By Ben Mozart:

MachiningMRHThree years ago during a PRI interview in Indianapolis, Mike Androwick was asked about his future. His firm, Mike’s Racing Heads, had supplied cylinder heads to various dirt track racing series, particularly in the northeast, and so successful were the designs, the question sounded legitimate. “I’d like to return to Pro Stock, developing heads and induction systems,” he said. But that arena is so competitive, bridled the interviewer, would you be able to compete? “I think I could. I’ve done it before.” he replied.

How did he achieve such remarkable results in 2017 with Gray Motorsports’ Pro Stock entries? “We work as a team,” he replies.

MikeJr

Mike Androwick, Jr.

The team that concentrates on power production comprises Mike and Mike Jr., Androwick’s 30-year-old son, and two full time employees at Mike’s Racing Heads, together with Gray Motorsports’ senior engine builder, Paul Hoskins, and his team. Mike Sr. has been friends with Hoskins for seventeen years.  Clearly, there’s much to be said for friendship and shared passion. Still, the cylinder head and intake manifold designs were stirred from Androwick’s fertile brain.

Team cars (Shane Gray, Tanner Gray, and Drew Skillman) scored seven consecutive victories, four runner ups, and won 10 races from 24 events. Young Tanner Gray, Shane Gray’s teenage son, carried five of those victories and collected two runner-up finishes in his rookie year. His accomplishments as the youngest driver to win in the NRHA Pro ranks were recently acclaimed, “I owe this award to the team,” he said graciously.

For both drag racing and dirt track fraternities, here are details of two new Androwick designs for racing small-block Chevrolet engines using Brodix 13-degree heads on standard 4.400in bore spacing.

BrodixHead2The dirt track version, which is finished, tested and available now, suits engine displacements of 377ci to 415ci and aimed at the Dirt Modified and Dirt Late Model markets. Intake valve sizes range from 2.180in to 2.200in., depending upon engine displacement. Intake valve seat angles change with valve size. Exhaust valve measures 1.600in and intake runner volume is stated as 290cc with chamber volume of 45cc on 4.155in bore. Brodix-13-degree-CylinderHeadSays Mike: “Dirt track engines operate almost constantly on and off the throttle, and it’s imperative to have a broad torque curve to facilitate acceleration and corner speed. That is the main difference when comparing dirt track cylinder head designs with drag race designs.”

The new drag race version, which Mike’s Racing Heads will release spring 2018, is devised for engine displacements of 383ci to 400ci.

Edelbrock4500IntakeTo further stimulate the ambitions of drag and circle track racers, both styles of cylinder head are subjected to Androwick’s lightening program and are available with either Jesel or T & D rocker systems.

As part of their top-end package, they have a entirely CNC-ported and lightened Edelbrock two-piece intake manifold. Currently, they’re working on a couple of new designs that will be produced from billet aluminum.

Source

Mike’s Racing Heads
Concord, NC
(704) 654-6079
MikesRacingHeads.com