NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The world of drag racing is a melting pot of old and new, from the mix of classic and modern-day muscle cars to an eclectic and enormous array of racers from every walk of life and spanning decades of age. Driving his sleek Empaco Dodge Challenger Drag Pak in the Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class, Mark “Cowboy” Pawuk is amongst the veterans of the sport, and in 2025, that experience parlayed into a second consecutive championship for the Ohio native.

“Last year, winning my first championship, it was a dream I’d had all my life,” said Pawuk. “I really can’t believe it happened again. After the first one, my wife, Bonnie, suggested it might be time to retire — but I said, ‘What do you mean? I have to try for a repeat.’ Lo and behold, I did it. Now I have to go for the three-peat.”

With the No. 1 on the window, Pawuk had high hopes buoyed by historical proof. The first national event win of his career came in Pro Stock at Houston Raceway Park in 1992, more than a decade after his first final round in Super Gas at the 1981 NHRA U.S. Nationals. In his ninth final round, the barrier to victory had been broken, and he won in both of the next two final-round appearances. Could his first championship have broken another barrier; would a second soon follow?

Jarringly, the early answer was no.

“We hurt an engine in qualifying at Gainesville and worked most of the night to replace it. First run, I did the burnout and went to leave the starting line, and it shut off,” recalled Pawuk, stunned dejection still evident in his voice. “I thought I was done. Here I go, out in the first round at the first race, thinking the chance of another championship was already lost.”

But the story quickly turned as his Empaco Dodge came to life. Pawuk sawed his way to the final round at the spring race in Charlotte with a car that set top speed of the meet (181.28 mph), and although he had historically struggled at Bristol Dragway, his Ray Barton Racing Engines-powered Drag Pak was pleasingly powerful there. Pawuk won the event to move into the points lead and set up an emotional roller coaster of a weekend in Norwalk three weeks later.

Tricky track conditions presented a large challenge, and heading into the final session of qualifying at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Pawuk was sitting outside of the field with a racing heart.

“It reminded me of when I won the Summit Racing-sponsored race in Columbus in 2000, the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus,” said Pawuk, who carries Summit Racing on the rear quarter panel of his race car. “Going into the last session, I wasn’t in, and storms were coming. There was rain all around, and everybody was putting their cars away. It was my sponsor’s race, and I was like, ‘Oh, man.’ But somehow, the weather cleared. I got in the field in the No. 9 spot and won the race. So, this year in Norwalk, I had people coming up to me, saying, ‘Remember Columbus 2000?’ I remembered.”

The weight of the task at hand was on his shoulders. Pawuk had longed to win at his home track for his entire career, and at that point, he wasn’t even going to get a shot. The schedule was painfully shuffled throughout the day, but in the third and final session, the seasoned competitor blasted to the No. 2 spot. Safely in and with spirits soaring, Pawuk turned on win light after win light, from Saturday evening until Sunday afternoon, finally landing the coveted Norwalk ice cream scoop trophy and the Wally.

“That was on my bucket list,” said Pawuk, who has raced since the mid-1970s. “In my opinion, Norwalk is the finest facility on the circuit, and I was very close to Bill Bader Sr., Bill Jr., Bobbie, and the entire Bader family. To get that famous ice cream scoop and check that one off the list was absolutely awesome. It might have been the highlight of my career.

“After that, I felt like we really had a chance at another championship.”

Cowboy kept riding, and he logged semifinal performances on the hallowed grounds of Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and Maple Grove Raceway. Taylor Dietsch and his Cobra Jet Mustang won back-to-back to eclipse dad Jason Dietsch in the points, moving to No. 2 in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown standings. As the final race of the season approached, Pawuk was sitting in an exceptional position, 153 points ahead of young Dietsch.

He was a mathematical lock for his second championship, so long as he did not incur 36 penalty points, a concern that was on the mind of no one. For extra assurance, Pawuk qualified in the No. 1 spot, and after winning the first round of eliminations, he was officially a two-time champion.

“This last year was probably some of the best driving I’ve had in a while,” said Pawuk. “I’m able to clear my mind and be more focused. I trusted my crew; they gave me a good car, and I didn’t have to worry about anything. We’ve been consistent, and that’s given me more confidence and helped me with my driving, but I’ve had a fire in me. I wanted to show them that this old guy can still race with these young whipper snappers.”

Pawuk recognized his family for their unwavering support, including wife Bonnie and kids Kassandra and Kyle.

He thanked David Davies III and Flexjet; NHRA; crew Mike Valerio, Kyle Pawuk, and Pat Donaghue; Ray Barton Racing Engines; Alan and Jeff Haire of Enerco and Heat Star; Ken Taylor and Ohio Cat and Cat Rental Stores; Scott Peterson, Al Noe, Jim Greenleaf, and Summit Racing Equipment; Jason Moulton and Mickey Thompson; Todd Rogers and Goodyear; Scotty Highland; Diamond Pistons; PAC Valve Springs; Trend Products; Bob Gorman; Micky Hale and Cometic Gasket; Mark Whitney, Matt Ambroziak; Kevin and Scott Wesley and Dodge/Direct Connection; Mark Beatty and Red Line; Freddie Turza and VP Racing Fuels; Westfield Bank; ARP and Chris Raschke; Impact; E3 Spark Plugs; and the employees of Empaco Equipment Corporation.