Mike Janis
Janis Looking Forward to Homecoming of Sorts at Norwalk
Courtesy Mike Janis Racing
Photos By Roger Richards (2000)
Elma, NY– The recent performance of Mike Janis and his Eaton Aeroquip Mustang has many in his home area of Western New York looking forward to attending this weekend’s 5th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA 
Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.
“Of all the NHRA tracks we run at I would say I’ve raced at Norwalk the most. I’ve been running there for… gosh several decades,” laughed Janis. “Norwalk is the closest national event track for us, just three and a half hours from our shop, Jan-Cen Motorsports in Elma, NY.”
“It’s been a busy week back at the shop. People have been coming in to the shop all week telling us that they have been watching what we have been doing and that they are going to Norwalk to cheer us on. My Mom, sister and brothers are coming along with other family members and friends. It’s going to be a busy weekend in our Pit area,” added Janis.
Janis Hopes Recent Performance Will Aid the Search for New Marketing Partners
Photos By Johan Lindberg
Elma, NY– In the last three races Mike Janis and his Eaton Aeroquip backed team has begun their climb up the point’s ladder. The Elma, NY based team has seemingly found the consistency that all drag race teams look for.
“We have made some very good progress these last three or four races. We have a unique combination that no one else out here is running so we are forced to learn from our own mistakes. Our converter program has helped us not just behind the bellhousing but in front of it. It has forced us to look at things that we never paid much attention to in the past. We are going for the Championship. Hopefully we can keep going rounds and make enough noise for people to want to become marketing partners with our team; it’s getting rough out here fighting the bigger teams.” We are looking for partners this year and especially major and associate sponsors for the 2012 season, added Janis.
While the new torque converter program that Janis is running may have helped the team find consistency it has also helped award them with a 75 pound weight penalty. The NHRA has implemented a new rule adding 75 pounds to any vehicle in Pro Mod competition utilizing a torque converter. This will once again force the Janis team to learn what their combination will teach them.
Janis Takes Runner- Up Honors at NHRA SuperNationals
Courtesy of: Mike Janis Racing Inc.
Photos By: Allen Dobbs
Englishtown, NJ – Mike Janis is about as old’ school a racer as they come. Janis has raced nearly his entire life, 
following in the footsteps of his father, James Janis Sr. Since his childhood just outside of Buffalo, NY Janis has done nothing but dream of the moment he can lift a Wally in victory. This weekend the Lancaster, NY engine builder came oh, so close. (The Wally is the trophy awarded to winners of an NHRA national event. While the trophy is named after NHRA founder Wally Parks, the Wally trophy does not feature Parks himself, but is rather modeled after Top Gas racer Jack Jones.)
Janis started his run to the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Modified finals on Friday with an impressive qualifying lap of 5.837 at 246.57 miles per hour, a personal best for Janis. From there the team felt they had a good hold on the fast Englishtown surface.
Janis’ Eaton Aeroquip Team Look to Englishtown for First NHRA Victory
Courtesy Mike Janis Racing
Photos By Lori Smith
Elma, NY – Mike Janis sits second in all time wins for Pro Modified, but that’s on the IHRA’s list, not where it counts on the NHRA’s list. Janis who once dominated the Pro Modified division has yet to score an NHRA Wally but, after
recent performances Janis and his Elma, NY based team are looking forward to this weekend’s 42nd NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ with confidence.
“Our numbers have improved but our consistency is still lacking. We know that we have a fantastic combination here both in front of and behind the Pro Bell bellhousing”, said Co-Crew Chief Kevin Peters. “We just need a little luck on our side. While many of the parts we use on our car are still in the R&D phase for our customers at Jan-Cen it’s the PROVEN parts that have been costing us,” added Peters.
Peters is referring to the last two events where parts attrition kept the team from advancing. In round one in Atlanta driver and team owner Mike Janis lost with a 6.09 to a 6.01 while running most of the lap on only seven cylinders. In Houston Janis looked to be rolling to his first win when in the semi-finals parts failure again cost the team. Now heading to E-town Mike Janis Jr. is hoping to get by with a little help from some friends.
Janis Looking to Build on Recent Success at NHRA Southern Nationals
Elma, NY – After posting a semi-final finish two weeks ago at the 24th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring 
Nationals Mike Janis and his Aeroquip backed team have been busy attempting to learn all they can about their new US Transmission Quick Drive equipped B&J transmission.
“We’re running two cars this season and the only thing that’s the same between the two is the tranny set up,” said Mike Janis. “Every run we make we learn something. At the last GSA race we made some movement in our program and were able to take that to our other car. Now, I’m pretty confident that we can start to string some pretty good runs together and build from there,” added Janis.
Janis is quick to give credit for his new found performance to all that have helped with the transition from clutch to converter.
“Brian (Doan) and Mark Herbold of BDR have been a tremendous asset. Tony Eben from US Transmission Performance has given us a fantastic piece. LAT Racing Oils’ Danny Vaca really stepped up when it came to developing a totally new transmission fluid for us. His new tranny fluid runs cooler than anything we’ve come across. I can’t thank these guys enough for all their help. I just hope I can give them something in the way of a win soon,” said Janis.
Janis Ready for a Relaxed Weekend at the NHRA Spring Nationals
Elma, NY – While his fellow Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge competitors were competing earlier this 
month at the Vegas Strip, Mike Janis was back in Western New York tending to family health issues.
“Everyone seems to be OK right now but for a few weeks things got tense. I’m glad that things have stabilized right now and look forward to racing. Believe it or not the stress of racing will be relaxing this weekend,” said Janis.
In preparation for the O’Reilly Spring Nationals Janis and his Eaton Aeroquip team will head to Tulsa, OK to continue progress on their new torque converter set up. Brian Doan of BDR converters, Dave Flory of Probell Bellhousings and Mike Strasburg of B&J Transmissions have been very helpful with the conversion from clutch to converter.
Janis Takes Delivery of New ADRL Pro Extreme AMRC Duster
Courtesy of Janis Racing
Washington, MO – Mike Janis picked up his new ADRL ride today at Andy McCoy’s shop in Washington, MO. The car features many state of the art innovations implemented by McCoy.
The wrap was designed by Justin Spencer of Competition Designs and applied in house at AMRC by Ryan McCoy.
The new Duster features the new Alan Johnson Performance Engineering 5300 Hemi.
Janis hopes to test the new combination prior to the ADRL 2011 season opening Car Safe Dragpalooza VII on March 25-26 in Houston, TX.
New Convertor Program Shows Promise for Janis’ Pro Mod Team
Courtesy of Janis Racing
Gainesville, FL – After nearly a week of testing prior to the 41st Tire Kingdom Gatornationals the Elma, NY team felt 
confident heading into Gainesville but with each run at the Gators their confidence began to wane.
Electrical gremlins plagued the team all weekend hampering their efforts to hone in on their new convertor set up.
“She’s showing super huge potential,” said crew chief Mike Janis Jr. “from the 60 to the 1/8 mile we’re right there with the best guys this weekend but for some reason she started dropping cylinders just passed the eight mile. Some of our timers didn’t work, other parts malfunctioned. It makes no sense.”
The team continues to learn their new convertor set up and feels the set up shows promise.
Testing Complete, Team Janis Ready for 2011 Racing Season
Courtesy of Janis Racing
Elma, NY– With the offseason behind them Mike Janis and his Elma, NY based team headed to Valdosta, GA for some 
pre-Gatornationals testing. The team spent three days testing several combinations in hopes of being able to run with the best the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series has to offer.
With the NHRA slowing down supercharger overdrive for the 2011 season from 20% over to 14% over the Janis team was forced to abandon their scheduled R&D program and adjust to the new rules.
“The off-season rule change hit us pretty hard. We had hoped to focus on cylinder head development and other areas but due to the rule change we had to scramble and change our focus. I know we don’t have the power to run with the turbo guys, but we have made some gains in the horsepower department and with a little consistency maybe we can have a shot,” said the team’s chief designer and fabricator, Kevin Peters.
Mike Janis Joins Safety-Kleen Motorsports Team
Courtesy Mike Janis Racing
Elma, NY– Name a track; pick a race. From NASCAR to the Indy Car Series to the NHRA and the ADRL. Wherever the 
engines roar even louder than the crowd, Safety-Kleen is on the scene. Safety Kleen is the Official Trackside Environmental Service Provider for the biggest races in the world of motorsports and now Mike Janis Racing.
Mike Janis Racing joins Penske Racing, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Kevin Harvick Inc., Richard Childress Racing, and other top motorsports teams as part of Safety-Kleen Motorsports.
Safety-Kleen Motorsports’ management team of Buddy Judy and Drew Patey assisted in the process of Mike Janis Racing joining Safety-Kleen Motorsports.
“We are pleased to have Mike and his crew as part of the Safety-Kleen Team, stated Judy. “We hope that our association with Mike Janis racing will help bring a greater awareness to Safety-Kleen’s product and service offering,” added Judy.
