Another Career Best For Pawuk Results In Another Disappointment
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RICHMOND, VA 10/14/06**When it comes to being tested by the fires of drag racing competition it could be said that Pro Stock Pontiac driver Mark “Cowboy” Pawuk of Richfield, OH has been consumed by the flames.**After yet another weekend in which his machine posted career best elapsed times in three of four qualifying sessions he again found himself in the 17th*position, one spot from making the field.**Rubbing considerable salt into the wound is the fact that this is the eighth time this year that Pawuk has ended up 17th*in the 16-car field.

************When it comes to catching that proverbial break that every racer looks for Pawuk knows from painful experience all season long that Lady Luck has turned her back on him.**A perfect example came during the first qualifying session on Friday afternoon when the driver in his lane two runs before his suffered a major engine failure that severely oiled the track from the starting line to the 330-foot clocks.**After a lengthy cleanup the following pair hopelessly spun their tires, negating their runs.**It was merely a portent of what Pawuk was to himself experience.**A longer-then-usual burnout failed to rectify the situation, and on the green Pawuk’s car spun the tires so hard that his 60-foot time was a snail-slow 2.193 seconds.

************Yet, on Friday evening and again on Saturday Pawuk’s Pontiac recorded successive career-best elapsed times, yet when the tire smoke finally cleared he was once again Number 17, one spot from making the show.

************“I can’t explain it,” Pawuk said after qualifying ended, “and I don’t have a solution for it either.**No matter what we do, things just aren’t clicking for us.

************“There’s no doubt about the fact that I’m facing some very hard decisions here,” he added.**“I’m seriously debating whether or not we’ll compete in the year’s last two races.**We’re obviously not involved in the points race, nor are we competitive right now.**Add into that some serious problems I’m having outside of racing and, in all candor, right now I just don’t have a lot of enthusiasm.

************“I haven’t made any firm decisions as to what I’m going to do about the rest of the year, but it’s obvious I’ll have to work things out within the next few days.”

************After notching a career-best elapsed time of 6.671 seconds at the Toyo Tires Nationals two weeks ago Pawuk improved on that with 6.663 second effort in Virginia -- .003 seconds short of the bump spot.*

************“Ya know, everyone’s been talking about how many times we’ve been seventeenth this year,” Pawuk said.**“After we ran that sixty-three-three one of the other drivers came up to me and said, Well, now we know the bump’s going to be sixty-three-zero, and he was right.**The thing is, I think we suspected it would be, too.”
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Results:
************Qualifying:
************************Session #1: No Time
************************Session #2: 6.665/206.54 #17 (6.658 Bump)
************************Session #3: 6.633/206.95 #17 (6.630 Bump)
************************Session #4: 6.658/206.67 #17 (6.630 Bump)

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Jackee Allen-ProStockJunkie
"The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress." -- Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French Philosopher

Give him credit for not quitting.

We had a very nice conversation with Mark's wife Friday night at the finish line. She was there with their son and Greg Anderson's son. Even on Friday she was talking about the possibility of being number 17. I felt for them when he did end up 17.

Brett

I've been a fan of the Cowboy for years. It hurts seeing the team so close. If there's a record for qualifying 17th, I think they've beaten it this year. Hopefully somebody's noticed how close they are and will sponsor that GTO. Mark is a great ambassador for our sport - a true racer's racer.

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I hope Mark will hang in there. He's so close and is a fan favorite. I can remember back a few years ago when Mark set the national record in E-Town. I can only wish future success to Mark.

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http://www.myspace.com/kb301

I hope he hangs in there too.He's had his share of adversity this year.

With P/S as competitive as it is, and as consistant (not a ton of oildowns/ blown up parts), isn't it time to considerer a 32 car field at some Nat'l events?? Just a suggestion...

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"Run what u brung, and hope u brought enough...."
http://www.myspace.com/relentlesslightingdesign

Give him credit for trying and when you consider how difficult that class is, it could be worse.

When it aint working sometimes you need to take a detour or go a different direction rather than quit. If I was him I go racing over in IHRA which is right in his backyard anyway. Or try another class.

He's mentioned bagging the last two events(i hope not)I'm hoping for a major sponsor for next year...he's right there, he just needs some money(and maybe a teammate for info sharing). It is a tough class. He also mentioned off track difficulties, but i don't know what. Mike...Pawuk fan forever!

I would love to see Mark competitive again in Pro Stock. He is one of my all time fav drivers and he is always very pleasant to talk to at the track. Hopefully he can find some HP and sponsorship dollars. Has he thought about leasing an engine from someone?

Is he getting engine help from Krisher? I seem to remember something about that.