Dawson Sutton Breaks Through for First Pro Win in Pensacola

Racing head-to-head with a multi-time Super Late Model champion in Matthew Craig, it was 17-year-old Dawson Sutton that looked every bit the veteran in the Allen Turner Pro Late Model division opener on Friday night at Five Flags Speedway.

Dutton started from the pole, but immediately conceded the position to a hard charging Bryson Shaffer and was content to run a distant second for much of the opening third of the race. At the same time, Craig started fifth and methodically worked his way through the top-five until reaching Sutton around Lap 50.

Craig used the bumper to get around Sutton on Lap 65, but he immediately gave the position right back up and Sutton was able to slowly reel Shaffer in, making the winning pass on Lap 73 while trying to lap two-time Snowball Derby winner Augie Grill.

In fact, it was how the leaders worked through intense traffic, many of those cars racing for position side-by-side, that was most impressive. Despite being ordered to stick to the bottom when leaders approach, several lap down drivers changed lanes in front of leaders, making for a thrilling race despite the sketchy conditions.

It was a really professional drive for a young driver who only started racing Pro Late Models in January. This first victory literally came in only his eighth start since making the transition from Legend Cars.

“It was just listening to my spotter,” Sutton said after the race. “Bryson raced me really clean. The lap cars were really tough, really tough to pass. We worked on that as a team at New Smyrna. That was something we had to do a lot there so it that paid off. We’re pretty good at passing lap cars. There was a lot of traffic today and New Smyrna really helped.”

And to break through at Pensacola, home of the Snowball Derby and Snowflake 100, against a stout field was quite the accomplishment as well.

“I don’t know that it could get any better that this,” Sutton said. “It’s probably my favorite race track, right there with the Fairgrounds, and this is big with us planning to race the Snowflake later this year. We’re going to race all the races here and hopefully learn all that we can and win the Snowflake 100.

“That’s the plan.”

In short, Craig was just too tight in traffic and pushed up off Turn 2 when he had his chance to chase down Shaffer with clean air ahead of him, ultimately deciding his race.

“I wish I had a little bit more there at the end,” Craig said. “Just got tight. I had to use a little too much right front, too soon, but when it goes green to the end, you’re riding and waiting for the caution that never comes.

I’m like, ‘oh shit, got to go,’ but we just needed more really, that’s all it comes down to.”

Shaffer led the first 73 laps, and still considered his fourth place run to be a good night.

“It was either a bad set of tires or missed the set-up and it’s disappointing, but the car is in one piece with a top five and that’s all you can really ask for,” Shaffer said. “With 60 left, it was already too loose, but we know and we’re going to be back.

“We’re going to be pretty good next time too.”

And simply running up front inspired him.

“I’ve never really done that before so that was really cool,” Shaffer said. “Especially here. We learned a lot about the car and it’s still a top-5.”

For Sutton, it continues a theme a rapid improvement from the young son of Rackley WAR partner and Rackley Roofing owner Curtis Sutton. The younger Sutton meticulously studies video, dartfish layover and throttle traces.

His team speaks very highly of his diligence and that diligence was rewarded with a win at the home of the Snowball.

Allen Turner Pro Late Model #1
Five Flags Speedway
April 7 2023

1. Dawson Sutton
2. Matt Craig
3. Gavin Graham
4. Bryson Shaffer
5. Dylan Fetcho
6. John Bolen
7. Collin Allman
8. Seth Christensen
9. Jim Wall
10. Carson Brown
11. Katie Hettinger
12. Anthony Cataldi
13. Christopher Tullis
14. Augie Grill
15. Charlie Keevan
16. Johnny Aramendia
17. Jojo Wilkinson
18. Elliott Massey
19. Greg Fore
20. Bryce Carver
21. Grant Thompson
22. Dustin Smith
23. Derrick Griffin
24. Taylor Satterfield

Read more Short Track Scene:

• Dale Jr. leads an All Star CARS Tour ownership group
• The difference between a Super Late and Late Model Stock
• New Era for Super Late Models Begins Now