InnerView:

Mike Janis

By Chris Martin.
DRO black & white file photo.
Color photo by Jeff Burk.

Drag Racing Online: Who is Mike Janis?

Mike Janis: Sure, hit me with the hard ones first. (laughs) Wow, I guess this is hard. I don't know. I just turned 45 the day after the ACDelco Nationals. I'm married to my wife Michelle. I have two sons, Mike Jr. and Sean. Both my sons are involved with my racing in different ways. Mike Jr. (19) works with me at the shop, (Jan-Cen Racing Engines) he's more of a hands on, but still learning. Sean (15) is more the cerebral kind of guy, I guess. He takes care of our web site and helps out my PR guy with a lot of stuff. I tell you for a 15-year-old that kid's got it upstairs.

DRO: Yeah, that's nice, but what about Mike Janis the racer? To many racing fans, you came from nowhere this season.

MJ: Yeah, it took me over ten years of running Pro Mod to become an over night sensation. (laughs) Well, I guess you can say I grew up around racing. My father, Jim Janis started a speed shop in the Buffalo, NY area about 43 years ago with his then partner, Tony Centra. (Hence the shop's name JAN-CEN.) I have been working there since I was a kid. As the years went by, myself and my brothers took the business over after Tony left and my father went into semi -retirement. I do mean semi! We do a lot of engine work as well as sell Arctic Cat and Polaris Snowmobiles and ATV's.

DRO: What about more recently in your racing career? What about Pro Mod?

MJ: Ok, well as far as Pro Mod goes I have been racing Pro Mod for just about 10 years now. Except for last season when I had to race Top Sportsman. I only qualified at one National event in Pro Mod before this season. I've struggled for a lot of years, but I have done well in the past as far as match races and other events go. There is a series in Canada called the Canadian Drag Racing Series. I've always done good there. Last year I came in second in their point's championship. I think I've been in the top five there for maybe the last six or eight years.

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