The USMA Mourns the Loss of Industry Veteran & Land Speed Racer, Chris Raschke

The USMA is saddened  by the loss of Chris Raschke, who died in a crash at the Bonneville Salt Flats During Speed Weeks 2025.  He was a great racer and a true contributor to the motorsports industry. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the entire Speed Demon team. 

A few years ago, the Speed Demon was gracious enough to invite the USMA into their pit area for a tour of their record breaking vehicle. Their team is one of the best ever in land speed racing.

Everyone knows racing comes with risks, but Land Speed Racing attracts a special kind of person who's not driven by fame or fortune, but by the challenge of pushing the limits of man and machine. To many, it’s hard to understand why someone would strap into a vehicle capable of pushing towards 500 MPH.

But for racers like Chris, it's not about danger or adrenaline. It's about discovery, and seeing how far we can go beyond what we thought possible, and in doing so, setting new goals and redefining the record books.

It’s important to remember that most of racing, especially land speed racing, isn’t spent behind the wheel. It’s countless hours of engineering, creativity, collaboration, and meticulous planning. It’s innovation, patience, and persistence. Those who chase these extremes accept the risks, but that doesn’t make the loss any less tragic or the grief any easier.

We thank Chris Raschke for paving new roads and for his lasting impact on the racing world.  God Speed...