PENSACOLA, FL – Finally, for the first time all week long, Super Late Models hit the track Friday morning for Snowball Derby practice. Rain throughout the day Thursday prevented any on track action, as rain into Friday morning threatened to affect on track activity as well. Through trying efforts by Five Flags Speedway staff, the track was dried and cars hit the track for the first time at the 58th annual Snowball Derby.
With a quick time of 16.296, the hour long session was led by Rackley WAR driver Dawson Sutton, fresh off a win in the All-American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in November. Sutton made 12-laps during the session and joked of the lineup for Sunday’s 300-lap race being set by practice times after setting fast time Friday morning.
Dawson Sutton fastest in first Snowball Derby practice.
This is his favorite race track and they’ve been strong recently. He feels really good about the car. pic.twitter.com/lKIjDOskOr
“Yeah I feel really good,” Sutton told Short Track Scene. “My guys brought me a really good racecar here. I feel like we’ve just been really good these last few months, … listening to the drivers meeting earlier, I don’t think we’re going to start off practice times, sadly, but I think we’re going to get qualifying in and I’m really looking forward to whenever we hit the track next.”
Behind Sutton was Anthony Campi Racing driver Carson Brown, who along with Brandon Lopez made the most laps of any driver in the session at 30. Preston Peltier was third on the charts after just four laps on track, with Cole Butcher and Haeden Plybon rounding out the top five.
Dustin Smith brought out the first caution of the session after his No. 33 began smoking immediately following his entry to the track, just about halfway through the session.
It was cold tires and driver error that led to the practice crash for Gavan Boschele.
However, he remains confident in both the backup car and himself that he can put them in the show during qualifying. pic.twitter.com/9H7WG6tqWm
The most notable incident from the practice session was a single car crash for Gavan Boschele, as he made hard contact with the outside wall in turns three and four. Boschele and the Wilson Motorsports No. 24 team will now turn to a backup car after what the driver called a mistake on cold tires.
Shortly after the session had concluded, rain began to fall once again at Five Flags Speedway, as has been the theme of the week in Pensacola. With rain continuing to fall periodically throughout the day, Five Flags Speedway has decided to scrap the second Friday practice session. Teams now turn their attention directly to Snowball Derby qualifying Friday evening after just an hour of on track time throughout the week.
Snowball Derby Friday practice results
Position
Car Number
Driver
1
26
Dawson Sutton
2
81
Carson Brown
3
48
Preston Peltier
4
28
Cole Butcher
5
55
Haeden Plybon
6
1
Kasey Kleyn
7
96
Spencer Davis
8
60
Ryan Preece
9
16
Jacob Gomes
10
26
Bubba Pollard
11
17
Hudson Bulger
12
24
Gavan Boschele
13
08
Jace Hansen
14
91
Ty Majeski
15
30
Treyten Lapcevich
16
44
Matt Craig
17
36
Ty Fredrickson
18
98
David Gilliland
19
12
Derek Griffith
20
22
Buddy Shepherd
21
5
Tristan McKee
22
30
Casey Roderick
23
76
Kole Raz
24
18
Max Reaves
25
3
Michael Atwell
26
89
Dylan Fetcho
27
14
Chase Pinsonneault
28
15
Mike Hopkins
29
33
Dustin Smith
30
83
Cory Hall
31
6
Brandon Lopez
32
9
Derek Kraus
33
4
Erik Jones
34
21
Kaden Honeycutt
35
51
Stephen Nasse
36
28
Timothy Watson
37
51
Jake Finch
38
51
Kyle Busch
39
54
Seth Christensen
40
35
Jake Garcia
41
96
Derek Thorn
42
14
Austin Nason
43
44
Conner Jones
44
30
Noah Gragson
45
5
Casey Johnson
Snowball Derby qualifying had been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT, but weather has affected most of Friday’s schedule so far. No further announcements have been made by the track to this point as they continue to battle with Mother Nature throughout the day.
