YLE PAWUK was born in December 1996 and made his trackside debut at the NHRA Gatornationals three and a half months later , so he quite literally grew up at the racetrack . The son of Pro Stock racer Mark “ The Cowboy ” Pawuk , he was fascinated with the sport from a young age and remained engaged even when his father took a 13-year hiatus from driving . The elder Pawuk has been back in full force for the last five years , and he recently secured the NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world championship with his son serving as one of his key crew members .

Kyle and his older sister , Kassandra , who was named to the 2023 DI 30 Under 30 list , spent their summers going to the races with their parents as Mark wrapped up his Pro Stock career . Kyle would help out with the car when possible , and when his dad stepped away from competition , he stayed active by helping former Cleveland Cavaliers NBA star Larry Nance with his “ Catch 22 ” ’ 68 Camaro at local Pro Mod events in and around Ohio . That experience paid off when Mark announced his return to drag racing in the Factory Stock Showdown class in 2018 .

Kyle has been at every race since then .

“ As time progressed and I ’ ve gotten older , I ’ ve done a lot more on the car and I ’ ve learned a lot from a lot of people ,” Pawuk says . “ Mike Valerio is the co-crew chief with David [ Barton ]. Whatever needs done , I ’ m there , along with trying to run my car . I make sure he ’ s in the car and ready to go . When he goes to make a run , I set tires , do all that sort of stuff . Then between rounds , I ’ ll download the Racepak , and whatever needs changed on the car , I ’ ll help change and do that sort of thing .”

Pawuk , 27 , recently started to develop his own driving career . He had driven a few friends ’ cars while he was going to college in San Diego , then he started to build his own car when he returned home to Ohio . His dad took him and Kassandra to Frank Hawley ’ s Drag Racing School at their home track , Summit Motorsports Park , where Kyle drove both a Super Comp dragster and Super Gas door car .

“ I learned a lot from Frank and everybody there ,” Pawuk says . “ I learned a lot of mental-type driving stuff that I wouldn ’ t have learned anywhere else . Just little tricks and tips that have helped me as I ’ ve been starting to drive more cars and different cars . It helps me adapt to what I ’ m doing with the different types of driving in index racing versus bracket racing .”

Two months later , Pawuk got a call from Scott Libersher asking about driving one of his entries in the NMCA COPO Shootout at Norwalk . Pawuk ended up reaching the final round in his debut and has since driven the car on multiple occasions . He ’ s also fielded his sister ’ s Super Comp dragster , as well as debuted his ’ 62 Bel Air bubble top in Super Gas .

Pawuk ’ s biggest career highlight so far has come outside of the driver ’ s seat , though , as he helped his father win the 2024 NHRA Factory Stock Showdown world championship . It came down to the semifinals in St . Louis , and multiple scenarios had to play out perfectly . The elder Pawuk , who sported a Don Schumacher tribute look on his car in memory of his late longtime friend , has been chasing an NHRA championship since he started racing Super Gas in 1983 .

“ I didn ’ t think we ’ d go into St . Louis and really have a chance ,” Kyle says . “ It ’ s one of those things that we ’ ll always remember . I ’ m very lucky to be able to do it with my dad and my family . It ’ s just so rewarding for him to be able to do that before he ends his driving career , to at least have one championship and hopefully have two next year .”

As for his own driving career , Kyle hopes to continue following in his father ’ s footsteps by competing in and winning in a variety of NHRA classes .

“ I ’ d love to win a Wally ,” says Pawuk , who thanked his family , girlfriend Kim Benza , mentors like Nance , Libersher , Barton , and Valerio , and sponsors like Red Line Oil and Summit Racing . “ I want to just have fun and do the best that I can and learn as much as I can along the way . I ’ d love to drive a Showdown car one day , or maybe a Factory X car . We ’ ll see where life and the racing world take me .” – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI

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