1998 U.S. Nationals Champs Maddern Racing Back For More with Demke
CLERMONT, IN – Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Chris Demke returns this week to the site of his team’s first national event win, the 
legendary U.S. Nationals. The Maddern Racing driver has won some of the sport’s most historic events, but a Wally from “The Big Go” has eluded him.
“This is it – this is ‘The Big Go’. Certainly the Pomona races – the Winternationals and the World Finals – are great races, and I’ve won both of those, but Indy is the one that everybody wants to win. I would love to add a U.S. Nationals trophy to my trophy case this weekend. To have won Indy is almost as big as winning a championship – not quite, but almost,” Chris claimed.
A win at this year’s 59th Annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals would be the second Big Go victory for the California-based team. Though it would be Chris’ first as the driver of the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster, it would be his second as a member of Maddern Racing.
“The team’s first-ever national event win was Indy in 1998 with Darren Nicholson driving. We came here once or twice in the mid-nineties and it’s questionable that we even qualified or won a round. We won our very first race, the Yakima divisional, the weekend before the ’98 U.S. Nationals then team owner Jerry Maddern decided to pack up and head east. We ended up beating Rick Henkelman on a holeshot in the finals,” Demke recalled. Nicholson beat Scott Hartley, Melanie Troxel, and Rick Santos before defeating Henkelman with a 5.59 to 5.51.
Chris says he wants to enjoy the Indy experience but the race’s championship points implications will also be on his mind.
“Every round going forward is important. I don’t want to think about the championship situation too deep. Indy is a big race, there’s a lot of history behind it, and a lot of great teams will be there. Win or lose, I just want my team to have fun and enjoy the spectacle of motorsports that comes with Indianapolis,” said the current Top Alcohol Dragster national points leader.
Top Alcohol Dragster teams will get four qualifying shots before first round of eliminations on Sunday night. Eliminations continue on Labor Day, Sept. 2nd.
