b12.11.05___X_JAN_FLM_0070_1.jpg (94750 bytes)

Photo ID # b12.11.05___X_JAN_FLM_0070_1
Car #: #X
Driver (s) : Mark Janisch
Location: Flemington
Date: 1975?
Photographer: Unknown
Photo provided by: Matt Janisch
Comments: Too cool... 

That's the only way to describe Mark Janisch's "X" cars of the mid 70's.  A lot of attitude in a similar tradition as the Ray Neary driven Fred Menschner owned modified #21 or Al Michalchuk's #292 sportsman coupe...  Tail up, nose down, just enough hood to cover the essentials, and a driver tucked inside - ready to do battle with the other drivers and fabricators who dared to test their creations each and every Saturday Night at Flemington.  

Being kind of an independent kid who didn't care much for most of the things when I was a teen that other kids enjoyed, I could really relate to Mark's "X".   It's like the car was making a statement as if to say, "I'm here, but don't expect me to be like everyone else..."  And isn't that how a lot of us felt who spent their teen years getting their weekly fix of Flemington to know that everything was right in the world? 

Maybe some of you never notice the little yellow #X.  I think Mark only ran a few seasons and as far as I can remember, may have picked up a few heat wins, but never a feature win.

It doesn't matter.  What does matter is that this car meant something to me... It meant that you didn't have to fit in... that it was ok to be out of the mainstream.  There was still a place where it didn't matter if you didn't play Little League or weren't on the Chess Team.  It didn't matter how big your house was, or how much money your dad made.

What mattered was that you did what you did to be at the show.  And for kids like me that never did race, some guy, tucked inside the darkness of an old coupe bodied racecar, with a non conforming "X" painted on the side represented us well.

If you measure success by feature wins, well... Mark won't be near the top.   But as far as cars that I connected with as a kid, Mark Janish's efforts did not go unnoticed.  Without a doubt, his cars are among my all time favorites.  And if it wasn't for guys like Mark, and the impact that their fabrication and driving abilities had on all of us, there wouldn't be a Vault.

Thanks Mark.

Visitor's Comments To add your comments about THIS PHOTO - Click Here
Date: Visitor's  Name:

Comment:

12/11/05 Paul Madsen Mark is still very involved in the sport with his son Matt. Who ran microsprints and is now running tq midgets.
06/27/06 ANDY HORNE 1975 FLEMINGTON. ANYONE NOTICE THE PINK PANTHER RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. LARRY KLINE WAS DOING DOUBLE DUTY THAT YEAR DRIVING THE 'A' CAR ALONG WITH HIS OWN RIDE. RICH VERONE DROVE THE 'B' CAR THAT YEAR. I LOVED THE 'X'.  I HAVE MANY PICTURES OF HIM DURING THAT TIME

THANK YOU,
ANDY HORNE
06/27/06 3-Wide A lot of need cars in the background..  Along with the original Pink Pather, I see George Ault's 11-7 (red with silver tailights), not sure about the rest of them (blue Mustang,  big tailed coupe... or the red car on the right.)

If you've got more pictures of Mark's #X, send them over and we'll post them... There's always more room in the Vault for this one!
     
     
     

Back