Stephen Nasse scores first Super win of 2024

It looked like a reactive defensive maneuver but Stephen Nasse kind of backed into the winning move ahead of Casey Roderick on Friday night at Five Flags Speedway.

Inside of the final five laps, Roderick moved his line up in Turn 1 and made up a lot of ground. On the final lap, Nasse backed up towards Roderick, and was able to drive away to his first Super Late Model victory of the season.

Again, it looked like a defensive decision, but it was more a necessity than anything else.

“I was just free getting in,” Nasse said. “That was my hardest corner right there, entry, because there’s such a fine line of turning too good off the wall and then you’re too low and on the apron.

“So I had to do that and I was expecting the bump right in that area, on entry, just because I knew it was holding him up a little bit.

“But I had to do it to keep my car pointed straight and to make sure I could wrap the bottom the way I needed to. That’s the most important thing at this place.”

For his part, Roderick was driving his line of out necessity too.

“I needed laps to get better,” he said.

The final run was 11 laps.

“I needed more than the first five laps on a run to do anything,” he said. “So he gapped me a little bit right there. I started to reel him back in, got into Turn 1, and he whoaed up a little more than I expected.

“I actually got into the brakes really hard to keep from getting into him. I got loose hard on the brakes and it all cost me my opportunity to set him up off Turn 2.

“I was there and it just didn’t work out for me to make the move I wanted to.”

Dawson Sutton led laps and posted the fastest time in qualifying and finished third from the second starting spot due to a redraw.

He was actually fortunate to score a podium with a tire that was leaking air by the end of the race.

“This Rackley WAR team brought me a great car this weekend,” said Sutton. “Came up a little short in the race, but I got my first pole. Overall, it was a good learning weekend. I can’t thank the team enough. P3 is pretty good with a flat tire.

“I’m learning every race that we go to. It’s really just a learning experience.”

Nasse first took the lead from Sutton with 40 laps to go and led the rest of the way.

Before that, Bubba Pollard and Sean Hingorani were eliminated during a crash on Lap 36 while racing inside the top-5.

Cole Butcher, who won the ASA National tour Sunshine State 200 in March was leading early until a flat tire sent him into the Turn 4 wall.

“The right-front tire just gave out,” said Butcher. “I think that was the best car I’ve ever had here at Pensacola, it’s a shame. We’ll move on to Mobile tomorrow. I can’t thank my guys enough.”

Butcher has a backup car for the second half of the ASA SSS Gulf Coast Doubleheader but Pollard does not.

Big picture, the win was significant for Nasse as it came in his personal car and with his dad Jeff overseeing the program after his last several wins came with Anthony Campi Racing.

“I’m just so proud of my dad and my guys,” Nasse said.” Tom, Mark, everybody that puts a hand on this thing, Greg. They just work so hard, and it’s really starting to show off. To come out here and be able to hold off Roderick like that, I tell you, he made me work for it.

“We’ve been really strong in the Pro car. My dad and everybody there has just been working so hard, man. I won’t lie, I didn’t really have much faith in it. I’ve been a big doubter. Hard work does pay off, and we’re here to show it right now.”

Southern Super Series 100

Five Flags Speedway

April 26 2024

1. Stephen Nasse
2. Casey Roderick
3. Dawson Sutton
4. Jake Finch
5. Michael Hinde
6. Jake Garcia
7. Jeremy Doss
8. Connor Okrzesik
9. Dustin Smith
10. Jacob Gomes
11. John Bolen
12. Dylan Fetcho
13. Billy VanMeter
14. Daniel Webster
15. Conner Sutton
16. Blaise Rutherford
17. Matt Craig
18. Jett Noland
19. Gavan Boschele
20. Michael Goddard
21. Sean Hingorani
22. Bubba Pollard
23. Cole Butcher
24. Tony Elrod
25. Timothy Watson