Las Vegas - Another Pole Position – Another Semi-Final Finish
- pix from event on the link below:
http://www.maddernracing.com/gallery.asp?GalleryID=5
Las Vegas, NV – Jerry Maddern, Chris Demke and the crew of the Peen Rite Top Alcohol Dragster finished the SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with another semi-final loss, losing to Shawn Cowie of Delta, BC, 5.40 to a 5.46. Cowie went on to win the event, taking on Joey Severence in the final round.
The Peen Rite team started off qualifying Friday with an off pace 8.63 second pass. Later that afternoon the 2nd round of qualifying saw the team step up and lay down a 5.400 second 263.31 mph pass, good for the number 1 qualifying position. “I had a single that round” stated Demke. “It was a good thing since my tachometer and shift light weren’t working! I drove the car by ear and hit both of my shift points.”
After repairing the broken tachometer the team returned to the starting line Saturday for the 3rd round of qualifying. A failure in the pneumatic shift system prevented a full pass with the Peen Rite dragster running a slowing 5.63 second 204 mph pass. “The CO2 bottle that provides pneumatic pressure to shift the transmission ran out of gas” explained crewman Kevin Watson. “We expected more out of that run. Better to have that happen in qualifying than eliminations!!!” No other team improved their E.T. during the 3rd and final round of qualifying. This allowed the Peen Rite team’s 5.400 pass from the 2nd round to remain in the number 1 qualifying spot: The team’s 2nd pole position two races in a row!Saturday evenings 1st round of eliminations paired Demke with number 16 qualifier, Brandon Johnson of Las Vegas, NV. Brandon left the starting line first but the Peen Rite dragster had the lead by 60 feet, running 5.433 to Johnson’s slowing 6.28. 2nd round of eliminations saw Demke lined up against Dale Carlson of Olympia, WA. “Dale had run a 5.39 the previous round” stated Maddern. “We knew we couldn’t take (team owner) Hugh Ridley’s dragster lightly.” This time Demke left the line first and never looked back, running a consistent 5.42 at 264 mph to Carlson’s game 5.47.3rd round of eliminations matched Demke up with Shawn Cowie. “Bill Moore (Cowie’s crew chief) has this track figured out!” exclaimed crewman Adam Rhoades. Both cars left the starting line together but Bill Moore’s tune-up got Cowie to the finish line first, 5.40 to a losing 5.46. “I tried to drive through some tire shake and ended up pedaling (quickly letting off and on the engine throttle). The shake went away but Cowie was long gone by then.” stated Demke. “Congratulations to Shawn and team on a well deserved win!”
The semi final finish puts Demke in 2nd place in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series National points. The team left Las Vegas having scored their 2nd pole position in as many races, as well as top speed of the event, 265.95 mph. The Peen Rite team will return the dragster to Maddern Racing Headquarters in Sun Valley, California. Routine service and maintenance will be performed in preparation for the teams next event.
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