NHRA’s annual stop at Bristol Dragway brings a surge of memories for Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown competitor David Janac and his brother, Joe Janac. Last season, the brothers were standing side-by-side, grinning wide in the winner’s circle alongside their Janac Brothers Racing entry. This year, they’re ready to repeat with David behind the wheel of the family’s Stanfield Racing Engines-powered Cobra Jet Mustang.
In an emotional post-race interview in front of the Bristol Dragway fans following his first win, David said, “This is a dream that started in the 70s, and it came to fruition today.”
This year, on Friday morning at Bristol Dragway, big brother Joe still recalled the feeling of elation.
“We’ve been coming to Bristol now for a few years, and we’re back here to defend the title. After winning it last year with a Camaro, we’re planning to do it this year with a Ford,” he said with a smile.
Factory Stock was initially run as an exhibition race within select NHRA national events, and Bo Butner won the inaugural event in 2012 at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. It transitioned to a Quick 8 program for a brief period, then became a full-fledged category with a proper season championship in 2017. That season, the Janac Brothers officially entered the Factory Stock Showdown at the U.S. Nationals and liked what they saw.
The following year, Factory Stock Showdown was contested at Bristol Dragway for the first time in the track’s history. After the 2018 running of the class in Thunder Valley, it was not run there for three seasons. It returned in 2022, however, and has been contested there each season since. The first Bristol Factory Stock Showdown was won by Joe Welch, who defeated Arthur Kohn in the final. In 2022, David Barton notched a victory over Stephen Bell, and Aaron Stanfield got the job done over Del Holbrook in 2023. David’s win last season also came over Bell.
In addition to his treasured Bristol victory, David’s overall record includes a runner-up to Stanfield at Gainesville in 2022, a low qualifier award at Richmond in 2022, and a final-round finish in Las Vegas and Brainerd in 2024. He also started this season with a No. 1 in Gainesville.
“I’ve always liked Bristol and done well there,” said David, who was No. 2 in the championship standings at season’s end. “That first win gave me a lot of confidence that I could actually compete with these guys. These are some of the best of the best, and that I can actually compete against them really gave me a boost. I can’t wait for Sunday.”
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