Page 6 - 2019 April-May IWMA Magazine

Janis Briggs Monroe is Mama Dwarf By: Linda Spangler
A dwarf car is 5/8 scale race car with a 1200 cc motorcycle Suzuki engine that resembles an old style hard top. In 1993 Janis Briggs’s husband went to a dirt car race and came home wanting a dwarf car. He took Janis to a race and they both were hooked on
racing again. Janis didn’t realize how much all of the racers would become a part of her family. She believes “Dwarf car people are so unusual, they are always friendly and helpful to other racers. They are just a great group of people and I’m proud to be their Mama.”
Janis unknowingly became “Mama Dwarf” one night when she went to the bathroom and came out elected to be the newly formed Norcal division Dwarf car Secretary. Her job was to keep track of Line ups at tracks at Stockton, Pla- cerville, Marysville and Chico. She also kept track of drivers scores, keeping track of which driver flipped, filing their tax- es, scrapping mud from the cars, making sure everyone had their tear offs, she also cleaned fire suits, scheduled who was going to BBQ for each race, and organized the pot lucks. Janis said “I did everything except for race the cars.” And even then she drove a car to get a good perspective of what
Western State Dwarf Car Association. They have been the Secretary and President of the Association ever since. The races span from the state of Washington to Texas. Janis feels “I’m very proud of being national recognized. This sport
has become respected and has grown from our four to five racer events to eleven Associations that race in eight different states. It will continue on even after we are done running the Association.” The Western States Dwarf Car Association races in Las Vegas, Oregon, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Wash- ington and Florida.
Janis’s husband Frank used to race stock cars at Alta- mount Speedway, but had to quit racing to grow his roofing company and to raise his family. However, Janis’s love for rac- ing started way back before Franks stock car and dwarf car racing. Her father raced. One of her fondest memories was when her father entered a road course race at Leguna Seca Speedway.
To help others get into the sport of racing, Frank started a company that sells Dwarf car chassis and parts. You can find the site online at www.dwarfworld.com. Janis is very proud that her husband has personally made 300 Dwarf chas- sis to date. Their contribution to racing is boundless.
When Janis isn’t racing, promoting racing or setting up races she loves to take out their families RZR at Pismo, Bea- ver Dam in Utah. Even her dog is named Razor. Their family used to go every Christmas to Glamis as well as the Gordan
her husband and the racers go through each race.
became about the racers and making sure everyone had ev- erything they needed for the race.
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Her life In 1997 Janis and her husband went on to form the