Demke is Back in Billings for NHRA Regional's Return to Yellowstone

Demke is Back in Billings for NHRA Regional's Return to Yellowstone

BILLINGS, Mont. (June 19) – As the NHRA West Region series returns to Yellowstone Dragstrip this weekend, June 20-22, Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster team will receive another chance to take home a Wally from the Montana track. The NHRA Northwest Division Lucas Oil Regionals will also provide Demke with valuable seat time before next weekend's Jegs Allstars race.

Yellowstone Dragstrip has played an important part in the history of California-based Maddern Racing. Demke won the divisional race ten years ago, followed by another big win, as Chris explains.

“We raced at this track in 2004 with me driving and 2005 with Mike Austin driving; we won it both times. I won it when it was the inaugural divisional race in 2004. I crashed at Sonoma in July of 2005, the team put a new car together in a matter of five or six weeks, and we went out and won this race with Mike driving. We have good memories at this track.”

Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team, along with the rest of the Top Alcohol Dragster competitors, will need to reacclimate themselves with the all-concrete racetrack and its conditions, as several years have passed since the LODRS Top Alcohol teams have competed at Yellowstone.

“The two biggest factors to consider will be track prep and density altitude,” Demke noted. “It's a high altitude track; I'm expecting density altitudes in the 6,000-6,500 foot range, so we'll have to tune the car accordingly.”

Demke, who is currently tied for fourth place in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national points, sees this race as an opportunity for needed seat time before competing in the prestigious Jegs Allstars race at the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago, June 27-29.

“It will be good to make a few laps in the car on the weekend before the Allstars race. I only made three runs at Topeka because of the rain-shortened qualifying, so I don't have a lot of recent seat time. The seat time that I'll receive this weekend will really help me get back into the groove before we head to Chicago for the Allstars.”

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster will make three qualifying runs on Saturday at 3, 5, and 7 PM local time. Eliminations begin at noon on Sunday.

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/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, and LA X-Ray.