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.

Towlot.com Joins Randy Meyer Racing for Topeka Regional Race

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

TOPEKA, Kans. (August 14, 2015) – The two-car A/Fuel Dragster team of Randy Meyer Racing (RMR) has announced a new partnership with Towlot.com. The major associate sponsorship will begin this weekend as RMR competes at the NHRA Lucas Oil Series Central Region event at the team's home track, Heartland Park Topeka.

Towlot.com is an online auction where anyone can buy affordable used cars. When tow companies impound cars that aren't claimed, those cars will eventually be sold at auction. Towlot.com hosts those auctions for tow companies nationwide. The bi-weekly online auctions are open to the public and have no buyer fees or reserves.

“We are proud to welcome Towlot.com to the RMR team this weekend. It is a great opportunity to join with Meyer Truck Center and the towing industry. We are very excited for this opportunity and the future of Randy Meyer Racing and Meyer Truck Center,” said Megan Meyer, the new driver of RMR's second nitro-injected A/Fuel dragster.

Both of the team's A/Fuel cars will be competing this weekend, as well as the RMR Super Comp dragster, driven by Rachel Meyer. Megan is coming off of an impressive runner-up finish at her Top Alcohol Dragster debut race in St. Louis last weekend. Randy is gearing up for the late-season points chase, where he currently sits fifth in NHRA national points.


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, Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, NGK Spark Plugs, GUNK, Herbalife Nutrition, Team Racepak, Copeland Fabrications, Aeromotive, Goodyear, ARP Bolts, MAHLE/Clevite, JEGS, and Aeroquip.

Demke Seeking First and Potentially Last Kansas Nationals Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21, 2015) – NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national points leader Chris Demke and his Peen Rite team are kicking off their 2015 Midwest tour this weekend at the NHRA Kansas Nationals in Topeka. The four-time Topeka finalist is seeking his elusive first Kansas Nationals Wally, and with Heartland Park Topeka's future in jeopardy, this might be his last chance.

“[Tuner] Adam Rhoades texted me a couple weeks before the race and said, 'Looks like this could be the end of the Topeka event, we're gonna have to win it,' so we've got our marching orders. I've been to the finals here plenty of times, but I've yet to win the national event. We went to the regional event for the first time last year and won. We know how to win at this track. We just haven't been able to put together the four runs necessary to win the Kansas Nationals,” Demke admitted.

Even though the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team is more than capable of stringing together win lights in the hot, humid conditions Topeka is known for, they thrive in cool weather where every bit of performance can be squeezed out of the Jerry Maddern-owned entry. A quick look at the forecast shows the possibility for ideal conditions is there.

“Our team has been going to Topeka as long ago as 1999 with Darren Nicholson driving,” said Demke, who served as a Maddern Racing crew member at the time. “That's the only year I can remember being there and the weather being under 80 degrees. It looks like this weekend promises some excellent weather conditions and fast air densities. The track surface is great, it just never has good weather to support quick elapsed times. I'm looking forward to racing at this facility with good weather conducive to quick ets and fast speeds. It might be a fitting farewell to Heartland Park Topeka.”

With an 18-car entry list, made up primarily of nitro-injected A/Fuel dragsters, Demke won't have it easy. He especially has his eye on A/Fuel veteran Randy Meyer, the local favorite who defeated Team Peen Rite in the Gatornationals final round earlier this year.

“There are going to be plenty of fast cars there, but Randy Meyer is at the top of that list and we'll keep him firmly in our cross-hairs. He scares me outside of the car when we're standing side by side, but he doesn't scare me when we're both strapped in,” Demke laughed, referencing the obvious size difference between the two drivers.

The Kansas Nationals mark the end of a month-long break for Demke and the Maddern Racing team. Following the Topeka event, Demke plans to attend the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio and the Route 66 Nationals and JEGS Allstars event near Chicago.

Top Alcohol Dragster competition at the NHRA Kansas Nationals, May 22-24, begins on Friday with qualifying sessions around 3:30 and 6:30 PM CST. The action continues with final qualifying at 11:15 AM and first round of eliminations at 3 PM on Saturday. Eliminations conclude on Sunday and will air on ESPN2 on Sunday, May 31st at 11 AM EST.

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 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., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Riding Four-Race Win Streak into U.S. Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (August 27) – A fourth consecutive regional event win has Top Alcohol Dragster hitter Chris Demke primed for the upcoming 60^th Annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals near Indianapolis. Demke and his Maddern Racing team treated their most recent event, the Topeka regional race, as a test session for Indy and ended up in the winner's circle. They look to have similar success at “the Big Go”.

The Peen Rite-sponsored car and driver had one of their more impressive outings of the 2014 season at Topeka. Demke qualified No. 1 with a 5.325 and stayed in the five-thirties through eliminations. Both man and machine were quick and consistent, with Chris cutting .031, .044 and .043 lights. The California-based dragster ripped off 5.375, 5.320 and 5.336 elapsed times to secure the event win.

“We found everything we were looking for and more,” Demke said of the race/test session. “The team was looking for a quick, consistent tune-up for conditions that we could expect at Indy. I was working on improving my reaction times after receiving some advice from Tom Bayer, a sportsman racer who once drove Top Alcohol Dragster. While one race isn't conclusive, I think we found what we needed.”

With a promising tune-up and a stride in their step, Demke and his Jerry Maddern-led team head to Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Raceway for the prestigious U.S. Nationals, August 27-Sept. 1. Chris won the historic event in 1998 as a crew member when Darren Nicholson drove the Peen Rite entry. He has two “Big Go” semifinal appearances and a runner-up finish to his name as a driver, but he's anxious to get another shot at his first Indy win.

“Our team is going into Indy with the most momentum we've ever had going into this race. We feel confident in our chances and we're itching to get a second Indy win as a team, my first as a driver,” Demke noted.

The U.S. Nationals has been a noteworthy race since its inception in 1954, with drivers and teams traveling from all over the country to compete. Legends are made at Indy, and some of the most memorable moments in NHRA drag racing have taken place there. The history of the race is one of Demke's favorite parts of the annual visit to the racing capital of the world.

“Indy is a big race with a lot of history behind it. I'm proud to have the opportunity to race at the 60^th Annual U.S. Nationals, especially knowing the legends who will be there: Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen, to name a few. This year I'm hoping to add my name to the list of drivers who won at Indy,” said the fan favorite driver.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the 60^th Annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals begins on Friday with sessions at 1:30 and 4:30 PM. Q3 is at 12:15 PM on Saturday. Teams get an Indy-exclusive fourth qualifying session at 9:45 AM Sunday, followed by first round of eliminations at 5:30 PM. Eliminations continue on Monday.

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.

Randy Meyer Clinches Central Region Points Lead with Topeka Regional Runner-Up

Courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing

August 25th, 2014 – Smart Chicken and Price Chopper Top Alcohol Dragster Team Randy Meyer Racing had a solid performance at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Central Regional event held at Heartland Park Topeka this past weekend with both of their A/Fuel Dragsters.

Randy Meyer and Chase Copeland took the second and third qualifying spots after two sessions on Friday with a 5.391 E.T. at 265 mph for Chase, and a 5.396 E.T. at 266 mph for Randy. Randy went on to defeat Todd Odom during first round with a 5.518 E.T. at 262 mph to Odom’s 5.711 E.T. at 239 mph, and Chase also won first round against Brandon Pierce with a 5.503 E.T. at 262 mph to Pierce’s 5.582 E.T. at 222 mph.

Paired up against each other for second round, Chase had lane choice over Randy, but immediately smoked the tires after his launch, as Randy pulled his Smart Chicken Price Chopper Dragster ahead for the semi-final win with a 5.358 E.T. at 268 mph. Moving onto the final round, Randy was up against the number one qualifier of the event, Chris Demke. With a slightly better reaction time, Demke was able to pull ahead of Randy for the win with a 5.336 E.T. at 268 mph to Randy’s 5.383 E.T. at 265 mph.

Although Randy didn’t get the hometown win, he was able to clinch his Central Region points lead with his runner-up finish. Chase currently sits fourth in the Central Regional standings, followed by Shayne Lawson.

Randy’s daughters, Megan and Rachel Meyer, also competed at this event with their Super Comp Dragsters. Unfortunately Megan’s transmission broke during first round and she was unable to compete, but Rachel Meyer claimed the semi-final finish on Sunday for the annual National Dragster race.

Randy will finish the Brainerd National eliminations during qualifying at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis this Friday against Duane Shields. Top Alcohol Dragster will get a third qualifying pass on Saturday, and a fourth session on Sunday. The opening round of eliminations will begin Sunday night, and will be concluded on Monday.

Make sure to follow the Randy Meyer Racing Team on Facebook (/RandyMeyerRacing) for the latest news and track updates.

Randy Meyer Racing would like to thank their sponsors for their support and dedication to the team: Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, Price Chopper, John Haley #1 Roofer, LLC, Aeromotive Fuel Systems, NGK Spark Plugs, MOTOR MEDIC, Quik-Latch Products, Boninfante, Taylor Cable, Aeroquip Performance, Belzona Industrial Solutions, Rezner trailers, ARP, Copeland Race Cars, MAHLE Clevite, Hedman Hedders, and Moroso.

Demke Wins Seattle Regional, Adds Topeka Regional to Schedule

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

TOPEKA, Kan. (August 20) – Top Alcohol Dragster star Chris Demke claimed his third regional event win of the season last weekend when he won the NHRA Lucas Oil Series West Region race at Pacific Raceways. Just weeks removed from reaching the finals at the O'Reilly NHRA Northwest Nationals, also at Seattle, Demke beat two northwest blown alcohol drivers and a fellow SoCal resident to win his third regional event in as many attempts. Now Chris and the Peen Rite team head east for two weeks of Midwest racing in Kansas and Indiana.

Demke qualified at the Seattle regional event in the No. 2 spot with a 5.273 at 273 MPH. He was a few thousandths of a second shy of repeating in the first round against Kim Parker, winning with a 5.278. A quick pedal was necessary to beat local hero Shawn Cowie in a 5.357 to 5.436 semifinal decision. Chris again had to pedal the Peen Rite entry in the final round but opponent Johnny Ahten, who ran 5.22 and 5.20 earlier in the weekend, smoked the tires. Demke took the win with a 5.348 elapsed time.

“Our car ran what I expected it would run during qualifying and the first round of eliminations, but we just missed the tune-up in the semis and final. It shook the tires and I can't say that I was ready for it. The car was running so well in the previous runs so the shake caught me off-guard and I didn't do the best driving job. I was impressed by the car's performance considering my driving during the final two rounds,” Chris said humbly.

The weekend was lucrative on the points front with Demke maintaining a healthy lead over Joey Severance in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national points standings. Severance, a noted Northwest-based driver, was racing at a national event in Brainerd, Minn.

“It was a good weekend for the points chase,” Demke concurred. “There was certainly a buzz in the pit when we heard that Joey went out second round at Brainerd. The crew was excited because we knew our run for the championship had gained some momentum.”

Demke and the Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products team continue their busy 2014 season this weekend as they add the Topeka regional event to their schedule. Riding along with them will be continued support from a two-year Maddern Racing sponsor.

“I renewed my relationship with associate sponsor Morningwood Energy Drink while we were in Seattle. The CEO came by during the race and gave us some cases to pass out to fans. The forecast for Topeka is calling for 100 degree days so fans are welcome to stop by and sample a Morningwood Energy Drink.

“The Topeka race isn't as important to national points as it is to regional points as we're maxed out with three regional wins towards the national championship. We're going to Topeka hoping that the weather will be similar to what we'll see at Indy, so we're treating this as a test session for the biggest race of the year, the U.S. Nationals. This is our first time racing at the Topeka regional, though we've had some success at the Topeka national event. Even though we're treating it as a test session I'm confident that we have the opportunity to do very well there,” Demke claimed.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Series Central Regional event at Heartland Park Topeka, August 22-23, begins on Friday with TAD qualifying at 5 and 7:30 PM. Eliminations start at 6 PM Saturday evening.

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.

Lawson Wins First NHRA National Event with Randy Meyer Racing

Courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing

March 29th, 2014 – At the home track of Kansas-based team, Randy Meyer Racing, Shayne Lawson earned his first NHRA National event win at Heartland Park Topeka for the 26th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals.

Driving for team owner, Randy Meyer, Shayne piloted the Smart Chicken Price Chopper A/Fuel Dragster, alongside teammate Chase Copeland. With only one opportunity to qualify in the Top Alcohol Dragster ranks, due to rain, Shayne was able to lay down the second quickest pass of the session, and top speed of the event, a 5.26 E.T. at 273 mph, while Chase claimed the tenth spot with his 5.42 E.T. at 260 mph.

For the first round of eliminations, Shayne beat the 15th qualifier, Dean Dubbin, with the quickest pass of the round, a 5.25 E.T. at 272 mph. Chase, who faced the seventh qualifier, Chris Demke, lost with a slower 5.47 E.T. at 263 mph. Shayne went on to beat Demke in the following round with a 5.35 E.T. at 268 mph, followed by a 5.34 E.T. at 268 mph to defeat Forrest Fair in the semi-finals.

Cheering on the Randy Meyer Racing Team as they advanced onto the final round of eliminations was Smart Chicken and Price Chopper, who invited a nonprofit organization known as PointMan, who provides a spiritual, physical, and social atmosphere for wounded warriors to connect with each other and their families. With much support behind him, Shayne won his first NHRA National event with a 5.32 at 269 E.T. beating Monroe Guest’s 5.54 E.T. at 250 mph.

Don’t forget! This race will air on May 31st at 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET/6:30 AM - 7:30 AM PT on ESPN2.

Randy Meyer Racing would like to thank their sponsors for their support and dedication to the team: Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, Price Chopper, Aeromotive Fuel Systems, NGK Spark Plugs, MOTOR MEDIC, Quik-Latch Products, Boninfante, Taylor Cable, Belzona Industrial Solutions, Rezner trailers, ARP, MAHLE Clevite, Hedman Hedders, and Moroso.

Make sure to follow the Randy Meyer Racing Team on Facebook (/RandyMeyerRacing) for the latest news and track updates.

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.

Randy Meyer Racing Gets Underway for Kansas Nationals with Aeromotive

Courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing

May 20th, 2014 – Top Alcohol Dragster team, Randy Meyer Racing, prepares for the 26th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals this weekend at their home track, Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kansas.

Partnering up with the Randy Meyer Racing Team is Aeromotive Fuel Systems. Aeromotive Inc., based out of Lenexa, Kansas, develops high performance aftermarket fuel systems and components for drag racing, as well as off road, street and muscle cars, marine, and other types of motorsports.

“After switching to Aeromotive components, we have seen a difference in performance, and the car has been more consistent,” said team-owner and driver, Randy Meyer.

“We are thrilled to be part of the Randy Meyer Racing family – I have worked with Randy previously and it made perfect sense to continue our partnership with Aeromotive,” said Vic Wood, Vice President and General Manager.

Randy and his team will head to the track early to begin setting up the pits for their four-car team this weekend. They would like to thank their sponsors for their support and dedication to the Randy Meyer Racing Team: Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, Aeromotive Fuel Systems, NGK Spark Plugs, MOTOR MEDIC, Quik-Latch Products, Boninfante, Taylor Cable, Belzona Industrial Solutions, Rezner trailers, ARP, MAHLE Clevite, Hedman Hedders, and Moroso.

Make sure to follow the Randy Meyer Racing Team on Facebook (/RandyMeyerRacing) for the latest news and track updates.

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

Gingles, Payne Win Topeka Regional

Courtesy of Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association

Canadian Top Alcohol Dragster racer Gord Gingles stayed hot at the WIBW Thunder in the Heartland regional event in Topeka, and in Top Alcohol Funny Car, Jay Payne, one of the most prolific drivers in divisional/regional history, may have turned his season around with his first victory in 10 starts.

Gingles, who drove "The Bull" A/Fueler to a tight final-round decision over defending national champ Jim Whiteley last week in Brainerd for his first national event win, got off the line first and pounded out low e.t. of the meet – 5.354, a slight improvement on his 5.358 semifinal time – to put away Randy Meyer this time in a final-round battle of the top two drivers in the region in 2012.

Gingles qualified No. 1 with a 5.40 and clocked a 5.43 in the first round against veteran Edwin Schmeeckle. He stepped up to a 5.358, low e.t. of the weekend to that point, in the semifinals against John Finke, which cost Finke the East Region title. Dan Page, who was upset in the first round in Bowling Green this weekend after setting top speed in qualifying, won the East championship on the strength of one win (Maple Grove) and three final-round appearances.

Competing at his home track, Meyer, of Spring Hill, Kan., began eliminations from the No. 3 spot (5.44) and was the picture of consistency all weekend, running between 5.42 and 5.46 in all three rounds of eliminations. His 5.45 took out Christine Chambless in the opening round, and a 5.42, his best run of the weekend, was just enough to get past quick-leaving James Stevens' 5.50 by three-thousandths of a second in the semi's.

In the Top Alcohol Funny Car final, Payne beat early leader John Lombardo, 5.67 to 5.80, with a half-tenth edge in the first 60 feet, .976 to 1.024. Payne's Peak/FireIce Mustang got quicker every trip to the starting line all weekend, opening with a 5.80 in the first qualifying session and running nothing but high 5.60s the rest of the way, including a 5.69 for the No. 2 spot behind Lombardo.

Payne picked up a hundredth of a second to oust Lance Van Hauen in the first round with a 5.68 and another hundredth to beat red-lighting Kris Hool in the semi's with a 5.67, making it an all-California final against Lombardo, who ran in the 5.60s in both qualifying sessions and in every round but the final.

Lombardo beat Steve Griboski in the opening round, 5.67 to 5.88, and defending Central Region champ Kirk Williams, who had a .008 reaction time, in the semi's, 5.68 to 5.82. With the final-round appearance, Lombardo's NAPA team moved into the national points lead when Tony Bartone, in his first race in Mickey Ferro's car after splitting with longtime team owner Rick Jackson, was a victim of the abbreviated two-shot qualifying format and failed to qualify.

Demke Adds Third Final to 2013 Score

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Maddern Racing

TOPEKA, Kans. (May 20, 2013) – Maddern Racing’s Chris Demke leaves Heartland Park Topeka second in national points standings after qualifying second and reaching his third final round of the year at last weekend’s Kansas Nationals. The California driver ultimately fell to 2003 national champion Alan Bradshaw.

Demke held the number two spot throughout qualifying, missing first by just two thousandths of a second. His Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/801 Racing dragster consistently improved on every qualifying pass, running 5.413, 5.411, and 5.398 consecutively. Humid conditions made it tough for the supercharged entry to break into the mid to low five-thirties.

“It was challenging. Great track conditions but poor air made it harder for us to find the edge. The car never shook the tires all weekend. While Adam was doing a great job, we just weren’t making enough power to overpower the track. The car was consistent, but it wasn’t really as fast as we thought we could make it go. It would’ve been number one qualifier but parts failure on the last qualifying run prevented that from happening,” Chris said.

The Jerry Maddern-owned car carried the consistency into eliminations, first defeating Mike Manners, 5.44 to 5.57. Performance picked up in the second round match-up with Aaron Olivarez, which Demke won, 5.42 to 5.57. Tuner Adam Rhoades stepped it up for the semifinals, sending Chris on a 5.38 pass to beat Canadian Gord Gingles and take low ET of the event. The Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/801 Racing dragster was on pace to run another 5.3 in the finals against Alan Bradshaw until the blower snout broke off around half-track.

“The race was ours. We were feeling very confident. The crew was doing a great job servicing it. We had to run the last qualifying session and two rounds of eliminations with a motor swap before first round. The guys were busy but they did a great job. The car was on rails – no tire shake all weekend long – so it was painful when the blower snout broke off in the final. We really wanted to get our first win of the year,” Demke claimed.

Coming up short in the final was particularly disheartening for Demke and his team of mechanics. The Topeka final round was their third runner-up finish of the season and fourth career final at Heartland Park Topeka.

“When you’re runner-up, you’re just the last guy to lose,” Demke added. “You do every bit as much work as the team that wins, but you end the day on a down note. Reaching the final round is a lot of hard work, but it’s rewarded with adrenaline and satisfaction when you win. The runner-up does the same amount of work as the winning team, but you don’t get that satisfaction. Believe me; I’d rather runner-up than lose first round, but the effort expended is significant.”

The fan-favorite driver is still optimistic that his team will enjoy the rush of the winner’s circle again soon.

“We all know that we’ve got it figured out now. I don’t want to jinx myself, but we really learned what this chassis wants. We’re that much closer to getting our first win with it. Victory is just around the corner.”

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/801 Racing 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., 801 Racing, A1 Technologies, Boninfante Friction Inc., and Hoosier Racing Tire.

Canadian Teams Sweep Alcohol Classes at Topeka

Courtesy of Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association

Canadian teams swept the weather-plagued Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, where Alan Bradshaw picked up his first win in 10 years in Top Alcohol Dragster and Jirka Kaplan earned his first ever in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Bradshaw wasn’t looking good at half-track in the final, but opponent Chris Demke’s engine went silent at the 2-3 shift, allowing Bradshaw, who last scored in 2003, when he won the national championship driving for Randy Meyer’s team, to race by for a 5.49 win. Demke’s blower snout broke, which shed the belt, slowed him to a 5.86, and left him with three runner-ups in three national event finals this year and four in four career finals in Topeka.

Demke was coming off low e.t. of the meet, 5.38, in a semifinal win over Canadian Gord Gingles, who had been murdering the Tree all weekend, with reaction times of .015, .002, and .008. Bradshaw, driving for the Winnipeg-based Doucette Bros. A/Fuel team, was beaten to the finish line in that round by Brandon Pierce, 5.44 to a shutoff 5.71, but Pierce, now driving for Gene Snow, failed fuel check. His tank contained 94.3 percent nitro – 0.3 percent over the legal limit.

Granted the unexpected reprieve, Bradshaw was reinstated and earned his first national event victory since the 2003 Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd. He had four previous wins, all in his 2003 championship season, including one at Topeka.

In the early rounds, both of which were run on Saturday because of massive storms forecast for Kansas on Sunday, Bradshaw took out defending event champ Rich McPhillips, 5.45 to 5.72, and No. 1 qualifier James Thompson, 5.41 to 5.45. Thompson’s 5.39 in qualifying held up for low e.t. until Demke erased Gingles, the 2012 Central Region champ, in the semi’s with a 5.38, ending the best national event outing of Gingles’ career. Demke, who qualified No. 2 with a 5.39, the only other run all weekend in the 5.30s, picked up the pace in every round of eliminations with times of 5.44, 5.42, and 5.38 opposite Michael Manners, Aaron Olivarez, and Gingles, respectively.

Kaplan also got quicker in every round, wheeling his Bearspaw Mustang to a 5.689 against Charles McLaws, a 5.687 against Mark Billington, and a semifinal 5.651 against Sean Bellemeur’s Mastercam Camaro. His best run of eliminations, a 5.644, took out No. 1 qualifier and defending event champ Tony Bartone in the final on a slight holeshot against Bartone’s 5.640. Bartone was on time with a .052 light, but Kaplan was even quicker with a .038 that actually was his second-worst of the race.

For Kaplan, of Calgary, Alta., his first Alcohol Funny Car title comes in just his fourth national event start. He last won at the 2011 U.S. Nationals in Comp in a AA/AM ’23-T altered. Both cars were tuned by Calgary’s Les Davenport.

With the final-round appearance, his third in a row in national competition, Bartone moved into a first-place tie in the Top Alcohol Funny Car standings with Dan Pomponio, who has been to just four races this year but has won all four. Bartone established low e.t. of the meet with a 5.60 in qualifying, beat Wayne Butler with a 5.67 in round one, singled in round two, and edged Shane Westerfield on a slight holeshot in the semifinals, 5.64 to 5.63, in a rematch of last year’s final.