Duluth Car Enthusiast With ‘Souped Up’ Mazda RX7 Eyes Next Lap: Florida Drag Race

Michael Janousek's Mazda RX7 Convertible can reach 150 mph in 9.6 seconds.

DULUTH, Minn.- A Duluth car enthusiast — and his modified car that’s perhaps more famous than he is — are taking on a drag race in Florida which will truly test their metal.

Michael Janousek had his 1988 Mazda RX7 Convertible featured on the Discovery Channel back in 2017.

He said he taught himself how to modify the car after inheriting it from his father over 20 years ago.

Now, it can reach 150 mph in 9.6 seconds, which according to Janousek is the world record for the fastest RX7 convertible.

His next endeavor? He plans on taking it to the “Sick Week” drag and drive style race in Florida next month.

For that race, the driver has to have everything they need with them in the car or a trailer, moving it all between the event’s four racetracks. “You can get an entire year’s worth of drag racing in one week,” he said.

“So it’s not only extremely exhausting I mean you’re basically doing changeovers on your car twice a day. You’re going there in a street car and then you have to convert it to a drag car and then you have to convert it back to a street car and then head to the next track,” said Janousek.

The gearhead said he has a goal of making an 8 second goal, but “to be able to finish, that’s the main goal. To be able to at least make it through the entire event.”

You can follow along his journey to and at the race on his YouTube page.