Maddern Racing Looks to Bright Side of Second Round Exit

Courtesy of Maddern Racing

Topeka, KS – There is always a bright side.  At the Dollar General NHRA Summernationals at Heartland Park Topeka, Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing Team lost in the second round of eliminations to Randy Meyer. On the bright side, oh wait, this is Drag Racing, there is no bright side to losing. Scratch that opening statement.  On the dark and gloomy side, losing stinks, and bright sides are tough to find.

Qualifying in Topeka was a mixed bag. First round saw a less than optimistic 5.410/263.10. In Friday’s second qualifying session, the Maddern Racing Team posted their best-ever elapsed time at Heartland Park with a 5.388/264.60. Not quite a bright side, but a bit closer to one. After Friday’s qualifying, the team was in the number three slot. Saturday’s qualifying rounds saw the car get a little friendly with the centerline and the resulting 5.391/263.41 dropped them to the number nine spot.

First round of eliminations on Saturday brought a match up with Alan Bradshaw. Both pair experienced tire shake, but Demke was ready for it and skillfully pedaled through the nasty shake to take the win. His 5.457/262.54 was enough to beat Bradshaw’s 5.834/260.46. The team left that round still searching for a bright side.

Second round of eliminations saw a match up with the #1 qualified injected Nitromethane powered dragster of Randy Meyer. Demke left the line and was transformed into a spectator as Meyer rattled off a 5.287/269.19. Demke trailed and stopped the clocks with a 5.417/266.42. Racing for the weekend was over, and the bright side was sneaking out the back gate.

A combination of changing weather and track conditions was the real challenge in Topeka for the Maddern Racing Team. Never catching up with the right set-up, now begins the chase for something better. The Peen Rite / OSI/ 801 Racing Team is a scrappy bunch. Right now they are in a street-fight. The opponents are many. With history on their side, the odds are in their favor, and that might just possibly help in the search for a bright side.

When asked for a comment, Chris Demke understandably declined comment. The cure can only be another trip down the quarter mile. The next race will cure many ills. The pain of a second round loss will lessen with every round of qualifying. When it’s time for eliminations, the only thought will be winning, and winning is the bright side everyone really wants.