Reigning two-time Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world champion Mark Pawuk closed out the 2026 season with a victory at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals today outrunning Lee Hartman in the final round. In a close race, Pawuk’s winning time of 7.522 seconds at 185.07 mph got to the finish line first over Hartman’s 7.542 second, 183.32 mph run.
“This is unbelievable,” said Pawuk from the Texas Fall Nationals winner’s circle stage. “We really struggled this year with this new Charger. Dodge has been good to us. We worked our butts off with Ray Barton Racing Engines, Mike Valerio, Frank Madonia, my son Kyle, and my wife. This would have been my dad’s 101st birthday. He was looking over us all day. How cool is that?”
Pawuk had to work his way through a tough quartet of drivers to secure his sixth Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series National event. As the No. 9 qualifier, Pawuk beat Rouven Dawson and then took out David Davies II in the quarterfinals. Racing into the semis against No. 1 qualifier Doug Duell both drivers took off at the same time and Pawuk took the win with a solid 7.546 seconds at 184.58 mph pass to reach the final.
In a match-up against the Great Lakes Nationals winner Hartman, Pawuk had a nearly perfect reaction time with a .017 second jump off the line and never trailed in the race. At the finish line, Pawuk’s Empaco Dodge Charger crossed in 7.522 seconds at 185.07 mph.
Prior to Pawuk’s Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown win, his son Kyle Pawuk won in Super Gas. The Pawuks became the 17th family to double-up at an NHRA national event.
“When Kyle won today, I said the kid can’t outdo The Cowboy and I got the win,” said Pawuk, who has been known as The Cowboy throughout his career. “My dream all year has been to win one of these diamond Wallys. Dallas was one I never won, and I finally got it done.”
For the fourth time this season Jonathan Allegrucci drove his Mustang Cobra Jet into the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series winner’s circle. Today in front of a near sell-out crowd at World Wide Technology Raceway, Allegrucci clinched his first Flexjet Factory Stock Shodown Series world championship reaching the final round. Then he defeated Scott Libersher in a classic Ford versus Chevrolet final round. It was Allegrucci’s sixth final round appearance in 2026 and put an exclamation point on a dominant season.
For the second race in a row Duell claimed the $1,000 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown bonus. Today he outran Scott Libersher in the second round with a winning elapsed time of 7.544 seconds at 184.69 mph against Libersher’s 7.612 second at 183.01 mph pass.
The 2026 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series featured five different national event winners including four-time national event winner and 2026 world champion Jonathan Allegrucci. The series will return in 2027 with the schedule release slated for later this year.
This story was originally published on October 19, 2026.
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