Owens Racing Engines was founded in 1974 by George Owens Jr., a man whose passion for horsepower laid the foundation for one of Texas’ most respected engine shops. What began as a personal pursuit quickly became a family legacy, rooted in craftsmanship, integrity, and a relentless drive for performance. After George’s passing, longtime team member Joe Ankenbruck carried the torch, preserving the standards George set. Today, Chris Owens—George’s son—continues that tradition, working in the same Pearland, Texas shop where he got his start at 15 years old. With over 40 years of hands-on experience, Chris has refined the art of engine building, balancing old-school know-how with modern precision. Owens Racing Engines isn’t just a business—it’s a living legacy of racing excellence, where every engine is built with pride, purpose, and performance in mind.

Before Owens Racing Engines was a respected name in machine work, it was fueled by one thing: George Owens Jr.’s love of racing.

George wasn’t just building engines — he was chasing performance, precision, and speed at a time when hot rodding was still raw, hands-on, and earned the hard way. Racing wasn’t something he watched from the stands. It was something he lived, tested, broke, fixed, and refined.

That passion came to life on the drag strip, most notably with George Owens’ T Roadster, a car that embodied everything hot rodding stood for — ingenuity, craftsmanship, and the relentless pursuit of going faster.

In January 1982, Hot Rod Magazine featured George’s T Roadster, recognizing not just the car, but the mindset behind it — a builder who understood that true performance is earned through detail, discipline, and hands-on experience.

“Hot rodding has always been about innovation and independence — building something better with your own two hands.”
— Hot Rod Magazine, January 1982

That same philosophy became the backbone of Owens Racing Engines.

George’s work on the track directly influenced how engines were built in the shop. Every clearance mattered. Every measurement had a purpose. Every decision was intentional. Racing taught lessons that no textbook ever could — and those lessons became shop standards.

Today, that racing DNA still lives on. The same attention to detail, respect for craftsmanship, and performance-first mindset George brought to the strip continues at the benches and machines inside Owens Racing Engines.

This isn’t just history — it’s the reason we build the way we do.

👉 Read the original Hot Rod Magazine feature:

George Owens’ T Roadster Carries on the Tradition of “Hot Rods” in Drag Racing – January 1982

When George Owens Jr. passed away in March of 1982, Owens Racing Engines faced a moment that defines many legacy businesses: how to move forward without the man who built it.

That continuity came through Joe Ankenbruck.

Joe had worked alongside George and understood not only the machines in the shop, but the standards behind them. He didn’t just keep the doors open — he preserved the integrity, craftsmanship, and work ethic George had established. Under Joe’s guidance, Owens Racing Engines remained a place where engines were built carefully, methodically, and without shortcuts.

During this time, Chris Owens was already part of the shop’s heartbeat.

Chris had grown up around engines, helping his dad from a young age — sweeping floors, handing tools, observing, learning. In 1985, Chris officially began working at Owens Racing Engines, stepping into the shop not as “the owner’s son,” but as someone willing to learn the trade from the ground up.

Joe became both a mentor and a steady hand during Chris’s formative years in the shop. He taught by example — reinforcing that reputation is built one job at a time, and that precision and accountability matter long after an engine leaves the door.

For decades, Joe manned the shop, carrying forward George’s standards while helping shape the next generation. When Joe Ankenbruck passed away in 2023, it marked the end of an era — and the beginning of another.

Today, Chris Owens is manning the shop.

With over 40 years of hands-on experience, Chris brings together the lessons learned from both his father and Joe — blending old-school knowledge with modern precision and measurement practices. He builds engines the same way he was taught: deliberately, documented, and with pride in the work.

Owens Racing Engines isn’t just still operating — it’s still operating the right way.

Because legacy isn’t about names on a sign.
It’s about standards passed down, upheld, and protected.

While the tools and measurements have evolved, the mindset hasn’t.

Today, you can still see that craftsmanship in action — often in real time — through Chris’s work in the shop. Known online as “The Grumpy Old Machinist,” Chris shares the day-to-day reality of engine building: measuring, machining, correcting, and explaining why things are done a certain way.

No filters.
No shortcuts.
Just real engine work.

These behind-the-scenes moments give enthusiasts and customers a rare look inside a working engine shop — not staged content, but the same precision and discipline that have defined Owens Racing Engines for decades.

© Owens Racing Engines | Chris Owens
2308 1/2 North Austin Ave., Pearland, TX 77581
Phone: 281-485-5257 Email: joe.owensracing@gmail.com

Privacy Policy & Mobile Terms of Service

Follow us on Social Media: 

© Copyright Owens Racing Engines.  All Rights Reserved 281-485-5257