JAMR Engines is owned and operated by Jerry Lemke.  He has over 30 years experience in the industry.  Jerry and his staff have operated out of their well-equipped facility at 5628 Industrial Avenue , in Loves Park , IL for almost 20 years.  Through hard work and attention to detail JAMR, has developed relationships with race winning and championship winning race drivers and teams at almost every level of automotive competition.  From the local short tracks to the national scene JAMR’s presence has been well felt.  JAMR has built engines for oval track, drag, hot street, and even stock vehicles. On the local scene, at the legendary Rockford Speedway, drivers John Knaus, Bobby Wilberg, and Ricky Bilderback have combined for 14 late model championships.  JAMR’s number of Rockford Speedway championships is over 20 if you include efforts in the hobby stock and mini stock divisions at the track.  The names of drivers using JAMR engines can be found many times on a list of winners of Rockford ’s famous National Short Track championships.  

Regionally you can find an impressive list of winners and champions using JAMR’s engines.  Additional track championships have been captured by drivers utilizing JAMR powerplants at tracks in Elko , Minnesota ; Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin ; Lake Geneva , Wisconsin ; Lebanon , Missouri ; and Cedar Rapids , Iowa .  Well-known Midwestern short track hero Joe Shear was one of the first to successfully campaign a JAMR engine, and he acquired many trophies from the former ARTGO challenge series.  Ricky Bilderback led laps and competed amongst the top 10 in ASA races with a specialized JAMR six cylinder.  The before mentioned Knaus and Bilderback’s local championship efforts have resulted in NASCAR Weekly Racing Series division crowns.  Brett McCoy also won the NASCAR Short Track series division crown using a JAMR four cylinder motor.  

JAMR has had relationships with drivers known on the national racing scene. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s journeyman racer Jim Sauter competed in what was then known as the Winston Cup series (now Sprint Cup) utilizing an engine assembled in the JAMR shop.  Now JAMR builds engines for Jim Sauter Jr., the youngest of Jim Sr.’s successful racing sons.  The 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, Travis Kvapil, got his career started with a championship in Rockford Speedway’s mini-stock program and a Rookie of the Year title in the super late division at Madison International Speedway. JAMR’s racing success is not just limited to stockcars.  Open wheel racer David Gough captured the 1998 and 2004 UMARA midget championship, a feature win in the 2003 edition of the prestigious RCA Dome indoor midget event as well as the USAC national feature at Anderson in 2004, and made starts in the Silver Crown series utilizing engines prepared at JAMR.  Chuck Johnson won a class title in the Baja 1000 with a JAMR engine.  

JAMR engines can also be found in drag racing engines, hot street, and nostalgic vehicles.  The October 2001 issue of Hot Rod Magazine features a 1968 Camaro complete with a JAMR big block.  JAMR has also assembled engines for a 1927 Marmon, big block speedboats, as well as experimental aircraft.  

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