Past Firebird Success and New Car Performance Give Demke Confidence

CHANDLER, AZ  – Coming off of a #2 qualifying position and final round appearance at the season opening Winternationals, Chris Demke enters this weekend’s LODRS regional event with great confidence in his car and his crew. He’s only made just over ten runs in his Peen Rite/OSI/801 Racing Top Alcohol Dragster, yet he’s already starting to feel at home in the new car. The Maddern Racing team is learning what the car needs to click off consistent 5.2-second passes.

“The car is very similar to the old car, but it looks like it wants a more aggressive tune-up. Since it’s a regional, the track prep won’t be as good as it was in Pomona, so we’ll just have to watch ourselves. While we know the car wants an aggressive tune-up, we don’t necessarily need to get after it right off the bat at Phoenix because of the less favorable track conditions,” said Demke.

Demke and the Jerry Maddern-owned team have proven they know what it takes to win on the Firebird Raceway strip, though. Chris has been deep into eliminations in previous years, even winning 3 consecutive years. Those experiences, coupled with a disappointing finish at last year’s race, will give him the drive to add one final Firebird win at what might be the last event at the storied Arizona facility.

“Last year here we were number one qualifier and I choked on the starting line in the first round and lost. I had numerous incidents where I was just inconsistent. It all came to an end about mid-season last year. Adam (Rhoades) got on my case. Looking at the second half of last season, I think I got my stuff straightened out. My driving and the team’s performance give me great confidence that we can come home with the Wally,” Chris claimed, who is sad to see the end of a racetrack that has been a successful place for the Maddern Racing team.

“I like the Phoenix track. I won in ’04, ’05, and ’06 and runnered-up a couple times as well. I’m sad that they’re closing it. This will be my last opportunity to race at Firebird and I’m sad to see it close.”

Top Alcohol Dragster Q1 at the Firebird Raceway West Region event is scheduled for 3:30 PM on Friday, March 1. Two more qualifying sessions follow on Saturday at 12:30 and 4:30 PM. Round one of eliminations will begin at noon on Sunday.