NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Entering final eliminations at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, there were four drivers racing for the Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown world championship, and Mark Pawuk managed to outlast the other three to claim a long-awaited first NHRA title.  

Pawuk made a name for himself in the early days of Super Gas and then went on to have a successful Pro Stock career, but winning a Factory Stock title was something he could only have dreamt about.  

“Going into the season, I felt good about our chances,” Pawuk said. “We worked hard all winter, especially Ray and David Barton on our engine program. Did I expect to win the championship? No, but you always dream about it, and then to have it come down to the last race of the season, I couldn’t have scripted it any better. 

“My whole racing career; I started racing in the ’70s, I won a Super Gas championship in 1981 when it was called Pro Gas,” Pawuk said. “To be able to win a championship in the NHRA is something I always thought about. I just wasn’t sure I could ever get it done. I attribute this championship to Don Schumacher and my dad [Emil] being with me this season, and I prayed to them, and it gave me the strength to get here.” 

Coming into the season finale at World Wide Technology Raceway, Pawuk was solidly in contention, but he knew he would need some help in order to gain the top spot. He entered eliminations as the No. 2 qualifier after driving his Dodge Drag Pak Challenger to a 7.817 best. 

In round two, Stephen Bell took out incoming leader David Janac to narrow the field to three. Scott Libersher also kept his title hopes alive, turning on the win light while Pawuk raced to the semifinals via a bye run. In the semifinals, Bell lost to Jonathan Allegrucci, meaning that Pawuk just needed to get past Libersher in order to clinch the No. 1 spot, a feat easier said than done. The title was decided after Libersher’s COPO Camaro spun the tires, allowing Pawuk to cruise to the round-win and top spot. He later won the all-Dodge final against Allegrucci and, for good measure, set low elapsed time of the weekend with a 7.765. 

“I was third in points, but there was four of us within a round and a half of each other. The cards had to fall a certain way, and everything fell the right way for me,” Pawuk said. “We played it very straight all year. Ray Barton Engines and my co-crew chief, David Barton, continued to just fight and fight, trying to find some power. Co-crew chief Mike Valerio working with the car, I mean, we made good runs this weekend. All I can say is, it’s a dream come true, and I can’t believe it. 

“I saw that Jonathan beat [Bell]. I saw my guys jumping up and down,” Pawuk recalled. “Jonathan was a big help to me taking out Stephen, and Stephen helped us all when he beat David Janac. When I rolled up to race Scott, I just didn’t want to do anything stupid. I was just hoping I could catch a good light, and I guess God was looking down at me, and I did the right thing, and I had a good run. I had a good reaction time.” 

Pawuk kicked off the season with a win at the historic Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and then remained in contention by driving to a runner-up finish at his home track, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk. A string of semifinal finishes in Pomona, Las Vegas, and Chicago kept him near the front of the pack, but an early loss in Brainerd in a close race against Tony Scott threatened to derail his championship aspirations. 

“I felt good about our chances after Gainesville, but then I screwed up at Indy,” Pawuk said. “We ran at night and the shift light blinded me, and I shut off early and Ray Nash came around me. Then, we went to Reading, and I lost to Scott [Libersher] by .005-second, and that was devastating. I sat in my car for a while because I thought it was over. Before that, I really liked our chances.” 

Pawuk knew that the championship victory was a team effort both in his pits and across the country. Throughout the season, Pawuk paid homage to NHRA legend Don Schumacher but also several companies that have provided support throughout his racing career. 

Pawuk raced in Pro Stock for the better part of two decades and posted eight wins and 11 top-10 finishes, but the closest he ever came to a championship was 1993 and 2000, where he finished fifth. More than two decades later, he’s thrilled to finally have the top spot in one of the sport’s most competitive classes. 

“It rained on Friday in St. Louis, and we went golfing, and I blew the lead,” Pawuk said. “My son joked that I can never finish, and that lit a fire under me. He attributes that to my success, so we’ll go with it. At the banquet, I broke down during my speech, and I think that shows what this means to me after so many years.” 

For Pawuk, family comes first, including his wife, Bonnie, and kids, Kyle and Kassandra, as well as crew chief Mike Valerio, crewmember Frank Madonia, and Pat Donaghue. Pawuk also thanked Al and Jeff Haire of Enerco, Mr. Heater, and Heatstar, Ohio Cat and Cat Rental Stores, Summit Racing Equipment, Red Line Oil, Mickey Thompson, Goodyear, VP Fuel, Race Winning Brands, Cometic Gaskets, E3, and Mark Whitney and Matt Ambrosak of Stellantis.

Read more 2024 NHRA world champion profiles