Flexjet
RICKY HORD WINS LAS VEGAS FOUR-WIDE FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN
LAS VEGAS, NV – For the first time, factory stock competitors brought their Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Dodge Drag Paks and Ford Cobra 
Jets to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and raced them four-wide with a Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown NHRA Wally on the line. After two days of qualifying, Ricky Hord entered race day as the No. 1 qualifier but Winternationals winner Stephen Bell, the No. 6 qualifier, was looking to defend the $1,000 Flexjet bounty while No. 2 qualifier Mark Pawuk was aiming to claim his second Flexjet title of the season and regain the points lead.
After three rounds, it was Hord, a third-generation racer, winning for the first time in his Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown career outrunning Janac, Scott Libersher and Pawuk. Hord earned a first round competition bye and then took two more round wins to become the third different driver to win in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series in 2024. Continue reading
RICKY HORD EARNS FIRST FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN NO. 1 QUALIFIER AT LAS VEGAS FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS
LAS VEGAS, NV – After four rounds of qualifying and preparing for the unique Las Vegas NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Ricky Hord powered 
his Chevrolet COPO Camaro to the No. 1 qualifier with two strong runs today at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hord earned his first career Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown No. 1 qualifier on the strength of his third-round pass of 7.939 seconds at 172.54 mph. The run moved the driver from Orlando, Fla., into the top spot around provisional No. 1 David Janac. Hord will lead a tough Factory Stock field into eliminations in front of No. 2 qualifier Mark Pawuk and his Dodge Drag Pak, the Gatornationals winner and Winternationals runner-up. After he had secured the quickest run of the weekend Hord was all smiles talking about the accomplishment.
“It’s a good feeling and we’ve been working really hard the last couple of seasons,” said Hord, who is a relative newcomer. “This is only my third season running any kind of car let alone a Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown car. It felt good to come out and run well. We had some issues in Pomona and the car was kind of all over the place, so it felt good to come back and make ‘A to B’ passes in every run at the four wide. To be the No. 1 qualifier is awesome.” Continue reading
STEPHEN BELL WINS DELAYED WINTERNATIONALS FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN
LAS VEGAS, NV – Two weeks ago a severe rain shower that included a brief hailstorm halted the Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger 
Dragstrip at Pomona. Points leader and No. 1 qualifier Mark Pawuk, Stephen Bell and David Davies II remained in competition and completed the race today at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals. Flexjet 2023 championship runner-up Bell emerged victorious outrunning Davies in a classic Chevrolet versus Dodge final round. Bell took a starting line advantage and never trailed in the race posting a winning time of 7.984 second at 172.41 mph over Davies’ 12.098 second run that was hampered by tire shake off the starting line.
“It’s just an absolute dream come true to get out here and race with your friends and be competitive,” said Bell, at the top end of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “Man, outside of marrying my wife and having my three beautiful children winning a Wally is right up there with one of the greatest days of your life. So, no complaints here.” Continue reading
DOUBLE TROUBLE: FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN RACES FOUR-WIDE FOR FIRST TIME IN VEGAS AND CONCLUDES RAIN DELAYED WINTERNATIONALS
LAS VEGAS, NV – The NHRA Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals will be packed with Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown action this weekend at 
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 12-14. The fan favorite class featuring Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Cobra Jets and Dodge Challenger Drag Paks will battle it out across four lanes for the first time in Las Vegas and just the third time in class history.
In 2022 and 2023 the factory stock hot rods raced at famed zMAX Dragway outside of Charlotte, North Carolina with Bill Skillman and Lenny Lottig taking home the NHRA Wally trophies for their winning efforts, respectively. This weekend a tough group of Dodge, Chevrolet and Ford competitors will be lining four-wide to see who will race to the winner’s circle on Sunday in the third race of the NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series.
Before the four-wide champion is crowned there is still some unfinished business to handle as points leader Mark Pawuk, 2023 series runner-up Stephen Bell and David Davies will be racing to finish the rain delayed NHRA Winternationals. The trio of drivers’ race day was cut short in March by a rain and hailstorm that forced the abrupt conclusion of the historic west coast race and moved the final two rounds to The Strip. Pawuk and Davies will square off in one semifinal and Stephen Bell will have a bye run into the final. The final two rounds of the Winternationals will be run on Saturday in conjunction with the final two rounds of Las Vegas qualifying. Continue reading
RAIN HALTS WINTERNATIONALS FLEXJET FACTORY SHOWDOWN IN THE SEMIFINALS
POMONA, CA – A severe rain shower that included a brief hailstorm halted the Winternationals today at In-N-Out Burger Dragstrip at 
Pomona as the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series was entering the semifinals. Points leader and No. 1 qualifier Mark Pawuk, Stephen Bell and David Davies remain in the competition. The race will be completed during the upcoming Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 12-14.
“This is a tough break for sure,” said Pawuk, who opened the season with a win at the NHRA Gatornationals. “I was looking forward to getting the race in, but Mother Nature had other plans. I want to thank the NHRA for doing everything they could to get the race in today. My Dodge Drag Pak was making good runs and I felt great behind the wheel. We’ll just have to see when we can get the race done.”
In the first round there were several huge races including Scott Libersher taking a solid starting line advantage and leading 2023 championship runner-up Bell until 1,000 feet when Bell chased him down for the win. Bell posted low E.T. of the event on the run with a blistering 7.799 seconds at 173.38 mph run in his red Chevrolet COPO Camaro.
MARK PAWUK GRABS FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN NO. 1 AT NHRA WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA, CA – Mark Pawuk started the NHRA Winternationals running to the top of the qualifying order and continued to put pressure on 
his Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown competitors. The NHRA Gatornationals winner ran 7.856 seconds at 178.87 mph in the opening session of qualifying Friday. Pawuk’s Empaco Dodge Drag Pak that is memorializing his longtime friend and NHRA Hall of Famer Don Schumacher held off the rest of the field through the second session. After Saturday’s qualifying session was rained out Pawuk earned his fifth No. 1 qualifier and will enter Sunday looking to secure his third national event win.
I won the Gatornationals two weeks ago and I would love to win the Winternationals this weekend,” said Pawuk, from his pit after qualifying was cancelled. “Flexjet Factory Stock has never run in Pomona so getting the first win would be cool. We have a good hot rod but there are a lot of tough cars here this weekend. I am going to have to be on top of my game. We had a couple good runs yesterday and Mother Nature didn’t cooperate with us today. We’ll be ready for race day tomorrow.”
PAWUK LOOKS TO CONTINUE HOT STREAK AT WINTERNATIONALS WITH ANOTHER FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN WIN
POMONA, CA – Veteran driver and team owner Mark Pawuk opened the season with an emotional win at the NHRA Amalie Motor Oil 
Gatornationals racing to his second career Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series victory. The win was sweeter because he was driving a Dodge Drag Pak designed to honor long-time friend and NHRA Hall of Famer Don Schumacher, who passed away over the off-season. For Pawuk, a long-time NHRA Pro Stock competitor turned Flexjet Factory Stock racer, the win was meaningful on a variety of fronts. He will get his chance to continue his win streak as the fan-favorite series makes its debut on the West Cost at the NHRA Winternationals, at In-N-Out Dragway in Pomona, Calif., March 22-24.
“The Gatornationals is one of the biggest races in the NHRA and I have always wanted to win in Gainesville,” said Pawuk, from the Gatornationals winner’s circle. “To get that win and to have Don’s name on the race car was special. Don was a great friend and competitor. This class has a lot of tough drivers and cars, so anytime you can turn on a win light that’s a big deal. Racing Stephen (Bell) in the final was tough. I knew I would need to get off the line quick and hopefully hold him off. I can’t wait to get to Pomona and show off for the California fans who have never seen this class.”
PAWUK WINS FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN AT NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – Veteran racer and team owner Mark Pawuk raced his Empaco Dodge Drag Pak to the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown 
Series winner’s circle today at the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals. Pawuk took advantage of the three qualifying sessions to enter race day as the No. 3 qualifier and in the final round he defeated Stephen Bell, to also claim the Flexjet $1,000 bounty. His traditional looking Dodge Drag Pak was adorned with a special memorial to NHRA Hall of Famer and close friend Don Schumacher.
“Don and I were very close and I reached out to his stepdaughter Megan and asked if I could do a car in his memory,” said an emotional Pawuk in the staging lanes after his win. “We are going to celebrate him at a couple races and it’s just so cool. I’ve always wanted to win the Gatornationals. This has always been one of my most favorite races and to do it with my wife and daughter here and all the people helping me. Unfortunately, Kyle, my son had to leave to get a flight home, so he left right before the semis. It was not the same without him on the starting line. I’m glad I could do this for Don every round.”
Pawuk had to take on three tough Chevrolet COPO Camaro competitors every round except for a bye run in the semifinals. Throughout the day Pawuk was up to the task leaving the starting line on time and hitting his shift points.
NEWCOMER MIKE CLARK RUNS TO FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN NO. 1 AT NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL – The season opening Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series event at Gainesville Raceway showed that the competition 
level will be wide open. Newcomer Mike Clark from Mono, Ontario, Canada ran to the No. 1 spot driving his brand new Smokies Garage Dodge Drag Pak. On Friday night Clark ran 7.824 seconds at 175.80 mph and that time held up through the final round of qualifying on Saturday at the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals.
“I’m new to Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown for sure,” said Clark. “I’ve been doing the Hemi Shootout stuff for years. I bought this Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown car about three weeks ago and put it together. I had (2023 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world champion) Aaron Stanfield go through the motor and change the blower. I’ve got Jody Hadley tuning with me which has been great.”
After the first qualifying run Friday championship runner-up Stephen Bell was No. 1 with a 7.994 second pass at 169.06 mph followed by Doug Hamp and Anthony Troyer. Under the lights at Gainesville Raceway Clark went to the top with his 7.824 second run at 175.80 mph in his Dodge Challenger after a tough first round pass. Mark Pawuk also stepped up running 7.905 seconds at 176.93 mph. The top five were rounded out by Scott Libersher and Anthony Troyer in COPO Camaros and Jason Dietsch’s Ford Cobra Jet. Clark was excited about his effort and he was looking forward to the first round.
Davies Brings New Sponsor and Passion to Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Opener
GAINESVILLE, FL – One of the most exciting classes on the NHRA tour will hit the track this weekend starting their ten-race series of 
Chevrolet COPOs, Dodge Drag Paks and Ford Cobra Jets battling it out for manufacturer supremacy in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series. David Davies III will be racing in the series for the third year in a row wheeling a new-look Dodge Challenger with Mission 22, a national non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness and combat the issue of veteran suicide, as the primary brand on his race car. Davies, a US Air Force Veteran, has offered space on his Dodge Challenger throughout his career to veteran organizations.
“I am looking forward to getting the season started on the race track of course because it has been a long off-season and I love to race this class but I am equally excited to get the word out about Mission 22,” said Davies. “It breaks my heart that according to the Department of Veterans Affairs 22 veterans lose their lives to suicide every day. These men and women served our country with pride and I want to let them know they are seen, appreciated and if they need help Mission 22 will be there for them.”
