Demke, Peen Rite TAD Running Clean and Mean in Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV – Top Alcohol Dragster driver Chris Demke enters this weekend’s SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals with continued optimism. His Jerry Maddern-led Peen Rite/OSI/801 Racing team used last weekend’s NHRA LODRS regional race as a test event following a rough Phoenix regional race. Though it might not look like it from the outside, it was a successful outing for the California team.

“We would have rather won the race than lost first round, but we went out there more to test than to race. One of our goals was to not hurt any parts. We made one run in testing, three runs in qualifying, and first round of eliminations without hurting parts, so from that perspective it was a success. Now we’ll be back at the national event and hopefully we can get a little more aggressive with the tune-up. Of course the goal is still to not hurt any parts, but the other goal is always to win,” Demke said.

The Maddern Racing team opted to test at the regional before the SummitRacing.com Nationals to work out some “new car blues” that popped up at the Phoenix regional event weeks ago. Jerry Maddern and crew members Kevin Watson and Ron Mann worked between races to go over the car and catch any apparent issues. Their efforts were rewarded last weekend, as the motor was clean and mean on every run.

“We put a new car together over the offseason, and with that car came changes to how we run things. When you make changes, whether it’s a new car or new set-up, sometimes you have to iron out some problems. Of course I wish we were doing better but the fact is, if we would’ve left everything alone and came out this season with the same old car and the same old tune-up, it would’ve done nothing but earn us second place. We’re shooting for a national title. Sometimes you need to take one step backwards to take two steps forward. It might take a little pain and suffering and we might have to lose a couple races and hurt a few motors. That’s just the cost of advancing our performance. We’ll be back to the status we’re known for soon enough. I have confidence that my guys will have the Peen Rite/OSI/801 Racing car running hard, fast, and without problems soon,” Chris claimed.

Running a regional event right before a national event on the same track is a helpful tool for the Maddern Racing team, Chris says.

“It’s always nice to be able to run at a track regionally before you have to run a national event. It just gets everyone comfortable with the set-up and so forth. The Division 7 crew had the track prepped very well for the regional event. Other than temperature, I don’t think track conditions will be much different this coming weekend. The traction is actually so great that it can be a challenge to make enough power in the higher altitude. It throws a wrench in the typical tune-up.”

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/801 Racing Top Alcohol Dragster team will get their chance to prove their mettle during abbreviated qualifying, getting just two sessions to qualify; Friday at 4:30 PM and Saturday at 11 AM. First round of eliminations is scheduled for Saturday evening.