CHEVELLE MEMORIES
November 19, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
SOBE IT
When the sun is high and you want to reach for something cool, the presence of this surf-inspired ’60 Mercury station wagon is meant to provide onlookers with the next best thing to a refreshing SoBe beverage. We think the effort is successful—the Merc is a refreshing approach to vehicle personalization.
2025 GNRS Pinstriping Charity Auction
The Grand National Roadster Show was packed with eye candy, from high-dollar show cars to garage-built hot rods, but one of the coolest parts of the event wasn’t about horsepower—it was about artistry. The Pinstriping Charity Auction has become a staple of GNRS, bringing together some of the best pinstripers in the game to sling lines, lay down color, and raise cash for a great cause.
kickin’ it
Over the past 20 years custom truck interiors have taken on many forms, and like so much of the world today, prices and costs for these outlandish interiors have reached new heights in every way. Molded, flowing consoles, leather and killer stereos have taken front row in the world of custom interiors, and gone are the old, plain, painted panels. Going to the local upholstery shop can mean some serious change in today’s market, as the price of materials and the cost of labor have risen dramatically. But leave it to truck guys to study the art of interiors to help contain the cost of a new look, making effective use of options throughout the build of a classic or a more modern truck. While checking out some pictures on the Internet, we happened upon this at-home molded kick panel build that cost under $50!
Spotlighter
Remembering Chris Raschke: A Life Engineered for Speed
Honoring a pillar of the performance industry and a man who lived for the drive.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Images Courtesy of Speed Demon Racing
A Racer, A Builder, A Leader
The automotive and motorsports world lost one of its most dedicated champions on Sunday, August 3, 2025, when Chris Raschke tragically passed away following a crash at the Bonneville Salt Flats. He was 60 years old.
Chris was piloting Speed Demon III, built by legendary builder and long time friend Steve Watt and his team. During a record attempt his car went airborne at 283 mph near the 2.5-mile mark. Despite rapid response from medical teams, Chris succumbed to his injuries. The incident remains under investigation.
A Life Built Around Speed
Chris wasn’t just a driver—he was a lifer in motorsports. From sweeping the grandstands at Ventura Raceway as its first official employee to helping guide ARP, one of the most respected names in performance fasteners. Chris lived and breathed this industry.
He raced everything from ATC three-wheelers to Ford Pintos, T/Q midgets, and sprint cars—always balancing his time between turning wrenches and turning laps. His journey was marked by persistence, humility, and a tireless drive to learn. That blend of curiosity and grit would define every step of his career.
Learning from the Greats
In 1983, Chris began working for Duttweiler Automotive, where he was mentored by the legendary Kenny Duttweiler. There, he absorbed the fine points of fabrication, engine development, welding, and sourcing high-performance components. As Duttweiler Performance became a household name among go-fast enthusiasts, Chris’s fingerprints were on many of its innovations—from intercoolers and suspension pieces to marketing strategy.
It was also at Duttweiler’s shop that Chris built lasting friendships, including with Speed Demon builder and crew chief Steve Watt. That bond would eventually bring Chris into the heart of the Speed Demon team.
A Force at ARP
In 1996, Chris joined the team at ARP, where he would go on to become Director of Sales and Marketing. Much like his early days at the racetrack, Chris immersed himself in every aspect of the business—earning the trust of customers, partners, and racers alike. His encyclopedic knowledge of engines, race cars, and the motorsports ecosystem made him not just a spokesman for ARP, but one of its most powerful ambassadors.
To those across the industry, Chris wasn’t just “the ARP guy”—he was a connector. He understood how people, parts, and passion came together to build something greater than speed alone.
Living the Dream
Chris joined the Speed Demon team in the late ’90s and worked with racing legend George Poteet, a land-speed racer and car collector from the Memphis area who drove “over 400 mph more than 50 times,” according to the team. Poteet holds the current Bonneville Salt Flats land speed record at 470.733 mph, which he set in 2020 behind the wheel of the Chevy-powered Speed Demon 715 streamliner. Poteet passed away in July 2024.
After 13 years crewing with Speed Demon, Chris finally had his chance behind the wheel. Through licensing passes and record-setting runs in other vehicles, he proved himself capable of handling extreme speed with both focus and respect. Driving Speed Demon was the natural next chapter for someone who had spent a lifetime preparing for it.
A Lasting Legacy
Chris Raschke’s passing leaves a profound void—not only on the salt, but throughout the entire performance and motorsports industry. His fingerprints are on more than just cars and parts; they’re on relationships, reputations, and the evolution of an industry he helped shape from the inside out.
Whether behind a desk at ARP, turning wrenches in the pits, or strapping into a streamliner at over 400 mph, Chris showed us what it means to blend professionalism with passion. He was a bridge between builders, brands, and racers—someone who truly understood both the business and the soul of the automotive world.
Our Thoughts and Prayers
Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris’s wife Connie, family, and loved ones—as well as the entire ARP and Speed Demon teams, his colleagues, and the countless friends who had the privilege to race alongside him, work with him, or simply share stories over a pit lane handshake.
May the roar of the engines forever carry his memory.
Godspeed, Chris.
You will always be part of the drive.
Chris Raschke Legacy Scholarship
Chris Raschke wasn’t just a leader in the automotive world—he was a mentor, a friend, and a true champion of the aftermarket community. To honor his legacy and passion, SEMA is establishing the Chris Raschke Legacy Scholarship, dedicated to supporting students chasing careers in the automotive industry.
Through this scholarship, Chris’ spirit, dedication, and love for the craft will continue to shape the next generation of innovators and builders. Help keep his legacy alive and make a lasting impact on tomorrow’s automotive leaders.
Keep Chris’ spirit alive—donate to the scholarship. CLICK HERE to learn more and to contribute.
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