Written by Mary Lendzion
Photos by NMCA Staff
Mark Nowicki is a marvel behind the wheel of his Dodge Avenger.
He knows it from front to back, and from top to bottom, and he has it dialed in to win.
He proved that when he powered to the 2022 Micro Strategies Super Stock championship, and again when he set out to back up that championship in 2023.
He was ready in his car with a 360 cubic-inch engine built by Mike LaLonde in the shop at Nowicki’s company, M&M Excavating in Gaylord, Michigan, and backed by a Chrysler 904 transmission built by Joel’s on Joy. Nowicki, who is also successful in NHRA and IHRA, uses Big Stuff 3 to tune his combination.
“Simply put, my goals at the beginning of the year were to win rounds and win races,” said Nowicki.
The racer made the trip from snowy Michigan to sunny Florida for the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines in March at Orlando Speed World Dragway. He led qualifying with a 9.41 on a 10.50, and had a solo pass in the first round. He won the second round with 9.48 on a 9.48 and the third round with 9.41 on a 9.39. On the last day of the event, he finished as the runner-up against Joe Ewing with a break out time of 9.41 on a 9.43.
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He then headed to the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE Motorsport in April at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina, where he led qualifying with a 9.43 on a 10.50, but exited eliminations in the first round with a 9.57 on a 9.55.
The NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Muscle Car Drag Racing in May at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois was next on the schedule, and Nowicki qualified in the seventh spot with a 9.51 on a 10.50. He won the first round with 9.64 on a 9.59, and the second round with a better reaction time than his opponent and a 9.62 on a 9.61. He lost in the third round with a 9.64 on a 9.66.
Back in his home state for the TorqStorm NMRA/NMCA Power Festival presented by Paul’s High Performance in July at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan, Nowicki qualified in the second spot with a 9.50 on a 10.50, but lost in the first round on a red light.
Putting that race in the rearview mirror, he headed to the 2nd Annual Mickey Thompson NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Mag in August at Summit Motorsports Park, and qualified in the sixth spot out of 24 cars with a 9.61 on a 10.50. He won the first round with a 9.65 on a 9.65, and lost in the second round with a close -.006 red light.
Hoping to come out on top at the last event of the year, the 22nd Annual NMCA World Street Finals presented by Chevrolet Performance in September at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana, Nowicki qualified in the second spot with a 9.55 on a 10.50, and won the first round with a 9.66 on a 9.60. He won the second round with a 9.55 on a 9.54, made a solo pass in the semifinal and then finished as the runner-up with a break out time of 9.59 on a 9.62 against Brody Daughterty.
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The round wins, as well as the resilience, helped send Nowicki to the 2023 Micro Strategies Super Stock championship.
“My fellow competitors in the Super Stock class are some of the toughest around, and going into the final race of the season with only a 17-point lead speaks to just how tough the Super Stock class is,” said Nowicki. “Overall, I feel like I was pretty consistent. That was easier in some rounds than in others, but overall, hard work paid off. Racers in every class know of the hard work it takes to win, so to be a back-to-back NMCA Super Stock world champion is truly an honor. I would like to thank God, my angel in heaven, Elaine, my family, which includes my girlfriend, Jen Lyons, and her family, my daughter, Brandie Meisner, and her family, and Bobby and Carolyn Howald. I would also like to thank M&M Excavating, Mike LaLonde, Mark Donald and Mike Zoll, who make it all happen, and Chris Osman at Mickey Thompson Tires, John Meaney at Big Stuff and Jeff Kondratic at Lucas Oil. I would also like to thank my extended drag racing family, including Jim and MaryJo Bailey, Allen and Marilyn Wade, Joe and Alice Tysinger, Mike and Emily Volkman, Doug and Anne Duell, Bruce and Deb Lang, Howard Comstock, Tom Cunningham and so many others, including two racers who gained their angel wings this year, Dan Walcott and Rebecca McNinch. I’m truly honored to be back-to-back NMCA Super Stock world champion.”
The NMCA sincerely congratulates Nowicki, whom will be celebrated at the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals Awards, held during the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Dec. 8, 2023, at the Indiana Convention Center, and in the upcoming Champions Issue of Fastest Street Car.
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Photos by NMCA Staff
Mark Nowicki is a marvel behind the wheel of his Dodge Avenger.
He knows it from front to back, and from top to bottom, and he has it dialed in to win.
He proved that when he powered to the 2022 Micro Strategies Super Stock championship, and again when he set out to back up that championship in 2023.
He was ready in his car with a 360 cubic-inch engine built by Mike LaLonde in the shop at Nowicki’s company, M&M Excavating in Gaylord, Michigan, and backed by a Chrysler 904 transmission built by Joel’s on Joy. Nowicki, who is also successful in NHRA and IHRA, uses Big Stuff 3 to tune his combination.
“Simply put, my goals at the beginning of the year were to win rounds and win races,” said Nowicki.
The racer made the trip from snowy Michigan to sunny Florida for the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines in March at Orlando Speed World Dragway. He led qualifying with a 9.41 on a 10.50, and had a solo pass in the first round. He won the second round with 9.48 on a 9.48 and the third round with 9.41 on a 9.39. On the last day of the event, he finished as the runner-up against Joe Ewing with a break out time of 9.41 on a 9.43.
He then headed to the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE Motorsport in April at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina, where he led qualifying with a 9.43 on a 10.50, but exited eliminations in the first round with a 9.57 on a 9.55.
The NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Muscle Car Drag Racing in May at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois was next on the schedule, and Nowicki qualified in the seventh spot with a 9.51 on a 10.50. He won the first round with 9.64 on a 9.59, and the second round with a better reaction time than his opponent and a 9.62 on a 9.61. He lost in the third round with a 9.64 on a 9.66.
Back in his home state for the TorqStorm NMRA/NMCA Power Festival presented by Paul’s High Performance in July at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan, Nowicki qualified in the second spot with a 9.50 on a 10.50, but lost in the first round on a red light.
Putting that race in the rearview mirror, he headed to the 2nd Annual Mickey Thompson NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Mag in August at Summit Motorsports Park, and qualified in the sixth spot out of 24 cars with a 9.61 on a 10.50. He won the first round with a 9.65 on a 9.65, and lost in the second round with a close -.006 red light.
Hoping to come out on top at the last event of the year, the 22nd Annual NMCA World Street Finals presented by Chevrolet Performance in September at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana, Nowicki qualified in the second spot with a 9.55 on a 10.50, and won the first round with a 9.66 on a 9.60. He won the second round with a 9.55 on a 9.54, made a solo pass in the semifinal and then finished as the runner-up with a break out time of 9.59 on a 9.62 against Brody Daughterty.
The round wins, as well as the resilience, helped send Nowicki to the 2023 Micro Strategies Super Stock championship.
“My fellow competitors in the Super Stock class are some of the toughest around, and going into the final race of the season with only a 17-point lead speaks to just how tough the Super Stock class is,” said Nowicki. “Overall, I feel like I was pretty consistent. That was easier in some rounds than in others, but overall, hard work paid off. Racers in every class know of the hard work it takes to win, so to be a back-to-back NMCA Super Stock world champion is truly an honor. I would like to thank God, my angel in heaven, Elaine, my family, which includes my girlfriend, Jen Lyons, and her family, my daughter, Brandie Meisner, and her family, and Bobby and Carolyn Howald. I would also like to thank M&M Excavating, Mike LaLonde, Mark Donald and Mike Zoll, who make it all happen, and Chris Osman at Mickey Thompson Tires, John Meaney at Big Stuff and Jeff Kondratic at Lucas Oil. I would also like to thank my extended drag racing family, including Jim and MaryJo Bailey, Allen and Marilyn Wade, Joe and Alice Tysinger, Mike and Emily Volkman, Doug and Anne Duell, Bruce and Deb Lang, Howard Comstock, Tom Cunningham and so many others, including two racers who gained their angel wings this year, Dan Walcott and Rebecca McNinch. I’m truly honored to be back-to-back NMCA Super Stock world champion.”
The NMCA sincerely congratulates Nowicki, whom will be celebrated at the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals Awards, held during the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Dec. 8, 2023, at the Indiana Convention Center, and in the upcoming Champions Issue of Fastest Street Car.