Maddern Racing
2017 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
Circle K NHRA Winternationals
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Pomona, California
February 9-12, 2017
Contact:
Nate Van Wagnen
NVW Motorsports Promotion
440-986-2480
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Past Event Champion Demke Ready for Fresh Start at NHRA
Winternationals
(February 8, 2017) POMONA, Calif. – Three-time NHRA
Winternationals Top Alcohol Dragster champion Chris Demke is chomping at the
bit to fire up his Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products dragster at the
season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals this weekend. After finishing
fifth in national points last year, Demke enters 2017 at his home race with his
same trusty crew and sponsors, and a freshened chassis and new parts.
“Pomona is our team’s home track,” said Demke, a Valencia resident. “It’s always fun to race with all of my hometown fans present to help
cheer on the team as we start the season. It’s also always nice to catch up
with all of the teams after the offseason, as well as meeting the new drivers
who are on the entry list. There’s a strong list of cars entered, so it should
be a good, competitive weekend.”
Returning to Pomona with Demke is the full Maddern Racing
team from 2016, headed up by Demke’s stepfather and team owner, Jerry Maddern,
and car chief Kevin Watson. The team’s primary supporters from the last several
seasons, Peen Rite and Boost Performance Products, are also on board for 2017
along with returning associate sponsors Hoosier Tire, VP Racing Fuels and
Morningwood Energy Drink.
“Brent Gines at Boost Performance Products is back with
their great CleanBoost oil and other CleanBoost products. I’m happy that our
supporters from last year have returned and have confidence in our ability to
perform, put on a good show and represent them well,” added Demke, who won the
NHRA Winternationals in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
New for 2017, however, is the front half on Demke’s
Uyehara-built dragster. The chassis was showing its age at the end of the 2016
season, so the Maddern team elected to front-half the car over the winter. All
engine and transmission components were either freshened or replaced, as well.
“As most people know, last season didn’t necessarily go as
we had planned,” admitted the 2014 national champion. “I crashed midway through
the season in the first round of qualifying at the Seattle regional. Fortunately,
I was OK, but the car was basically ruined. We had to pull out our older
chassis that had won the championship in 2014, but it’s had a lot of runs on
it. We nicknamed it ‘Saggy Maggie’ because it had a pretty good sag to it. We
took it up to Wade Ramsey for a few upgrades. He put a new front half on the
car, so everything in front of the roll cage is fresh pipe. He also made us a
new magnesium body. We’re hoping the fresh pipe as well as the freshened motor
parts will help get our performance back on track.”
Chris Demke, driver of the Peen Rite/Boost Performance
Products Top Alcohol Dragster, will take to the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for
the Circle K NHRA Winternationals Thursday, February 9, at 4:45PM PST for the
opening round of qualifying. Qualifying will continue on Friday, February 10,
at 2:15PM PST, followed by a third and final qualifying session on Saturday,
February 11, at 10:30AM PST. First round of eliminations is scheduled for
2:30PM PST on Saturday. Eliminations continue on Sunday, February 12.
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ABOUT MADDERN RACING
Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top
Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris
Demke-driven Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is
owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke,
Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For information on Chris Demke and
Maddern Racing, please visit www.maddernracing.com
and www.facebook.com/maddernracing.
Maddern Racing receives support from the following
companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA
X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.
