PARTNER PROFILE
DI 30 UNDER 30 HONOREE AUSTIN KARDULES EMBRACES OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND LINCOLN ELECTRIC WELDING SCHOOL
BY NATE VAN WAGNEN
W hen 2025 Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 honoree Austin Kardules’ name was drawn in the Lincoln Electric drawing during last year’ s DI 30 Under 30 press conference at the PRI Show, Kardules couldn’ t believe his luck. He’ d grown up around talented fabricators and had recently started to explore learning how to weld. The Lincoln Electric prize package – which included a Lincoln Power MIG 220 welder, a Lincoln Welding Gear Ready-Pak, and a five-day course at Lincoln’ s Welding School near Cleveland, Ohio, was exactly what Kardules needed to kick-start his education.
Lincoln Electric has supported the DI 30 Under 30 program for the last several years as both a program sponsor and through the giveaway. Each December, one of the 30 Under 30 honorees is picked as the winner through a random drawing on-stage at the 30 Under 30 press conference.
“ I believe being a partner of the 30 Under 30 program is a great way to say thank you to all the people selected,” said Lon Damon, Sports Marketing, NHRA / IndyCar, Lincoln Electric.
“ They’ re the future of drag racing and Lincoln Electric wants to be part of that journey.”
Kardules grew up in drag racing. His father, John, had a chassis shop in the‘ 80s and continued working on and building cars in their home garage through the 2000s. John got his two boys, Austin and older brother Camron, involved as well through Jr. Dragsters. That evolved into big cars, but it wasn’ t necessarily Austin’ s ontrack experience that earned him a spot on the 30 Under 30 list. He also spent time teaching beginner drivers at Doug Foley’ s Drag Racing School, an opportunity that led to selling sponsorships for Foley’ s Top Fuel team. Kardules also co-promotes a pair of races at his home track outside Columbus, Ohio.
Earlier this spring, Kardules made the drive up I-71 to the Lincoln Electric Welding Tech-
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF LINCOLN ELECTRIC
84 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 201