Story By: ELON WERNER / FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN – NORWALK, OH – Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series point leader Stephen Bell posted the quickest qualifying run for the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals to earn his first No. 1 qualifier of the 2024 season.
The businessman and accomplished driver made a strong 7.806 second pass at 178.35 mph in the opening qualifying session on Friday. The run held up through the second session and rain today washed out the final qualifying session securing Bell and his Chevrolet COPO Camaro the top spot in the 16-car qualified field.
“I wanted to get a good run in and be close to the top,” said Bell. “You don’t want to be in the middle of the field because the competition is so tough. Even as the No. 1 qualifier I am not looking past Mike Clark. Every driver out here can win. These races come down to the performance of the cars and the driver behind the wheel. I am looking forward to getting into eliminations.”
Bell outran a solid field of Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Dodge Drag Paks, and Ford Cobra Jets to head into eliminations as the quickest factory stock car on the property. This is Bell’s third career No. 1 qualifier, and he is the fourth different Flexjet Factory Stock driver to score a No. 1 qualifier this season. Bell will face Mike Clark in the first round.
“We looked at the conditions for the first qualifying session and we knew we had to take a shot,” said Bell. “I talked to Greg (Stanfield, of Stanfield Engines) and we felt like that was the best chance. I knew when we took off and we were under power after the first hundred feet we were going to make a good run. I was beside (Scott) Libersher at the finish line and when we talked afterwards, we both said we had the same idea.”
As the most recent winner and No. 5 qualifier David Janac will try and hold onto the Flexjet Bounty by defeating No.12 qualifier Doug Hamp in the opening round. Janac won for the first time on the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown series at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn.
Right behind No. 1 qualifier Bell sits Scott Libersher driving another Chevrolet COPO Camaro as the No. 2 qualifier followed by Ohioan and 2024 Gatornationals winner Mark Pawuk, driving his Dodge Drag Pak, in the No. 3 position. Pawuk will be racing for his first Summit Racing Nationals win tomorrow at his hometown track.
“Winning Gainesville was a bucket list item for me,” said Pawuk, a lifelong Ohio resident who calls Akron home. “The Gatornationals was one of those events I always wanted to win. It was really special because that was where I debuted my Don Schumacher tribute car. I’m racing in his honor this year, and the only thing that could match that moment would be finishing the weekend in the winner’s circle with family and friends here in Norwalk. I started racing here in the 1970s and have such great memories from this facility. I miss my good friend Bill Bader Sr. We lost him two years ago today. His birthday was earlier this week, and I always have the Bader family in my thoughts.”
Bell, Janac, Pawuk and Libersher make up four of the top six drivers in the point standings. Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals winner Ricky Hord is the No. 4 qualifier and will face off with David Davies II in a Chevrolet versus Dodge match-up. Lee Hartman, the No. 8 qualifier, and his Hartman Racing COPO Camaro, who earned No. 1 qualifiers at the previous two races, will race No. 9 qualifier Kevin Skinner in the first round. The competition level for the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown series has continued to rise throughout the season and Bell will be looking to try and pick up his third win of the season and extend his point lead with four races left on the schedule.
First Round Match-ups
No. 1 Stephen Bell vs. No. 16 Mike Clark
No. 2 Scott Libersher vs. No. 15 Raymond Nash
No. 3 Mark Pawuk vs. No. 14 Del Holbrook
No. 4 Ricky Hord vs. No. 13 David Davies II
No. 5 David Janac vs. No. 12 Doug Hamp
No. 6 Jason Dietsch vs. No. 11 Tony Scott Jr.
No. 7 Jonathan Allegrucci vs. No. 10 Anthony Troyer
No. 8 Lee Hartman vs. No. 9 Kevin Skinner