The Mopar Connection Magazine team is saddened to announce the tragic passing of Chris Raschke, at 61 years old. Within the automotive aftermarket, Raschke was a well-known figure serving as the Director of Marketing for American Racing Products (ARP). It was within this role that Raschke teased us this past January, “I better not see anybody else’s hardware on any of your engines!” to which we promised that we’d only use ARP from here on out.
In addition to his position at ARP, Raschke was also a veteran land speed racer within the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA). A former team mate of lauded racer George Poteet, Raschke was behind the wheel of the Speed Demon team’s new Streamliner, Speed Demon III, during a preliminary pass down Bonneville’s “long course” (reportedly traveling at above 300mph) when it “went airborne around the 2.5 mile mark,” according to Hot Rod Magazine.
Earlier, Raschke had voiced interest in reaching an all-time best of 500mph, breaking the car’s previous 470mph record, which would cement the car’s legacy as “the fastest piston-powered vehicle in the world.” This year “marked the debut of its third-generation chassis, developed in memory of longtime owner and land speed legend George Poteet, who passed away in 2024,” according to Drag Illustrated.
It has been said that we’re losing the “original hot rodding generation” but Raschke was an indicator of its on-going endurance. Boundaries are intended to be pushed and the efforts of drivers and teams to continue building record-breaking machines keeps the pure spirit of hot rodding very much alive. Our deepest condolences go out to the Raschke family, and to the teams at Speed Demon and ARP.
