Casey Roderick and Anthony Campi Racing are just on a magical run right now.
Roderick started on the pole and rode in the top three all night before making a late pass of Cole Butcher to win the Deep South Cranes 100, the Southern Super Series finale on Saturday night at Five Flags Speedway.
With the victory, Roderick erased a double-digit points deficit to Stephen Nasse in the Super Late Model track championship, the fourth of his career, and also the regional tour championship for the third time in his career. Roderick also leads the ASA STARS national championship with just the Winchester 400 and All-American 400 remaining.
“We’ve been working really hard to get to this point,” Roderick said of his Campi team. “We probably didn’t have the best car tonight. Cole was strong, but we hung in there. I’m so thankful to bring home these Blizzard Series and Southern Super Series championships. They’re special to me. And to get it in winning fashion, that makes it even better.”
Two weeks after winning at Toledo during a STARS race, Roderick continues to build momentum before the 57th annual Snowball Derby during the first week of December.
“There are a lotta good drivers out here,” he said. “I’m thankful to have the opportunity I have and showcase my talents.”
John Bolen finished runner-up and Giovanni Ruggiero was third.
Butcher was racing for the first time in months after health problems sidelined him following a torrid start to 2024. He was strong Saturday, leading from Lap 5 to Lap 98 until Roderick saw his chance following a late caution.
“I got (Butcher) on that restart and it was a gamechanger for us,” he said. “We were duking it out and I had a lotta fun racing him. He’s a heck of a wheelman.”
Nasse watched his lead shrink to just six points following a poor qualifying effort and Roderick’s run to the pole. Despite starting 18th, Nasse found his way to the top-five and was in an ideal position to capture the Blizzard Series championship until disaster struck late.
Bolen got by him less than 10 laps from the finish and Nasse began falling like a rock quickly. As cars past him, Nasse saw the chance at immortality at Five Flags go up in smoke once again. He lost the 2022 Blizzard title to Bubba Pollard by a single point.
“We put ourselves in a hole with qualifying,” Nasse said. “It was not a good effort, but it’s par for the course. It’s OK it didn’t go our way tonight. The Derby is going to be ours this year.”
