Chris Demke- 7-3 LODRS LAS VEGAS WRAP-UP

First round loss aside, Peen-Rite team remains positive.


Las Vegas- After a qualifying session filled with drama and uncharacteristic mechanical issues, the Jerry Maddern Racing Peen-Rite Top Alcohol Dragster team will head home and re-group, following a disappointing first round loss at the Pacific Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event held on ‘The Strip’ at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In his first round match-up versus number one qualifier and eventual event runner-up, Jim Whitley, Maddern Racing driver Chris Demke was on his game on the starting-line. He recorded a respectable 0.020 second reaction time (0.000 is perfect). His Maddern racing ‘rail’ ran a 5.449 second elapsed time at 258.36 mph, which was not quite enough to beat his opponents 5.335 second elapsed time.

“When the car launched it seemed to run a little lazy, and the numbers all the way down the track were a bit off-pace,“ said Demke about the first round race. “Up against any other team in round one, we would have most likely won, but those guys over there (Whitley and crew chief Norm Grimes) were on their game all weekend- it was just a bad draw for us.“

The first round loss also ended a streak of four consecutive final round appearances to begin the 2009 NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman Series. “We really got behind the eight ball this weekend with mechanical bugs”, said Demke. “Our engine ’Ludwig’ may be a little out of tune right now. I am sure it’s a minor issue, and we will be back hopefully to start another final-round streak. Perhaps this time we will begin to collect those little gold trophies.”

Losing is never a good thing, but as usual, the up-beat Demke has a unique way of looking at the bright side of things. “There is one very positive result of our first round loss, I get to spend Easter with my wife,” the Peen-Rite driver stated while catching a ride to his Sunland, CA home Saturday evening with his brother Mike.

Led by ‘ring-master’ Maddern and ‘team mom” Dixie, the ‘circus clowns’ Darren Nicholson, Kevin Watson , Mike Demke and Ron Mann, will spend the next few weeks analyzing run data, freshen up their parts inventory and will return to the NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman Series in mid-may ready to rock.



For further information about the Jerry Maddern Peen-Rite Top Alcohol Dragster team please contact:

Chris.Demke@gmail.com

Courtesy of Tim Charlet
***- Attached photo courtesy of Roger Richards, Competitionplus.com