Kowalsky Machine 
12171 Wards Rd. 
Rustburg, 24588 
(434) 821-6107 
(434) 821-6109 

kowalskyracing@yahoo.com 
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    History


    Don Kowalsky, president of Kowalsky Machine started working on automobiles as early as the age of 15. His interest remained through high school working on various street cars and during his senior year in high school, he began working at Sonny's Automotive. While working at Sonny's Automotive he built engines for drag racing legends such as Rickie Smith, Johnny Dowey, and even a custom set of sheet metal valve covers for Bob Glidden. Don was the shop manager at Sonny’s Automotive until eh decided to start a business of his own. During his employment at Sonny’s Automotive he trained and worked with Kevin Simpson, who would later come to work at Kowalsky Machine. Don began Kowalsky Machine in 1986 and not long after, started building engines for late model stock racing, which is a division of NASCAR Weekly Racing Series.

    With his drag racing background and his interest in stock car racing he started working with Ford Motor Company in the development of the Ford V6 Racing Engine. This engine was run in the Busch Grand National division of NASCAR. During this time Mark Martin was driving the Carolina Ford dealers Thunderbird, owned by Bill Davis. Working with Mark Martin and Bill Davis many races were won including the first Ford V6 Busch Grand National win in history. Many developments were made in cylinder head technology to make the V6 engine run competitively.

    To make an engine hold up to the extreme conditions of Daytona International Raceway and other NASCAR tracks, the conventional technology in the V6 engine had to be changed. Mark Martin then got a Winston Cup ride in the Folgers car so he ran a limited Busch Grand National schedule. The young newcomer Jeff Gordon got in the seat after racing quarter midgets and began running a full season in the Carolina Ford dealer’s car. Shortly thereafter Jeff Gordon got another ride in the Hendricks Motorsports DuPont Chevrolet. Soon the V6 engine was no longer used in the Busch Grand National Series, and the V8 took its place. Don built engines for drivers such as Hermie Sadler and Johnny Rumley with the 18° cylinder head Chevrolet V8 in the Busch Grand National Series.


 
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