History

 

In 1958, twenty-one year old Sam Jones bought a 1937 Chevy Coupe for $75. Sam, his brother Mack and close-friend Dale Moody began to prepare the car for competition in C/GS class in NHRA. With Sam as the driver, they raced in the area as they dialed the car in. 

  

They then began to venture out into tougher competition. In 1961, they won the World Series of Drag Racing in Cordova, Illinois. They set their sights higher up, onto the NHRA Nationals. They went to the 1962 Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana, where they concluded the event with dominating clean sweep. They set ET Record, MPH Record, while winning the C/GS Class and the Street Eliminator.

 

They were undefeated in their class in 1963, where they held the class record, won Class Champion in C/GS at NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis, were runner up in Junior Eliminator and were, again, the World Series of Drag Racing Champions. In 1964, they were Class Champion C/GS at NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis, IN. Sam sold the car around 1967/68, but bought it back again May 24, 2004. He now enjoys showing the restored race car on occasions.

 

As Sam’s family and reputation grew, he enjoyed a growing success. Jeff also began to rekindle a childhood interest in cylinder head development. Jeff’s curiosity about cylinder heads began when he was 13 and by 1975, at age 15, he was grinding on cast iron heads. Jeff looked up to Ron Winterhoff and Lee Shepard as the best in the business and it was his desire and passion to follow in their footsteps.  Jones Engineering was founded in 1979 by Sam, his wife Madonna and son Jeff. It is a small family business, still located in their hometown of Washington, Indiana and now includes Sam's grandson, Tyler.

 

Their engines won and their reputation spread. It wasn't long before their clients were at the top of their field. Sam & Jeff's concentration was on the Sprint and Midget market. Their clients included John Andretti, Dave Blaney, Bob Ciccone, Jeff Gordon, Jack Hewitt, Rick Hood, Doug Kalitta, Frankie Kerr, Mark Kinser, Steve Kinser, Eddie Leavitt, Ken Schrader, Don Shilling, Steve Smith Jr., Tony Stewart, Rich Vogler and Doug Wolfgang.

 

Their engines have racked up around 24 National Championships, as well as many track wins, Track Records and Track Championships across the USA, Australia, Canada and Mexico. They also have National Truck Pulling Championships and State Tractor Championships.

  

After many countless hours of grinding, shaping and flow testing their heads, the E/MP Camero they were campaigning was competitive with other leading engine builders.  Around that same time, sprint car racers began to order engines.  This helped open a door for a great developmental relationship with Brodix Aluminum Cylinder Head Company.

  

  In 1997, Jeff’s relationship with Bob Williams, of All-Pro Cylinder Heads, resulted in the development of another line of sprint, midget, late model, and drag racing heads. With the need to produce higher quantities of their successful heads, as well as more consistent heads, Jones Engineering turned to Weld Tech CNC Porting to machine their heads.  This has allowed Jeff to continue to develop ports from 2-barrel grass roots racing to Sprint Cup.  Jeff says one of the things we have learned thru the years is, "No matter how many hours you spend on the flowbench and engine dyno, the race track performance is what always leads you to the next port shape."

  

 In 1979, some engine builders said an aluminum head lost too much chamber heat to make power in a drag racing application.  But, following many successes in drag racing gas classes, Jeff proved otherwise. The Jones took what they had learned about improving horsepower from Drag racing and applied it into the Sprint Car arena.  Not only did they want their engines to win, they also wanted them to live.  Their engines racked up many wins in USAC. At the end of the 1985 World of Outlaw season, they began a working relationship with Karl Kinser and his driver, Steve Kinser. This combination would raise the standard in oval track racing. Jeff was now able to work with the greatest driver and crew chief and his cylinder heads moved up to the next level. Jones Engineering's relationship with Steve, and his crew chief, Scott Gerkin, continues to this day.

   

  We are so thankful for the many great customers we have enjoyed through the years.  They are the reason for our success. Engine builders and racers who have given incredible feed-back help us keep our cylinder heads winning races and technology advancing.