goal.

“I ran the Allstars once in 2014 and I didn’t do it properly. I treated the Allstars like its own drag race and not what it really is, which is qualifying for a very tough event. I’ll be there and I’ll line up for it, but it’s not the first thing on my mind. My concern is to win the North Central Region again.”

The accomplishment isn’t lost on Booher, though, since his team earned the number one position on the strength of five races. The other three drivers in contention earned JEGS Allstars points at six races.

“If you look at the race count, we’re actually down one race compared to everyone else because we didn’t run Columbus last year. So to win the Allstars spot on one less race than everybody, that’s pretty cool. That’s a real testament to the caliber of car, team and more specifically people that we have in our extremely small-budgeted operation. I don’t think there’s a legal mechanic between any of us, but we’re pretty smart,” said Booher, who missed the Columbus race to be with his wife, Shannon, for the birth of their daughter, Adelynn.

Booher passed on appreciation for his family-based crew, as well as team supporters Manley, MVM wheelie bars, Spitzer Race Cars, and HPL Lubricants.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Race Cars, B&J Transmission, Goodson Tools, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Demke Qualifies No. 2, Races to Kansas Nationals Semifinals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

TOPEKA, KS (May 25, 2016) – A strong qualifying effort and semifinal finish was the result for Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Chris Demke at the NHRA Kansas Nationals last weekend. The Maddern Racing team kicked off the Midwest portion of their 2016 season at the Heartland Park Topeka event, where Demke qualified number two with a 5.26 et at 272 mph.

“We were happy to start off the weekend with a 5.28 off the trailer for the provisional number one spot. The blower belt came off for reasons other than the blower belt failing on its own on the second run. Then to run the 5.26 and holding on to the number two spot behind Megan [Meyer] after final qualifying, we couldn’t have been happier – well, unless we were number one,” Demke laughed.

The Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster moved on to the first round of eliminations to face Kansas local Gary Cooper. Demke again lost the blower belt, but Cooper handed the win to the Peen Rite team when he left before the green light came on. Demke’s second-round opponent, James Stevens, also red-lit, but Demke was ready for a race with a 5.324 at 268 mph performance.

“Luck was a big part of going rounds, but then we were able to lay down low et of the round on Sunday morning. Once again, we had more mechanical issues and we were thrashing to get back to the starting line for the semifinals against Joey Severance. We did get everything back together, but we didn’t get a chance to look closely at how the car had ran the run before to make any tuning modifications. The car ran the same number, a 5.32. We just got beat. Joey stepped up and that’s just the way it goes sometimes,” Demke said of the 5.291-to-5.329 loss to his rival.

Though they came up one round short of adding a fifth Topeka final round to Demke’s career total, the California-based team was impressed with their first Midwest showing of 2016.

“I’m amazed at [car chief] Kevin Watson’s ability to step up and tune the car as well as he has. The weekend exceeded our expectations. We made six runs without tire shake this weekend. That’s one of the things we’ve been lacking. While the car has been running quick since the start of the year, we didn’t have consistency. This weekend we were running fast, consistent times. If we didn’t have those few mechanical bugs, there’s a good chance we could’ve been holding the Wally at the end of the day.”

Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team will have three weeks off before jetting back to the Midwest for NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional events in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Denver, Colorado.

“Tulsa is a track we’ve never raced at before. We don’t know anything about the surface. We’re going back to Denver, where we actually set the track record in 1999 with Darren Nicholson driving. The track record is much lower now. We haven’t been back there since 2005, so we’re looking forward to being back on the Mountain.”

Fox Sports 2 will air their Lucas Oil Series sportsman coverage from the NHRA Kansas Nationals on Thursday, May 26 at 9 PM. A re-air date is set for 9 AM on May 28th on Fox Sports 1.

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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Hometown Runner-Up Finish for Megan Meyer at NHRA Kansas Nationals

 

A fantastic hometown showing for NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Rookie Megan
Meyer, as she earns another runner up at Heartland Park Topeka for the 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals.

The busy weekend also marked the first time that Megan would be racing alongside her father, veteran TAD racer Randy Meyer in NHRA TAD National competition. The Meyer Racing team would have their hands full sorting two cars, as Randy would struggle in early rounds of qualifying.

“Going into the Kansas Nationals we knew we would have our plate full. This was only the second time we've had both Top Alcohol Dragsters running at the same time this year, and it was a big mountain to climb for our team. The stress was high with the tire shake that we had in my Dad’s car for the first 2 qualifiers which once again, caused a lot of problems. But we faced them head on and fixed the damage and was able to get the car turned around to qualify 5th and win first round.”

In qualifying, Megan Meyer would start off strong, running a 5.287 second E.T. at 268.81 mph - moving her into the No. 2 qualified position at the end of round one. Second round, she would chatter the tires out of the gate, shutting off. But in the final attempt, Megan would grab the top qualifying position for the first time in her career, running a 5.250 at 270.54 mph in the Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster. Her father, Randy, would take the No. 5 position with his Meyer Racing Dragster, and would be on the same side of the ladder as Megan. Potentially, if both the Meyer dragsters advanced in the first two rounds of eliminations, they would be meeting in the semi-final round for the first time.

Saturday evening, Megan would face the number fourteen qualified Monroe Guest in the opening round of Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations. Guest would immediately smoke the tires, while Megan would run a great looking 5.258 second, 274.83 mph for the win into the second round.

"We kept it very consistent with my car all weekend - same crew, same motor combination that we've been running all year that is proven to win races. We had an outstanding performance on Saturday as we ran a pair of 5.25s and set low ET all weekend. I claimed my first official number 1 qualifier, and I couldn't have done it without my guys.”

Megan would have the competition bye in round 2 for an automatic advance to the semi final round, where she hoped she would face her father Randy, who did advanced over his round one competitor. Megan would begin the session with another strong showing, running a conservative 5.364 at 269.13 mph for her competition bye run. Unfortunately, her father was eliminated in round two by Lee Callaway, whose 5.353 at 267.22 mph run would grant him lane choice over Megan in the semi final round.

In their only previous encounter, Lee Callaway took the win light over Megan Meyer. This time, Callaway would get the starting line advantage over Megan, with a 0.026 reaction, to Megan’s 0.065. But Megan’s Racer’s Evolved dragster was able to reel him back in by 1000 feet, taking the win with a 5.298 at 270.59 mph over his 5.360 at 267.59 mph.

This would place Megan in her fourth final round this season - with two runner-up finishes at the Gatornationals and LODRS Belle Rose regional event; as well as her first win at the Charlotte 4-Wide event. She would face the defending event champion, Joey Severance, for the first time in her career.

Megan would be out of the gate first, but ran a slightly off-paced 5.445 at 263.20 mph. Severance quickly bridged the gap and continued on for the win, running a 5.327 at 270.27 mph. Megan would earn the hometown runner-up at Heartland Park Topeka for the Kansas Nationals.

"Despite the high-stress weekend, we had a great time as a family and team at Heartland Park. The facility looks incredible and hats off to the new owners for all that they did to put on the Kansas Nationals. I enjoyed the displays we did together to promote the race, and I greatly appreciate the recognition I received from the local community.”

Megan Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team also introduced a new partnership with Denver Print House, a one stop facility specializing in award winning decorated apparel over the weekend. The Denver, CO based organization developed and printed the new Megan Meyer and Randy Meyer Racing team t-shirts in their state of the art production plant. Fans interested in getting one of the colorful new shirts can email shop@randymeyerracing.com with their t-shirt size to order.

"Denver Print House also is a great match for my team since I am a freelance designer. We are working together with Racers Evolved to help bring great design and artwork to the Sportsman classes."

Fox Sports will air their Lucas Oil Series coverage from the NHRA Kansas Nationals on FS2 at 9 PM ET on Thursday, May 26. Re-air dates are scheduled for May 28th at 9:00 AM (FS1) and June 9th at 9 PM (FS2).

Demke in Search of Elusive First Kansas Nationals Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

TOPEKA, Kans. (May 17, 2016) – Former Top Alcohol Dragster world champion Chris Demke and his Maddern Racing team are more than ready to dust off the cobwebs after over a month off since their last race. The SoCal team is making the tow out to Heartland Park Topeka for the NHRA Kansas Nationals, May 20-22, a race where Demke has been to the finals four times in his career.

“I have been to the final round and lost at Topeka more times than I want to talk about. The fact that the track wasn’t on the schedule at the beginning of the season had our team bummed. We usually go to this race but we’ve never been able to win the national event. For as many times as we’ve been here, I would’ve expected that record to be better. We’re excited to have at least one more chance to win a national event Wally at Topeka,” Demke said.

The Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team’s strategy isn’t complicated. They’re just going to keep doing what they’ve been doing. It seems to be working, as Demke has been to the final round at the last two of his three races in 2016.

“We’ll just try to continue the momentum,” Demke admitted. “The team is itching to get back to the track. Our last race was the Vegas regional, which was postponed due to rain. We were scheduled to go to Houston but pulled out because of what looked to be bad weather. Topeka was the next race on the list so that’s where we’re headed.

“We’ve laid down some incredible numbers this season, we’re just lacking consistency. With Jerry Maddern setting the strategy and Kevin Watson implementing the tactics, I think it’s just up to me to drive the car to the finish line. I think everything is lining up for us.”

Competing with Demke for the Kansas Nationals Wally will be a full field of strong competitors, including local legend Randy Meyer, who stepped out of the driver’s seat this season to tune his daughter, Megan, to a win and two runner-up finishes in her rookie season.

“I’ve been keeping track of the entry list.” Demke noted. “It’s looking like a 50/50 split for blown cars and A/Fuel cars, which is rare these days. Megan has been entered for some time, but Randy just recently entered. I was actually happy to see that because when Randy is in one of his cars it distracts him from tuning his other car. I think it helps everyone else when he’s in the seat. Hopefully he doesn’t go out first round and give all of his attention to Megan’s car. We’ll see how it plays out.”

Top Alcohol action at the NHRA Kansas Nationals, May 20-22, kicks off with qualifying sessions at 3:30 and 6 PM on Friday. A final qualifying session is scheduled for noon on Saturday, followed by first round of eliminations at 3 PM. Eliminations continue bright and early Sunday morning with second round set for 9:30 AM.

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/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Booher Reloaded for Another Regional Championship Chase

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (April 28, 2016) – NHRA North Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster frontrunner Brandon Booher has his AB Construction dragster ready for another run at the regional championship. A simple $2 part forced the 2013 champion to lose a second title by a mere 10 points last fall, so Booher spent the long offseason going over every inch of his car in search of improvements to the consistency and performance.

“I toyed with a few things. We have a different drive unit and transmission that we’re going to be trying when we have time to test it. I changed a few little things in the motor but really just went over the car and improved in a few areas. We should have better parts longevity than last year. It seems like each year we have less and less to do, we just try to improve our package and put out the best possible car within our budget. The plan is to go out there with a quick, consistent race car,” Booher said.

The Champaign, Illinois-based team will run a schedule similar to that of their 2015 season, beginning with the NHRA Lucas Oil Series North Central region opener at Lucas Oil Raceway this weekend, April 29-May 1. 

“Hopefully we’ll do well within the region so we don’t have to hit Earlville and Noble like we did last year. There are a few nationals that I like to hit, like Joliet, Norwalk, Indy and the Charlotte fall race. If the car is on a string, can’t be beaten and we’re not hurting parts then maybe I’ll hit a few more races. We’re just doing this to get away and have fun. If the car sucks then we’ll run less or go test, but I’m confident that we’ll run mid-to-low 5.3s off the trailer,” Booher added.

 In addition to his personal racing schedule, Booher has a full slate of events he will attend to serve his Torque MGMT tuning clients. Even with a wide range of schedules, from MDIR Door Wars races with Mac McAdams to PDRA Pro Extreme dates with ProLine Racing, the schedules all work out.  

“I’m just fortunate enough to work with good people who understand that my gig is a family gig. At the same time, a lot of theirs are the same, whether it’s the sheikh of Kuwait or the father-son Tindle team. They get it and they’ve been understanding.”

Such a demanding schedule has its benefits for the driver/tuner. Though the tune-up decisions don’t transfer well from car to car, Booher is able to gather a wealth of knowledge and experience as he works with a range of tracks, combinations and tuners.

“Sometimes I second-guess myself because you’re taking stuff from a car with a suspension to a car without a suspension. There are so many variables – a screw blower to a non-screw blower, a C-rotor to a D-rotor. Anything I tune I try to put a consistent product out there that isn’t going to hurt parts. My whole philosophy is if you want to win you have to learn how to win. You have to learn how to be consistent.

“More time on the starting line is huge, being able to get a feel for what kind of track surface leads to a certain performance out of a particular combination. I think that’s what makes a guy like Steve Petty, who I have the privilege of working with on the ProLine team, what makes him so dangerous. He’s been doing this so long. He has seen every different kind of track surface, every temperature, every level of rubber build-up and he knows what to do. Working with somebody like that, I just try to keep my mouth shut and pay attention and learn. That makes me a better tuner by default.”

Booher’s trailer also received upgrades over the winter. Fellow TAD competitor Dean Dubbin and his DMP Awnings company reskinned the trailer and built a new state-of-the-art awning.  The AB Construction team also welcomes the support of B&J Transmission and Quick Drive, who join returning Booher Racing supporters MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Race Cars, and Goodson Tools.

Top Alcohol Dragster competition at the Ray Skillman Auto Group Spring Spectacle of Speed, April 29-May 1, begins with one qualifying session at 4 PM on Friday. Two more sessions are scheduled for Saturday, while eliminations will begin on Sunday. To view live video from the event, visit www.nhradiv3.com and click “D3TV”.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING

Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MVM Motorsports Products, MBE Cylinder Heads, Spitzer Race Cars, B&J Transmission, Goodson Tools, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).