Chris Demke - US NATIONALS SUNDAY REVIEW

NO MORE SYMPONIES FOR LUDWIG

Indianapolis, Ind. - It has been said, an engine is never truly good until it has a name. “Ludwig’ is the name the Jerry Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster team gave their potent 471 cubic inch Brad Anderson Engineering hemi. It was so named due to the sweet sound of success the power plant has provided.

Ludwig was between the rails of the Maddern Racing, Dave Uyehara chassis to begin the 2009 season. The engine produced four-straight final round appearances until it eventually expired during the running of the NHRA O’Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan. The Sunland, Calif. based team has since rebuilt ‘Ludwig’ in hopes the successful power plant would propel the Chris Demke driven car to a US Nationals championship.

Unfortunately, Ludwig died during Saturday’s first qualifying session. On a run which produced some incredible numbers for the first 330 feet, Ludwig coughed up a piston rod about two-seconds into the run.

“The car was on a great pass,” noted Adam Rhoades, who serves as the team's clutch specialist. “We will be fine, as we have put ‘Conan’ in the car. He was in during our final round appearance in Seattle in July.”