This month’s Featured Racer segment focuses on
the husband-wife team of Nick & Tiffany Januik. Nick & Tiffany race
primarily in the NSDA series on the west coast in the Top Alcohol and Top
Eliminator classes. Their unique cars and high level of on track performance
make them stand out from the crowd at each event they enter. Tiffany currently
sits second in NSDA Top Eliminator points heading into the final two races of
the year, while Nick is coming off of his first NSDA Top Alcohol win at Nick & Tiffany both started out small in sand drag racing with mild Jeeps racing the Jeep Jamboree at the Dumont Dunes. From there, Nick progressed to a dragster that eventually ran in the 3.3 range then on to the Blown Altered that his dad, Leon, currently races in the Top Eliminator class. Nick told us that he ran 3.00 with that car 14 times, but could not get that ever elusive two-second pass out of that car. The next step was a quick stint in Brad Kuhlmney’s Top Eliminator Dragster before he sold that, where Nick recorded his first two-second ET with a 2.91. Tiffany on the other hand, moved up from the CJ-7 Jeep to a Blown Funny Jeep running in the 3.5 second range. Her next step was up to an Altered with the drive train out of the Funny Jeep, where she dipped into the 3.1 range. Their next steps were into the current rides that they have today.
Nick’s current Top Alcohol class Dragster is the most unique in the class
currently in that it is a front-engine dragster. This is the only competitive
front-engine Top Alcohol car in the country, so competitive in fact that Nick
currently holds the third-quickest ET in class history. The 215” wheel base front-engine
dragster chassis previously saw life in the Nostalgia circuit’s A/Fuel category
on asphalt. Between the frame rails sets 526 cubic-inch BAE Hemi with parts
that include a BAE Billet Block, BAE 5 Fat Heads, PSI Screw Blower at 92% over,
Bryant Crank, GRP Rods, and JE Pistons. This motor combination is identical to
most of the competitive Top Alcohol Funny Cars in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag
Racing Series. Bob DeVour is the crew-chief on Nick’s car and tunes the motor
to transfer the power through L&T Clutch to a B&J single-speed reducer
then on to a Mark Williams 9” rear-end. The proof is in the pudding with this
car in that it has recorded a 2.420 in 
The car that Tiffany currently drives is an ex-Kenny Bernstein NHRA FC 125”
wheelbase chassis sporting a T-Bucket body. A 540 cubic-inch Big Block Chevy
powers Tiffany to passes as close to the 2.95 Index in Top Eliminator as
possible. The Big Block Chevy power plant starts with a Dart Big M Block and is
filled with a Scat billet crank, MGP Rods, & JE Pistons. Dart Heads top the
engine along with a Whipple screw-supercharger. This potent short wheelbase
machine puts the power to the ground through a Neal Chance converter and Brad
Kuhlmney-built Power Glide. Kuhlmney also serves as Tiffany’s crew chief on
race day. Family is a big part of racing for the Januik’s and the Plan B Motorsports race team. Nick’s dad Leon and mother Daline both race as well as Nick & Tiffany’s daughter Peyton in her Junior Altered sporting a replica Blown Hemi with a 6.5 HP Honda motor beneath. The Plan B team consists of three families; the Januik’s, Taylor’s, and Wright’s. Between the three families, they have a total of 13 cars in the group, including 2008 Sportsman 2 class champion Justin Taylor.
The Januik’s have a long list of supporters to thank in their endeavors. Famed NHRA Top Alcohol class tuner Bob DeVour is instrumental in Nick’s Top Alcohol Dragster team as are Reed Taylor, Gary Foutt, and Terrie Taylor. Tiffany and crew chief Brad Kuhlmney typically take care of her entry unless problems warrant that both teams jump in to fix whatever may be wrong. Some of the companies that support the Januik’s are L&T Clutches, Napa Auto Supply of Southern California, and B&J Transmissions. They would also like to thank their friends at Motorsports Medical Services, C3 Productions, NSDA, and NSDN as well as Frank Manzo for all of the support.
Nick & Tiffany are the epitome of hardcore racers with awesome race cars. Tiffany has fought hard all year long and currently sits second in the Top Eliminator point standings behind Billy Morris. Look for Tiffany to give Billy and the rest of the Top Eliminator class a run for their money as the 2009 race season wraps up. Likewise for Nick, he’s planning on finishing out the season strong, striving for race wins as well as testing some new engine and clutch things for the 2010 race season. Be sure to check out the Plan B Motorsports team as well as say hi to Nick and Tiffany the next time you are at a NSDA event.
Tiffany Januik in her Plan B Altered at the most recent Primm, NV event in the TE class.
Nick Januik making a pass in his Plan B Motorsports TA Dragster in Yuma, AZ; the site of Nick's first TA class win.
Tiffany making her first hits in the Altered at Dome Valley Raceway. (Photo Courtesy Crazy Photo Squad/Ruben Rodriguez).
Nick hiking the front end way up in the air at San Jacinto in early '07.
Tiffany running in one of her first races with the Altered in late 2007.
Nick running one of his last races with the BBC before switching to his current potent BAE Hemi.
Tiffany heading up to the starting line for a pass.
Nick's crew led by Bob DeVour (foreground) gets ready to fire up the car for a pass at Yuma.
Nick & Tiffany's daughter Peyton making a pass in the Plan B Motorsports Jr Altered.
Nick on his way to another strong performance in Primm, NV.
Look for Tiffany battling it out for the NSDA TE Championship as the second half of the season progresses.
Photos Courtesy C3 Productions (www.c3productions.net )