Double IHRA Pro Modified Champion, Mike Janis will be a much feared addition to the Top Doorslammer field at next month’s Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway when he takes to the wheel of Sean Mifsud’s striking orange and black Plymouth Duster-bodied machine in an attempt to re-set the Australian national record.
The New York based racer deputises for Mifsud, who is out of action after breaking his leg at the Slamfest event in Portland, Victoria. With an enviable record that considers him to be one of the three most successful drivers in the category (known as Pro Modified in the US), Janis comes to Australia with a very clear objective – however knows the Aussies will put up a fight:
“I can tell you we do not plan on flying (to Australia) for over 20 hours without hopes of winning the event,” said Janis. “Our first goal is to have a safe test session and make sure everything is okay. The hardest deal is going to be qualifying for the eight-car field. This is such a tough field and if we can qualify for it, that will be a big deal for the first time out with the car. However, you can bet if we get in the show we plan to win.”
An innovator in the area of drag racing technology, Janis originally built the car now owned by his good friend Mifsud. They will be utilising one of the American’s own Mike Janis Superchargers high-helix blowers on the car, which is unusual compared to the technology used by most Doorslammer racers in Australia.
He firmly believes that he is capable of following in Larry Dixon’s Top Fuel tyre tracks and taking the Australian record back to the USA.
“This Duster is very capable of setting the ANDRA record. If we can get the car ironed out, there’s no reason you couldn’t see numbers on the scoreboard in the 5.70s at over 400kmh (250mph),” he said matter-of-factly. “We are going to give it our best shot with the very little test time we will have.”
Janis arrives into the centre of one of the most wide open Top Doorslammer ANDRA Championship fights in the category’s history. Currently, Victorian, Peter Kapiris leads the way over the in-form Victor Bray by 63 points. Five times and defending Champion, John Zappia is sitting in third place, still looking for the form to carry him to a sixth consecutive Title, whilst Ben Bray and Sydney Dragway’s own Maurice Fabietti sit eyeing off their own positions in the top three.
The Nitro Champs get underway at Sydney Dragway between May 3 and 5 and feature every professional ANDRA Drag Racing Series category.
